Why Spirulina?

The gap between the human population and food supply has widened gradually in recent years and the balance is greatly in favour of population growth. According to WHO, several hundred million people are suffering from malnutrition in different parts of the globe and the majority belongs to Third World Countries. Though efforts have been made to improve land and animal-based conventional sources of protein (meat, fish, poultry, egg, milk, pulses, vegetable etc) production, frequent increase in food scarcity and rising prices of food commodities may not satisfy the demand of the ever-increasing global population. Spirulina, micro-algae is a way out for the problems of humankind to be able to survive in the future.

Micro-algae are high value, low volume biological materials with growing demand in health food, therapeutics and specialized feeds. The potentials of microalgae as a source of food or food supplements dates backs to many centuries, wherein thick surface growth in water bodies were collected and consumed by ancient Aztec tribes.

Complete and Balanced Nutrients – NASA

Food security, implying the access of every individual to the physical, economic and environmental aspects of a balanced diet and safe drinking water are the primary objectives of all nations, especially developing and underdeveloped countries. In the present era, Spirulina, a spirally coiled photosynthetic cyanoprokaryote, is often hailed as the “wonder food” of our times, with unusually high protein content and nutraceutical properties. Algae has been existing on the earth surface for more than 3.6 billion years, maybe one of the disease-preventing and anti-ageing wonderful nature’s gift to mankind.

• Spirulina does not need fertile land for cultivation and therefore conserves fertile land and soil. It has over 60 % protein that is higher than any other food besides the benefits of rapid growth and higher yield.
• Spirulina requires less energy input per kilo than soy, corn, or bovine protein. As cheap energy sources are depleted, the costs of energy-dependent foods will rise up with energy prices.
• Spirulina uses less water per kilo of protein than other foods as the water is recycled back to the ponds after harvesting.
• Spirulina is a big oxygen producer that is even more efficient than trees and forests to absorb Carbon dioxide and release Oxygen.
• Spirulina production uses non-fertile land and brackish water and is a potent remedy to deforestation to cultivate food. As people eat lower on the food chain, the pressure to destroy wilderness can be halted and help re-green our planet
• Spirulina has no externalized hidden costs in terms of depletion of freshwater, fertile topsoil and forests, pollution from pesticides, herbicides and toxins. No long term medical costs from unhealthy foods with chemical additives.

Source: IIMSAM Spirulina Pledge
Why Spirulina?