Algae - Seaweed
Kombu - Nori - Hijiki / Hiziki -Wakame - Arame - agar-agar - Spirulina
- Chlorella - Minerals - Health
Index
Ocean / Sea algae are the richest natural source of
minerals, trace minerals and rare earth elements. They are usually sold dry in
Health Food stores.
All the minerals found in sea water are also found in sea algae.
Here is the list of all the minerals, trace minerals and
rare
earth elements found in sea water:
77
Elements in Sea Water |
|
| Element Name |
Chemical Symbol |
Element Name |
Chemical Symbol |
|
|
|
|
| Aluminum |
AL |
Molybdenum |
MO |
| Antimony |
SB |
Neodymium |
ND |
| Arsenic |
AS |
Nickel |
NI |
| Barium |
BA |
Niobium |
NB |
| Beryllium |
BE |
Osmium |
OS |
| Bismuth |
BI |
Palladium |
PD |
| Boron |
B |
Phosphorus |
P |
| Bromine |
BR |
Platinum |
PT |
| Cadmium |
CD |
Potassium |
K |
| Calcium |
CA |
Praseodymium |
PR |
| Carbon |
C |
Rhenium |
RE |
| Cerium |
CE |
Rhodium |
RH |
| Cesium |
CS |
Rubidium |
RB |
| Chloride |
CL |
Ruthenium |
RU |
| Chromium |
CR |
Samarium |
SM |
| Cobalt |
CO |
Scandium |
SC |
| Copper |
CU |
Selenium |
SE |
| Dysprosium |
DY |
Silicon |
SI |
| Erbium |
ER |
Silver |
AG |
| Europium |
EU |
Sodium |
NA |
| Fluoride |
F |
Strontium |
SR |
| Gadolinium |
GD |
Sulfur (sulfate) |
S |
| Gallium |
GA |
Tantalum |
TA |
| Germanium |
GE |
Tellurium |
TE |
| Gold |
AU |
Terbium |
TB |
| Hafnium |
HF |
Thallium |
TL |
| Holmium |
HO |
Thorium |
TH |
| Indium |
IN |
Thulium |
TM |
| Iodine |
I |
Tin |
SN |
| Iridium |
IR |
Titanium |
TI |
| Iron |
FE |
Tungsten |
W |
| Lanthanum |
LA |
Vanadium |
V |
| Lead |
PB |
Ytterbium |
YB |
| Lithium |
LI |
Yttrium |
Y |
| Lutetium |
LU |
Zinc |
ZN |
| Magnesium |
MG |
Zirconium |
ZR |
| Manganese |
MN |
|
|
| Mercury |
HG |
|
|
| Ref. Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics, 65th Ed. 1984-1985, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl., p. F-149 |
Minerals that are negatively charged have
two very important
benefits.
It greatly increases the transport and bioavailability of other
nutrients gotten from foods and/or vitamins and other supplements.
It will attract toxins and heavy metals from the body and flush them
out. Clinical tests done in the US. and in Germany have verified this.
Minerals in their metallic form can be toxic to the human
body. Dangerous levels of these metallic minerals can accumulate in the
tissues and create serious health problems.
Kombu, Wakame, Nori, Hiziki / Hijiki , Arame, Dulse , Kelp,
Irish moss ...
Dishes made with those algae are rich source of Iodine, Calcium,
Iron, Silicon, Copper, Zinc and Selenium.
Kombu algae
Soak dry alga for at least 15 minutes, before you use it.
Make a cup of tea with a little peace of this algae and drink it
three times a weak. Use it when you are making beans, or in soups , together
with vegetable, grains or beans.
Wakame algae
Soak dry alga for at least 10 minutes, before you use it.
Use this algae in soups, together with vegetable, grains or
beans.
Nori algae
You can roast it and eat it few times a week. Children
love to eat those pressed leaves. You can also fry it as a chips, for children, or
boil it and make a condiment with tamari soy sauce.
Hiziki / Hijiki alga
Soak dry alga for at least 15 minutes, before you use it.
Is very nice made with onion, or with tofu and carrots.
Arame Alga
Soak dry alga for at least 15 minutes, before you use it.
Is very nice made with onion, or in soups.
Dulse
Soak dry alga for at least 12 minutes, before you use it.
Use this algae in soups, together with vegetable, grains or
beans.
Micro- Algae
Spirulina, Chlorella, and wild blue-green ( Aphanizomenon
flos-aquae) contain more chlorophyll than any other foods. Dried micro algae, are
the richest source of proteins, beta-carotene, and nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), and very
rich source of GLA.
Micro algae have been successfully used to improve immunity of
people with Cancer, AIDS, Colitus, Diabetes ...
Micro Algae are single-celled organisms and simple multicellular
plants that live wherever there is water-in the sea, fresh water or moist soil. Spirulina
is a blue-green alga that's a rich source of proteins, carotenoids and other
micronutrients. Studies now support its antiviral and anticancer properties. Chlorella, a
single-celled alga, has the highest known levels of chlorophyll of any plant.
Spirulina

Blue-green micro alga .
Its nutrients are very easy to digest :
protein ( biliprotein ), carbohydrates ( mucopolysaccharides,
rhamnose and glycogen ) , 50 different minerals and trace minerals ( all your body
needs ) , beta-carotene , chlorophyll, GLA omega3 fatty acid, and many other
nutrients.
Very good for people with severe liver damage resulting from
malnutrition, internal pollution or drugs.
According to standard nutritional tests, the digestive absorption
of the protein in Spirulina and Chlorella is four times greater than that in beef.
Spirulina contain blue pigment phycocyanin, a biliprotein which
have been shown to inhibit cancer-colony formation.*
Spirulina, a blue-green alga sold as a supplement, is an excellent source of
chlorophyll and disease-fighting compounds called phytochemicals. Phytochemicals (phyto
is Greek for "plant") are compounds in plants and fruits that imbue them with
color and protect them against cellular damage caused by free radicals. Researchers at the
National Institutes of Health are studying phytochemicals to understand their role in
disease prevention.
Mouth cancer is one disorder that may be treated or prevented by
phytochemicals, especially beta-carotene, which is found in abundance in spirulina. This
may explain why the alga slowed and even stopped the growth of cancerous cells in
scientific studies. Padmanabhan P. Nair, Ph.D., a scientist with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, recently demonstrated that spirulina is a particularly potent inhibitor of
mouth cancer. Nair and his colleagues gave daily spirulina supplements to volunteers in
southwestern India for 12 months. The volunteers were alike in many ways: All chewed
tobacco and had precancerous lesions in their mouths called leukoplakia. After
taking the alga for one year, 45 percent of the volunteers had recovered, and the thick,
white, precancerous patches in their mouths completely disappeared. Another 12 percent of
the volunteers showed significant improvement, raising the figure to 57 percent who
benefited from spirulina supplements (Nutrition and Cancer, 1995, vol. 24).
"Spirulina is an inexpensive source of beta-carotene and other
carotenoids, and it's also easy to digest," says Nair. "Incidence of cancer of
the mouth and the cervix -- which have the same kind of mucous membrane -- is rising
around the world, and spirulina may help many people."
Beta-carotene is just one of the many nutrients in spirulina. This alga also
provides iron and is the most concentrated plant source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA),
according to the World Review of Nutrition and Diet (1995, vol. 77). GLA, an
essential fatty acid, is key to the body's ability to make vital prostaglandins,
substances that control body functions and help alleviate health problems such as
arthritis and heart disease, according to one preliminary report (Journal of Applied
Phycology, 1993, vol. 5). GLA supplementation results in blood's becoming more
"slippery" since prostaglandins reduce blood platelet adhesion so that
cholesterol deposits in arteries have less chance to build up and create arterial
blockage, according to Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James Balch, M.D.,
and Phyllis Balch, C.N.C. (Avery).
One study involving 30 male patients with mild hypertension and high
cholesterol showed a significant reduction of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) in the
men who took the spirulina supplements for four weeks (Nutrition Report International,
1988, vol. 37
Chlorella

Chlorella contains more than 20 vitamins and minerals including B complex,
beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, iron and calcium, almost 70% protein, and 19 of the 22
amino acids. It is the highest source of chlorophyll which is a liver detoxifier, a bowel
cleanser, and a catalyst for the absorption of other elements, including iron. It is the
highest source of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, reduced levels of which are believed to
be implicated in physical deterioration and ageing
Chlorella was first identified by a Dutch scientist in 1890. But
it was not until the 1950's that Japanese studies threw light on its enormous potential.
Researchers discovered that some of chlorella's beneficial health effects appeared to stem
from a high concentration of chlorophyll and beta carotene, as well as from its unusual
cell wall.
Cell wall of this alga binds with heavy metals, pesticides, PCB,
... and carries these toxins safely out of the body.
It contains Chlorella Growth Factor ( CGF ). CGF strengthens
immunity by improving the activity of T- and B- cells, which defense against
viruses. CGF strengthens immunity by improving the activity of macrophages ,
which destroys cancer.
The Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) was isolated in the 1950s and
indicates the level of chlorella's nucleic acids, says Paul Pitchford. Nucleic acids --
RNA and DNA -- in the body direct our cellular growth and repair, yet they decline as we
age, and they're depleted by stress, pollution and poor diet. The nucleus of chlorella
appears to be a good source of RNA/DNA, which is why the alga is credited with
strengthening immunity including the increased activity of T- and B-cells (part of the
immune system), reports Pitchford, citing several studies done in Japan in 1984 and 1985
regarding chlorella and its antitumor effect.
Sometimes called the green blood tonic and cleanser, it's reported
to be beneficial in cases of anemia, and studies have shown its ability to stimulate
regeneration of tissue, accelerate the healing of wounds and inhibit the growth of some
tumors.
Chlorella's cell wall is also a useful source of fiber and in conjunction with
chlorophyll, is valuable for detoxifying the bowel and for the treatment of constipation.
A unique plant-like property of this wall not found in any other algae, is its ability to
bind with toxic metals such as cadmium, lead or mercury as well as pesticides and remove
them from the body. However, this same fibrous quality makes chlorella hard to digest and
so it is usually broken down mechanically during processing to enable maximum absorption.
Chlorella's protein content is around 60% and like spirulina it contains all essential
amino, fatty and nucleic acids. It is also a good source of beta carotene and vitamin B12,
which makes it useful for vegans in particular. Studies have also shown it can enhance the
liver's detoxification processes, and consequently, it's reputed to be beneficial for
hangovers!
At Aston Villa Football Club a five month trial compared the performance of players taking
chlorella with that of those who didn't. The results were significant according to coach
Roger Spry "The players taking the chlorella seemed to have more energy and recovered
from intense exercises more quickly than the others", he says. "One unexpected
effect was a noticeable improvement in the condition of their skin and hair".
Some scientists think chlorella may help to prevent degenerative disease and even slow
down the aging process, while American researcher Dr. David Steenblock believes it has
great potential in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, Epsteir Barr disease and other equally
chronic viral illnesses.
Chlorophyll, which you can take in supplements derived from green micro-algae
and wheat grass, may also help detoxify the body. "Because it absorbs and inactivates
toxic materials, people have traditionally taken spirulina and chlorella for their high
chlorophyll content," says Ron Klatz, D.O., president of the American Academy of
Anti-Aging Medicine in Colorado Springs.
The single-celled chlorella alga has become popular because it's high in
chlorophyll and because of its nucleic acids, which may strengthen immunity.
This research seems at best preliminary, but it's reinforced by another
Japanese study done with AIDS-infected mice that showed some increase in immune function
when the mice were fed chlorella (International Journal on Immunopharmacology, June
1995).
References :
* Troxler,R. and Saffer, B. (Harvard School of Dental Med.
Researchers ) Algae Derived Phycocyanin is both Cytostatic and Cytotoxic (
dose-response ) to oral squamous cell carcinoma ( human or hamster ). Paper delivered at
International Association for Dental Research General Session, 1987