What the hell is Algae and why would I eat it?

Well, first of all, Algae isn’t really one individual thing. It’s more like an umbrella term that covers a bunch of different organisms and includes everything from itty bitty single-celled chlorella to 100 ft+ giant kelp. Algae is just a name for things like plants (but subtly different) that grow in water and get their energy from the sun.

If you’ve ever eaten Japanese food, you’ve probably eaten algae because sea vegetables like wakame, nori, and kombu are classed as algae. And if you’ve already tried Subi Superfood, then you definitely have eaten algae.

But why is it a good idea to include some algae in your diet?

Seaweeds and algae contain particularly high concentrations of nutrients that are often hard to come by in land-grown plants. Even though our soil is being depleted of minerals through intensive farming, the sea and other bodies of water are still rich sources of the 56 minerals essential for a healthy human.

While the specific mineral breakdown of algae and sea vegetables varies by species and where it is growing, it’s safe to assume most of them are chock full of nutrition. Subi contains two of the most nutritious and beneficial types of algae.

The Algae in Subi

The formula for Subi Superfood contains two types of Algae: Spirulina and Chlorella. We had specific reasons for including each them and I’m going to talk you through the awesome algal powers they give to Subi Superfood.

Chlorella

Chlorella is a single celled green algae that grows in freshwater ponds and lakes. It’s spherical in shape and very, very small: imagine zillions of dark green tennis balls.

These little tennis balls are packed full of nutrients though, Chlorella is high in Iron, Vitamin C and protein. It also contains antioxidants and lots of other vitamins and minerals.

As well as all those nutrients, Chlorella seems to have other powers for good. Firstly, it’s gaining a reputation for helping your body to detox. There is evidence that Chlorella helps your body process and remove heavy metals and other harmful compounds. Secondly, it looks like Chlorella can boost your immune system. This study showed how a group of men had more active immune systems when they consumed a Chlorella supplement.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green algae that can grow in freshwater or saltwater. It is highly nutritious and was used as a food throughout history by people as diverse as the Aztecs, other indigenous central americans, and African tribes from around Lake Chad.

Spirulina is high in protein, B Vitamins, Copper and Iron. It also contains significant amounts of magnesium, potassium and manganese, as well as smaller amounts of every mineral we need! Gram for gram, it might be the most nutritious food on the planet, so a little goes a long way (which is a blessing because, let’s face it, there is only so much green powder you can handle).

Spirulina’s blue-green color comes from one of the powerful antioxidants it contains: phycocyanin (say it three times and it’ll appear in your bathroom mirror). This antioxidant can also reduce damage from free radicals and reduce inflammation.

Final Word

It should be pretty clear that the two types of algae in Subi Superfood more than pull their weight. There’s lots of benefit to be had from eating some algae, and it doesn’t stop with Spirulina and Chlorella. Sea vegetables are super nutritious and can bring interesting new flavors and textures to your cooking.

Find a good Japanese or Korean restaurant and try a seaweed salad. Or if you’re near an asian market you could experiment with the mild savory flavours of different seaweeds. 

Or just keep enjoying Subi.