AFA Algae and Spirulina Compared


        AFA                             Spirulina

AFA Algae and Spirulina Compared
For the past several decades, people have been enthralled by a “green foods” revolution. During this
time, several foods have been championed as the revolution’s leader. Foods such as barley grass, chlorella,
wheat grass juice, and sprouts lag far behind the two most popular blue green algae, aphanizomenon
flos-aquae (AFA) and spirulina. Both are considered green superfoods; they have similarities but several
important differences. One major difference is simply that AFA is the “greenest” superfood known, because
it has the most of that wondrous green photosynthesizing pigment chlorophyll. A ten-gram portion
of AFA algae contains 300 mg. of chlorophyll, whereas a ten-gram portion of Spirulina has only 115 mg.

Both forms of blue-green algae have a similar overall concentration of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and
minerals. However, the quality of their micronutrients is noticeably different because of specific growing
and harvesting techniques associated with them. Spirulina, for example, is grown in concrete or plastic
ponds with a “salinity factor” (sodium chloride salt content) often greater than 100 times that of AFA algae.
Spirulina’s nutrient composition is just a reflection of the substances that have been artificially
added to it in the form of mineral (and other) supplements. AFA, by comparison, is harvested from its
own mineral-rich and natural Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, habitat. Its micronutrients mirror what has
existed naturally in the lake for thousands of years due to past volcanic activity and the interactions of
rivers, streams, and unpolluted mountain rain, as well as a vast subterranean water supply originating
from the nearby and pristine Crater Lake.

The richness of AFA’s micronutrients are even more evident from the fact that 30 – 40 feet of organic
nutrient sediment make up a treasure trove of minerals for AFA to feed upon. The vast richness of this
sediment is reflected in the fact that AFA has about 40 percent more calcium and 100 percent more chromium
than does spirulina with approximately five to ten times the vitamin C content of spirulina.

One interesting difference between these two cyanobacteria can be traced to the fact that whereas
spirulina is a tropical algae, AFA is a heartier cold-climate species. In the warmer climate of the tropics,
the cell membrane of a spirulina cell can easily maintain its flexibility by producing a rather high percent
of saturated fatty acids. AFA algae, on the other hand, does not lead this life of “tropical luxury”. The
colder climate of Upper Klamath Lake forces AFA'’ cell membrane enzymes to compensate by ingeniously
manufacturing specific poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that enhance its life-sustaining membrane
flexibility.

To be sure, both forms of algae are blessed with a rich array of phytochemical antioxidants such as the
carotenes. Although spirulina contains slightly more betacarotene than AFA algae, one must be careful
to take a more educated look. The presence of more PUFAs allows for wider variety of other carotenoidssuch
as alpha and gamma carotene- to be spread out within the cell membrane itself. The true healing
power of beta carotene cannot be fully realized unless a variety of other structurally related carotenoid
compounds is present.

Carotenoid compounds in all forms of blue-green algae are also particularly sensitive to the type of harvesting
techniques employed. The sun-drying and spray-drying techniques often used in processing
spirulina invariably cause a marked decrease in beta carotene as well as the concentration of methioninea
sulfur containing essential amino acid.

The assimilation of algae protein is also dependent upon how it is processed. When spirulina is sun-dried
or spray-dried, its “net-protein utilization” (usually expressed as percent assimilation) is typically half
that of AFA algae, which has been more carefully freeze-dried and flash frozen. In general, freeze-drying
techniques are essential to maintain the viability of AFA enzymes and its delicately chelated minerals and
vitamins. Spray-or sun-dried spirulina products tend to readily lose much of such heat-sensitive components.


AFA

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