I have said for years that chlorella and spirulina from China should be viewed suspiciously for several reasons.
- They are notoriously high in heavy metals. When Japan industrialized in the 1970’s, it was exposed to tremendous amounts of mercury which caused mercury poisoning. China is experiencing the same phenomena today. And with such a large and cumbersome population, China has created one of the most polluted environments in the world. Algae grown in this type of environment will also contain those toxins.
- They are notorious for presenting falsified Organic Certification when their production plants have not even been inspected. The FDA has been aware of this problem for years and the algae industry is hurt by this falsification. Challenging these companies on their efficacy has resulted in no changes in their illegal actions. The Chinese government has refused to intervene to stop them. Falsifying Organic Certification only occurs in China and has become one of the biggest problems in the algae industry.
- They use gigantic spray driers and produce huge amounts of Spirulina at once, harvesting only two or three times each year instead of bi-monthly.
- Their Spirulina and Chlorella contain so much bacteria that they are forced to irradiate it, which destroy a lot of the nutrients.
Here is the link from the FDA warning letter: http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm217574.htm
“FDA is concerned with the possible effects of the radiation on the nutrients in the food, the production of radiolytic byproducts, and the potential effect of radiation on the microbiological profile of the food. Any of these issues could raise health concerns with your irradiated products.”
Here are the things to consider when purchasing Chlorella, Spirulina or other algae.
- Cultivated in a controlled environment and not harvested from a lake.
- It should be constantly produced so it is fresh. Many producers, especially in China, produce Chlorella and Spirulina twice a year and then store it for the rest of the year. By the time it makes it to the market it can be as much as one year old. Freshness is obligatory when it comes to anything that has been powdered such as Spirulina, Chlorella or herbs such as Maca or Mucuna.
- It must be powdered immediately after being produced.
- Each batch must come with a Certificate of Analysis (COA). This is nearly impossible to get from most producers. Most resellers don’t even know what a COA is.
- It must be cleaned, powdered and packed in a sterile environment.
The best Chlorella and Spirulina are currently grown in Taiwan, India and Hawaii. Be wary of anything produced in China. The Watershed Wellness Center only sells products that come from production facilities that it has produced.
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About Bob McCauley
Bob McCauley, ND (Robert F., Jr.) was raised in Lansing, Michigan and attended Michigan State University (BA, 1980 in Journalism). He is a naturopathic doctor, Master Herbalist and a Certified Nutritional Consultant. He has traveled extensively, both domestically and abroad, visiting over 32 countries. He published Confessions of a Body Builder: Rejuvenating the Body with Spirulina, Chlorella, Raw Foods and Ionized Water (2000), Achieving Great Health (2005), The Miraculous Properties of Ionized Water, (2006) which is the only book on the market that exclusively addresses Ionized Water, Twelve (Fiction, 2007) and Honoring the Temple of God (2008). He considers himself a Naturalist, meaning he pursues health in the most natural way possible. He studies and promotes nature as the only way to true health.
From 2002-2004 he hosted the radio program Achieving Great Health, which was heard by thousands of people each day. His guests included some of the most well-known and respected names in the natural health world.
With the help of his father, Dr. Robert F. McCauley, Sr. (Doctorate in Environmental Engineering, MIT, 1953) they started Spartan Water Company in 1992, which sold vended water machines in supermarkets. Robert Jr. founded Spartan Enterprises, Inc. in 1993. He is a Certified Water Technician with the State of Michigan. He is also a Type II Public Water Supply Specialist and has the certifications of S-5 and D-5. The McCauley family has a long history in the water industry. Bob's father pioneered environmental issues regarding ground water and drinking water quality. He received his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1953 for his thesis on removing radioactive strontium from water. He earned his doctorate in Environmental Engineering in less than 2 years, one of the shortest doctoral studies in the history of MIT. He taught civil, sanitary and environmental engineering at Michigan State University for 18 years before retiring to run Wolverine Engineers & Surveyors of Mason, Michigan, for 17 years. His reputation throughout Michigan as a water quality expert was legendary. Bob worked for his father's company for 12 years learning the water business, which dealt primarily with municipalities, including water quality and sanitary sewer issues.
After apprenticing with his father, Bob moved on to the bottled water business. He established greater Michigan's biggest selling bottled water: Michigan Mineral – Premium Natural Water. He was introduced to Ionized Water in 1995 and has done more to promote Ionized Water than anyone else in the industry. Bob often lectures and offers seminars on his Seven Component Natural Health Protocol .
Bob is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and a Certified Master Herbalist. He is also a 3rd Degree Black Belt and Certified Instructor of Songahm Taekwondo (American Taekwondo Association).
Bob, maybe it was an oversight on your part, or maybe I’m misinformed, but I thought that the best chlorella was grown in Japan.
Chlorella is grown in Japan, Taiwan and China. I would not trust a lot of it from China. Taiwan grows Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Japan grows Chlorella vulgarus. Chlorella pyrenoidosa is a superior species, but both are good.
I’m also worried about radiation contamination from Fukushima. Can you possibly advise a non-contaminated source for both spirulina and chlorella? Thanks!