articles states states that chlorella may cause possible health problems

[saladin89]

http://robbwolf.com/2012/01/19/trojan-horses-of-chlorella-superfood/#comment-113096

Please look at this article. It is about harmful LPS in chlorella. Do you have any argument to refute his argument about how chlorella is not safe to consume regulary? He has already answered a supplier integrated supplements refute to his article(found in the comments section), he refuted their argument rather convincingly too.

This is really bothering me, can you refute his argument?

This question must be answered...

[Charybdisjim]

It does sound like caution would seem prudent. A food that contains compounds which may offer potential health benefits rivaling many pharmaceuticals should not be expected to be inherently safer than a manufactured pharmaceutical analog merely because it is natural. If it does powerful things to your biology besides just providing nutrition then the possibility of negative side effects is reasonable to consider. For example - while I often reccomend people look into things like sun-dried shiitake mushrooms I usually try to remind people that the potential medicinal properties can also be linked to potential negatives and adverse reactions.

I do think that particular article is perhaps jumping the gun on declaring chlorella harmful/dangerous though. The studies he references look at the injection of relatively significant doses of LPS compared to the levels found in chlorella - and injected as an isolate rather than alongside clhorella. Studies focusing on chlorella-specific compound introduction into lab animals have demonstrated that other compounds present in the algae block LPS induced inflamation and may mitigate potential negative effects of the LPS.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20943052

There may be long term risks though and I would probably advise anyone with autoimmune disease avoid consuming it. The conclusion that it is definatively harmful to consume in general though does not seem to be born out by studies - though studies demonstrating is helpfulness are also somewhat lacking. I think a more reasonable stance for the author to take would be to call for medium and long term studies with non-trivial participation (some studies have had as little as 35 participants) on the the actual health effects of including it in your diet. I would also urge caution or at least moderation until we know more and suggest that anyone suffering an autoimmune disease should probably not jump at the chance to try it.

The concern about viral interaction is an interesting one- though should not be unique to chlorella and the same concern could be applied to large segments of modern agriculture and livestock. You are exposed to a wide number of viruses every day which do not effect you in any noticeable or negative way because they are inherent incomparable with your cell biology and I think the author is making too much of the largeness of this particular virus type. This is more indicative of a niche-evolved and inefficient virus than a particularly threatening one. The chance of crossover and risks are however inherently low as virus-host compatibility is generally closely tied to similarity of species biology. This is partly why you've never heard of a corn-flu. A call for organized and sufficiently large studies though would be reasonable.

[saladin89]

Thanks for reply

I hope that 10 grams spirulina per day and 5 grams chlorella isn't too much. It is a bit troubling linking chlorella over time with getting alzheimers. Haven't people in japan been consuming this since the second world war? I read somewhere that they consume chlorella as much as americans consume vitamin c supplements per capita. Would be cool if there were some studies with persons who had takien 5 grams of chlorella every day for 20 years. It also worries me that spirulina is not completely safe:
"Polysaccharides from Spirulina definitely activate macrophages:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17052671
so I will steer clear of it as “food”. I just don’t think we should eat it regularly like some folks do (and others happily sell it to us on a regular basis). It may be beneficial on a short-term basis during an infectious outbreak if you are immunodeficient, I think that is clear. But to suggest that you will benefit from eating it regularly I think is a dangerous extrapolation."

I also asked David wolfe about this he had this to say:


"Great stream of information, research and comments on chlorella. A couple key things come up: 1. Dosage (high dosages of chlorella may have negative consequences. This has not been supported or unsupported by research. So it is best to keep
dosages under 20 grams a day until we know more). 2. The paleo diet bias is prevalent in these postings. Warnings of sepsis from overconsumption of chlorella are entirely theoretical. However, dangers of sepsis from eating paleo raw eggs are not theoretical, they are factual. Eating raw eggs can kill you. It killed one of my best friends. 3. More on the paleo bias...basically the idea that if we evolutionarily ate foods then those foods are what we are adapted to. This premise can be attacked in many different ways. For example: human requirements for vitamin K2 cannot be accounted for evolutionarily as K2 is synthesized in fermented foods like cheese and natto which aren't paleo. See Life Extension magazine's EXTENSIVE research on Vitamin K2. I could make similar arguments about DHA, EPA, etc. 4. If you analyze ANY food long enough, you'll find that it contains harmful substances. It is a fact of Nature. "The difference between a poison and medicine is dosage." Paracelsus. 5. The recommendation not to eat chlorella is a poor recommendation, because of its extraordinary nutrition profile (chlorophyll content, mineral content, blood purification properties, fatty acids, immunologically active chemistry, heavy metal chelation properties, etc.). The recommendation not to daily overdose on chlorella is a good one based on the arguments provided because there are many unknowns."

So hopefully 5 grams of chlorella every day is not too much, but you never know... My conscious was clean, but now I am unsure of continuing with chlorella :(

[Charybdisjim]

Yeah, when in doubt nod and say "variety and moderation in diet." It might sound overly simplistic and all-too-obvious in some ears, but its obvious for good reason and the simplicity is a virtue.

[PansyLo]

I've found chlorella is useful for regulating my blood sugar levels (some what of a problem for me before). I don't take much but I do notice a difference.

I really don't take much, as little as 1gram a day. The recommended dose is to take two 500mg tablets 3 times a day. I always forget to take it so frequently though! I figure it's good to be taking some as there are huge health benefits.
I think moderation is needed but the same goes with all foods.

[saladin89]

delete this post.....

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

l had to smile when l saw the link because l smelled a rat straight away, so l went and looked where it originated from. lt came from Biogem, which *surprisse surprise* would get much of it's money [if not all] from the drug companies.

There is a thing called `publishing prejudice', where if you want to bring a drug to market you pay the lab for the result you want, and scientists have even admitted in empirical clinical studies that have been peer reviewed, that drug testing has a 70% inaccuracy across the board. So what does this have to do with anything? Well it tells you that the drug companies pay labs to give them the results that they want, and government labs are going to be highly prone to this, that's why government research wellness studies often don't mean much, because the government is given money by the drug companies to support what they do.

Basically, the drug people know how good chlorella is so they paid a lab to give false results so people would panick and look for alternatives such as the synthetic supplements available sold by the drug companies.

Pay the article in the link no attention. Alarm bells are everywhere.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Thanks for reply

I hope that 10 grams spirulina per day and 5 grams chlorella isn't too much. It is a bit troubling linking chlorella over time with getting alzheimers. Haven't people in japan been consuming this since the second world war? I read somewhere that they consume chlorella as much as americans consume vitamin c supplements per capita. Would be cool if there were some studies with persons who had takien 5 grams of chlorella every day for 20 years. It also worries me that spirulina is not completely safe:
"Polysaccharides from Spirulina definitely activate macrophages:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17052671
so I will steer clear of it as “food”. I just don’t think we should eat it regularly like some folks do (and others happily sell it to us on a regular basis). It may be beneficial on a short-term basis during an infectious outbreak if you are immunodeficient, I think that is clear. But to suggest that you will benefit from eating it regularly I think is a dangerous extrapolation."

I also asked David wolfe about this he had this to say:


"Great stream of information, research and comments on chlorella. A couple key things come up: 1. Dosage (high dosages of chlorella may have negative consequences. This has not been supported or unsupported by research. So it is best to keep
dosages under 20 grams a day until we know more). 2. The paleo diet bias is prevalent in these postings. Warnings of sepsis from overconsumption of chlorella are entirely theoretical. However, dangers of sepsis from eating paleo raw eggs are not theoretical, they are factual. Eating raw eggs can kill you. It killed one of my best friends. 3. More on the paleo bias...basically the idea that if we evolutionarily ate foods then those foods are what we are adapted to. This premise can be attacked in many different ways. For example: human requirements for vitamin K2 cannot be accounted for evolutionarily as K2 is synthesized in fermented foods like cheese and natto which aren't paleo. See Life Extension magazine's EXTENSIVE research on Vitamin K2. I could make similar arguments about DHA, EPA, etc. 4. If you analyze ANY food long enough, you'll find that it contains harmful substances. It is a fact of Nature. "The difference between a poison and medicine is dosage." Paracelsus. 5. The recommendation not to eat chlorella is a poor recommendation, because of its extraordinary nutrition profile (chlorophyll content, mineral content, blood purification properties, fatty acids, immunologically active chemistry, heavy metal chelation properties, etc.). The recommendation not to daily overdose on chlorella is a good one based on the arguments provided because there are many unknowns."

So hopefully 5 grams of chlorella every day is not too much, but you never know... My conscious was clean, but now I am unsure of continuing with chlorella :(

l haven't come across any government funded studies that have ever been positive about chlorella, so l always get a good laugh out of it and never take them seriously.

lf you want some good feedback...look at what Hippocrates Health Institute have been doing with Chlorella. They have been using it on patients for over 25 years and have very sucessfully brought people into good health using it. They do blood tests over the patients lifetime and monitor them and no people seem to report any problems with using it.

People need to be careful who they listen to. There are scientists who do real work and are honest and have real credibility, and there are scientists who.....

Lots of positive research on chlorella from Japan...from real independant scientists who wanted to find out real truths, not from scientists who's primary motivation is to give any result desired so they continue to get funding.

The problem l have with government studies is that big business is often behind them, so there is lots of personal interests behind getting certain results.

The biggest issue l have with chlorella is:
* very high level of tannins
* very high phosphorous - calcium ratio

but all that means is that you need to use it in small amounts.

[saladin89]

l haven't come across any government funded studies that have ever been positive about chlorella, so l always get a good laugh out of it and never take them seriously.

lf you want some good feedback...look at what Hippocrates Health Institute have been doing with Chlorella. They have been using it on patients for over 25 years and have very sucessfully brought people into good health using it. They do blood tests over the patients lifetime and monitor them and no people seem to report any problems with using it.

People need to be careful who they listen to. There are scientists who do real work and are honest and have real credibility, and there are scientists who.....

Lots of positive research on chlorella from Japan...from real independant scientists who wanted to find out real truths, not from scientists who's primary motivation is to give any result desired so they continue to get funding.

http://www.chlorellafactor.com/chlorella-spirulina-08.html

The problem l have with government studies is that big business is often behind them, so there is lots of personal interests behind getting certain results.

The biggest issue l have with chlorella is:
* very high level of tannins
* very high phosphorous - calcium ratio

but all that means is that you need to use it in small amounts.

Very interesting, I believe you, big money is dominant, but do you have any links for evidence? While I am still on this thread since there seems to be very knowledgeable people here. I take 6g spirulina 3g chlorella mixed two times a day, krill oil(1g), 1 kiwi(vit c) and 4000IUs of D-3 every day. I try to stay healthy eating vegetables and such but it is not always that easy as a student in Norway. There is magnesium in chlorella and spirulina(is it enough?), but do you think I need magnesium supplements since D-3 uses/depletes magnesium?

I am trying to get most bang for buck. The cheapest way to healthy living. Chlorella and spirulina are reasonable in price for the benefits in my opinion. Am i using my money the best way here? I have a budget of around 50 bucks a month for stuff on iherb. I am guessing almonds stored in the refrigerator might be a good cheap source of magnesium? I am also thinking of starting to bake almond bread.

http://www.chlorellafactor.com/chlorella-spirulina-08.html

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Very interesting, I believe you, big money is dominant, but do you have any links for evidence?
l don't have any photocopies from the medical journals which talk about the `publishing prejudice' as yet, but that is high on my list for things to do in the near future. The thing is, `publishing prejudice' has been widely spoken about by various healthcare professionals/researchers and none seem to have ever been sued by the drug companies for saying such things, so when you consider that and many other things, one is led to believe that it is quite possible that `publishing prejudice' does exist. But to even further add to the suspicion is the fact that of all places Wikipedia happen to briefly talk about it also. Now these links below are not proof, but it makes me want to investigate further because in my heart of hearts l do believe it to be true [given the drug industries lousy reputation].
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_bias

Here the extroadinarily well researched Don Tolman talks about `publishing prejudice'. See video link from 5:56 onwards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDtny2HMNXo

Now that should make you really think. And when you start looking into things more and more over the years you will realise that many things don't add up, and you will start to smell a rat...a big pharmaceutical rat.

Here is some amazing revelations from an ex drug company executive. This man admitted to bribing governments into promoting dangerous and useless drugs so he could make lots of money. This is a great link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NuAQ-x2Ijc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yonLy3BHrc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_bTP5cK-J0&feature=related






I take 6g spirulina 3g chlorella mixed two times a day, krill oil(1g), 1 kiwi(vit c) and 4000IUs of D-3 every day. I try to stay healthy eating vegetables and such but it is not always that easy as a student in Norway. There is magnesium in chlorella and spirulina(is it enough?), but do you think I need magnesium supplements since D-3 uses/depletes magnesium?
Lots of issues here to address. Firstly, don't think that supplementing with all these things is healthy, it IS NOT!!! Krill oil breaks down into a rancid oil that becomes `lipid peroxide' as quickly as 30 minutes (it's impossible to stop this oxidisation), and various health professionals even talk about it being stated in science journals. Soon a book will be published about the fish oil scam.
The high doses of D3 could be a concern because many of those high dose vitamin D supplements are synthetic and will most likely contain cancer causing coal tar and will also damage the endocrine system. lf the D3 contains fish oils, the problem of lipid peroxide will still be an issue.
Here is a link which talks about lipid peroxide in fish oils causing cancer (see from about 5 minutes onwards, but pay close attention at about the 6 minute mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQHptfKWvY

Here is a link about about synthetic D3 breaking down the endocrine system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16wv5tIC5Jw

Here is a link where Dr Brian talks about synthetic D3 containing coal tar, but he also has a book that talks all about it. See video from 3:35 – 3:45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOcfsjt0Ipg&feature=related

Lots of other stuff talks about these subjects too, but this is a good start to get you thinking.

No, the magnesium in spirulina and chlorella is not near enough.

If you aren’t sick l wouldn’t be taking any magnesium supplements because it is not necessary if you eat right. Truthfully, l would avoid all supplements except for Vitamin D and B12 unless you are very unwell and need a good boost. Taking pills and supplements is NOT the answer to long term health because the supplements lack the co-factors to make them highly effective. If you want the best effective treatment you MUST drink raw sprout juices, take sea vegetables and continue to take chlorella and spirulina!!! Chlorella and spirulina are not enough on their own, you must have sprout juices if you want to do nutrition properly. Please don’t disregard this paragraph…print it out and read it 20 times a day until it sinks in, this is very very important if you want to do nutrition really well and want the very best effects. For magnesium, just eat sprouted sesame seeds, drink 4 oz of wheatgrass juice and 24 oz of sprout juices everyday….that’s if you are serious about doing this. If you aren’t very serious, then take a pill and hope for the best…but you will never get the results like you will with raw green juices….not veggie juices from shop bought vegetables, but SPROUT JUICES!!!

The key is to start with green sprout juices, then to top up with the sea vegies (Kelp, dulse), then eat the sprouted seeds like poppy/sesame/sunflower/flax/chia, themn to finally top it all off with chlorella etc. Don't think that chlorella, spirulina and supplements will solve all your problems, it won't!





I am trying to get most bang for buck. The cheapest way to healthy living. Chlorella and spirulina are reasonable in price for the benefits in my opinion. Am i using my money the best way here?
No! You can use you money much much better. Start out growing alfalfa sprouts (HUGE jar each day for juicing), wheatgrass, sprouted sesame seeds, fenugreek sprouts, pea shoot greens (huge magnesium loads) and kelp. But get rid of that dreaded Krill oil, that causes more trouble than it’s worth.

Sprouting is cheap cheap cheap, so if you aren’t lazy and are prepared to really help yourself, do it!


I am guessing almonds stored in the refrigerator might be a good cheap source of magnesium? I am also thinking of starting to bake almond bread.
Only eat almonds during the season, otherwise they will be rancid. Rancid foods are never good. It’s better to do like l said above.

[MysticTree]

Where there is money enough to get the results you want published then obviously there is a problem. It doesn't help when the other side is either too poor or not interested or even scared to do the research and publish.

[Living Food]

The studies he references look at the injection of relatively significant doses of LPS compared to the levels found in chlorella - and injected as an isolate rather than alongside clhorella.

Ah yes, this comes up again and again. It's easy to declare any food dangerous by isolating one perfectly safe chemical and injecting/feeding it to animals in massive doses in isolation. Studies show that even taking large doses of (synthetic) vitamins in isolation is harmful to your health, and that applies to just about anything. Isolating one particular chemical and giving it in massive doses has no bearing whatsoever on if the food that chemical came from is dangerous or not. Just a big pharma scare tactic.

[SlyWolf]

well do you know a good substitute for fish oil? I currently take flaxseed oil, not sure if thats good enough.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

well do you know a good substitute for fish oil? I currently take flaxseed oil, not sure if thats good enough.

lt's got omega 3, but the absorbability won't be too high, but better than nothing. But you still need vitamin D, so get out in the sun when it is higher than 50 degrees in the sky (usually during the warmer months) and take a really high quality supplement during the colder months. You live at Canada, so you live way above 30 degree latitude, so getting vitamin D from the sun is only possible during the warmer months. + make sure you shower many hours after direct sun exposure. Yeah, getting vitamin D from the sun can be tricky in Canada and many countries far north or south of the equator, that's one of many reasons why so many people are D deficient.

The other problem with fish oil is that they all contain some traces of toxic heavy metals like mercury, and when they put it in pills there are also chemical traces in the supplements. Fish oil should NEVER be taken.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Ah yes, this comes up again and again. It's easy to declare any food dangerous by isolating one perfectly safe chemical and injecting/feeding it to animals in massive doses in isolation. Studies show that even taking large doses of (synthetic) vitamins in isolation is harmful to your health, and that applies to just about anything. Isolating one particular chemical and giving it in massive doses has no bearing whatsoever on if the food that chemical came from is dangerous or not. Just a big pharma scare tactic.

Well said. lt's amazing the tactics these `servants of lucifer' get up to when trying to promote their own inferior products. lt must be a hard gig selling rubbish to the public at high prices knowing it does more long term harm than good. Lies lies and more lies.

[SlyWolf]

Thanks, I ordered some vitamin d last week from mercola. I'll start using it during the winter. I'm in the process to convince my family to eat whole foods. In the future I want to do sprouting since its so nutritious.

[saladin89]

l don't have any photocopies from the medical journals which talk about the `publishing prejudice' as yet, but that is high on my list for things to do in the near future. The thing is, `publishing prejudice' has been widely spoken about by various healthcare professionals/researchers and none seem to have ever been sued by the drug companies for saying such things, so when you consider that and many other things, one is led to believe that it is quite possible that `publishing prejudice' does exist. But to even further add to the suspicion is the fact that of all places Wikipedia happen to briefly talk about it also. Now these links below are not proof, but it makes me want to investigate further because in my heart of hearts l do believe it to be true [given the drug industries lousy reputation].
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_bias

Here the extroadinarily well researched Don Tolman talks about `publishing prejudice'. See video link from 5:56 onwards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDtny2HMNXo

Now that should make you really think. And when you start looking into things more and more over the years you will realise that many things don't add up, and you will start to smell a rat...a big pharmaceutical rat.

Here is some amazing revelations from an ex drug company executive. This man admitted to bribing governments into promoting dangerous and useless drugs so he could make lots of money. This is a great link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NuAQ-x2Ijc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yonLy3BHrc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_bTP5cK-J0&feature=related






Lots of issues here to address. Firstly, don't think that supplementing with all these things is healthy, it IS NOT!!! Krill oil breaks down into a rancid oil that becomes `lipid peroxide' as quickly as 30 minutes (it's impossible to stop this oxidisation), and various health professionals even talk about it being stated in science journals. Soon a book will be published about the fish oil scam.
The high doses of D3 could be a concern because many of those high dose vitamin D supplements are synthetic and will most likely contain cancer causing coal tar and will also damage the endocrine system. lf the D3 contains fish oils, the problem of lipid peroxide will still be an issue.
Here is a link which talks about lipid peroxide in fish oils causing cancer (see from about 5 minutes onwards, but pay close attention at about the 6 minute mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQHptfKWvY

Here is a link about about synthetic D3 breaking down the endocrine system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16wv5tIC5Jw

Here is a link where Dr Brian talks about synthetic D3 containing coal tar, but he also has a book that talks all about it. See video from 3:35 – 3:45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOcfsjt0Ipg&feature=related

Lots of other stuff talks about these subjects too, but this is a good start to get you thinking.

No, the magnesium in spirulina and chlorella is not near enough.

If you aren’t sick l wouldn’t be taking any magnesium supplements because it is not necessary if you eat right. Truthfully, l would avoid all supplements except for Vitamin D and B12 unless you are very unwell and need a good boost. Taking pills and supplements is NOT the answer to long term health because the supplements lack the co-factors to make them highly effective. If you want the best effective treatment you MUST drink raw sprout juices, take sea vegetables and continue to take chlorella and spirulina!!! Chlorella and spirulina are not enough on their own, you must have sprout juices if you want to do nutrition properly. Please don’t disregard this paragraph…print it out and read it 20 times a day until it sinks in, this is very very important if you want to do nutrition really well and want the very best effects. For magnesium, just eat sprouted sesame seeds, drink 4 oz of wheatgrass juice and 24 oz of sprout juices everyday….that’s if you are serious about doing this. If you aren’t very serious, then take a pill and hope for the best…but you will never get the results like you will with raw green juices….not veggie juices from shop bought vegetables, but SPROUT JUICES!!!

The key is to start with green sprout juices, then to top up with the sea vegies (Kelp, dulse), then eat the sprouted seeds like poppy/sesame/sunflower/flax/chia, themn to finally top it all off with chlorella etc. Don't think that chlorella, spirulina and supplements will solve all your problems, it won't!





No! You can use you money much much better. Start out growing alfalfa sprouts (HUGE jar each day for juicing), wheatgrass, sprouted sesame seeds, fenugreek sprouts, pea shoot greens (huge magnesium loads) and kelp. But get rid of that dreaded Krill oil, that causes more trouble than it’s worth.

Sprouting is cheap cheap cheap, so if you aren’t lazy and are prepared to really help yourself, do it!


Only eat almonds during the season, otherwise they will be rancid. Rancid foods are never good. It’s better to do like l said above.


Very interesting what you have to say here. I know fish oil is bad, but I thought the astaxanthin in krill oil protected it from becoming rancid, plus there really isn't any worthwhile substitute for getting all the omegas, you get some but not all from plant sources. Are you completely sure about krill oil here?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/16/rudi-moerck-on-fish-oil.aspx

"Plant-based omega-3 sources like flax, hemp, chia and perilla seeds are high in ALA – the third type of omega-3 fat. ALA is an absolutely essential fatty acid. It is converted in small quantities to EPA and DHA in your body. "

"In fact, most of the health benefits associated with omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA, not plant-based omega-3 fats like ALA. "

"Omega-3 fats are extremely fragile and are VERY easily damaged by oxygen. This is true for ALL omega-3 sources, whether animal-based or plant-based.

However, this is where krill oil stands out as a clear winner.

Krill oil would also be highly unstable if it wasn't for the fact that it contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which keeps it safe from oxidative damage. In fact, in tests performed by Dr. Moerck, the krill oil remained undamaged after being exposed to a steady flow of oxygen for 190 hours!

Compare that to fish oil, which went rancid after just one hour.

That makes krill oil nearly 200 times more resistant to oxidative damage compared to fish oil!

When purchasing krill oil, you'll want to read the label and check the amount of astaxanthin it contains. The more the better, but anything above 0.2 mg per gram of krill oil will protect it from rancidity. Astaxanthin also has other more specific health benefits, such as protecting against:"

I is there no D3 supplement good enough? this is really a bummer, since i don't get much sunlight up here in the north and am probably vitamin D deficient. I heard that sunflower sprouting contains lots of D2 which gets converted to D3, is this correct?

And why recommend kelp, aren't the iodine levels too high for consuming this regularly at 400mg per day? I am guessing you put kelp on the list because of its high mineral content(higher than spirulina/chlorella)? And why is dulse so important?

I see now that sprouting is dirt cheap and really healthy. So I am guessing a normal blender is not good enough if you want to juice, but something like this works? http://www.therawfoodworld.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=316_320_323&zenid=7noln8a71ifq5hs7uqmigkrmf1

I don't think I have the money to juice at the moment, but maybe in the future. I would like to start growing sprouts, and using it for salads at school etc. What are good ones to start out with? I am going to buy this:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Sprouting-Jar-1-Jar/18256

and maybe this if kelp is worthwhile:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Kelp-8-oz-227g/16668

Any tips on buying seeds? What to look for and look out for? I think I am gonna start out with buying two jars and maybe this:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Healthy-Foods-Sunflower-Seeds-16-oz-454-g/8455
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Healthy-Foods-Zesty-Sprouting-Mix-16-oz-454-g/15377

There really is not much of a selection:
http://www.iherb.com/Search?kw=sprouting+seeds&x=0&y=0#p=1&sr=0

Know of any better sites for buying seeds?

Anyway thank you for the information, I would say I am a normal healthy guy, who knows he is not getting enough nutrition at the moment. So this sprouting business seems smart. Would love it if you could answer my questions!

And is it necessary to buy the easy sprout sprouter, is it worth it?
http://sproutpeople.org/supply/sprouters/easysprout.html

Edit: one last thing, when it comes to sprouting, when you need sunlight the jar has to be outside the window not behind a window because then the sunlight can create chlorophyll? And how important is it to get sunlight, since there isn't much of it here in bergen, this is the city in the world where it rains the most in the year. I don't get the whole difference between direct and indirect sunlight. When the sprouting process doesn't need sunlight is it ok to have it in a room with the lights on?(lol stupid question)

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Very interesting what you have to say here. I know fish oil is bad, but I thought the astaxanthin in krill oil protected it from becoming rancid, plus there really isn't any worthwhile substitute for getting all the omegas, you get some but not all from plant sources. Are you completely sure about krill oil here?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/16/rudi-moerck-on-fish-oil.aspx

"Plant-based omega-3 sources like flax, hemp, chia and perilla seeds are high in ALA – the third type of omega-3 fat. ALA is an absolutely essential fatty acid. It is converted in small quantities to EPA and DHA in your body. "

"In fact, most of the health benefits associated with omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA, not plant-based omega-3 fats like ALA. "

"Omega-3 fats are extremely fragile and are VERY easily damaged by oxygen. This is true for ALL omega-3 sources, whether animal-based or plant-based.

However, this is where krill oil stands out as a clear winner.

Krill oil would also be highly unstable if it wasn't for the fact that it contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which keeps it safe from oxidative damage. In fact, in tests performed by Dr. Moerck, the krill oil remained undamaged after being exposed to a steady flow of oxygen for 190 hours!

Compare that to fish oil, which went rancid after just one hour.

That makes krill oil nearly 200 times more resistant to oxidative damage compared to fish oil!

When purchasing krill oil, you'll want to read the label and check the amount of astaxanthin it contains. The more the better, but anything above 0.2 mg per gram of krill oil will protect it from rancidity. Astaxanthin also has other more specific health benefits, such as protecting against:"

We are actually not allowe to talk about any non vegan foods on this forum, but l will say this about the above claim on Mercola.com. l never cease to be amazed with how deceptive these people are. First we had a movement that said flesh was needed for protein, then we had another bunch of scammers saying that we needed calcium from animal products or or bones would melt away, then we had scammers saying that fish oils were healthy....now they have taken it a step further (they have no-where else to go because all the other stupid arguments have been shut down) and really think we are dumber than sheep because they now try this little doozy on us saying that Krill is o.k. Oh please...any thinking person will know this is not logical. When all sea animals are pulled out of the water they start to smell quickly, and when land creatures are killed they start to deteriorate quickly...it happens with all living creatures, but this Dr on Mercola is trying to go against this and tell us Krill is the exception, it's not!

Mercola has alot of good stuff to say, but first and foremost, he is an online salesman who has the highest online veiwings of any alternative health professional in the U.S.A or even the world, and with that comes advertsiing revenue and with that comes lots of scammers who want their products pushed through his site, and with that comes faulse science and research (l talked about that earlier in a post).

Anyway, this link says it best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t7Clz4VbSs&playnext=1&list=PL390D989BDE6C9FF1&feature=results_video

As for the EPA, all l know is that a sprout based diet of juices is more than enough to allow for proper conversion. We need adequate amounts of amino acids, copper, various B vitamins, the right balance of omega 3 – 6’s etc for conversion to EPA. The sproutarians which have been practicing the diet for over 40 years are still very sharp. But the real problem of converting to EPA could arise when you are eating much less nutritious foods such as store bought vegetables and fruits and other non-fresh foods. Kelp can have EPA and the weed Purslane is the highest vegan source of EPA.

They key is to eat fresh. Some non sprouting vegans seem to do o.k with nutrients - all bodies are different and some people utilise food better than others, but l always recommend the safest nutrient diet because of the high failure rate with veganism. Better to be safe thjan sorry me think.




I is there no D3 supplement good enough? this is really a bummer, since i don't get much sunlight up here in the north and am probably vitamin D deficient. I heard that sunflower sprouting contains lots of D2 which gets converted to D3, is this correct?
Sunflower greens are great for getting D2, and yes they will convert to D3. But since you don’t get much sun, try this high quality D supplement:
http://www.hippocratesstore.org/root/supplements/lifegive/lifegive-sun-d.htm


And why recommend kelp, aren't the iodine levels too high for consuming this regularly at 400mg per day?
This is what l wrote about kelp recently:
l always thought that the upper limit of sea vegetable consumption was about 2 tablespoons of compact sea vegies, with an average being about a tablespoon. But according to Dr Brian Clement, a normal person can tolerate quite a lot of sea vegetables if they don't suffer from any iodine sensitive problems such as glandular or thyroid issues, then it would be highly unlikely that you could have too much. And if a person is very selenium deficient and has destroyed their thyroid or has destroyed the thyroid through chemical overload, then they can also have an iodine sensitivity, but most people with selenium deficiencies and chemical overload can still tolerate good amounts of sea vegetables exept for those people who have destroyed virtually all thyroid function. So in effect Dr Brian says that most people without iodine sensitive problems will not have problems consuming good amounts of kelp, and he should know, having treated over 100,000 people on a sea vegetable diet and having the most clinical research done on such a diet out of anyone in the world living today. Dr Brian has checked periodic blood results for over 100,000 people over 40 years, so he does know what he is talking about. And naturally no-one is going to be eating huge amounts of sea vegetables everyday, so l don't see the harm with having 2 or 3 tablespoons of kelp etc for most people.
Dr Brian on Sea vegetables and iodine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=own_T140oLc


I am guessing you put kelp on the list because of its high mineral content(higher than spirulina/chlorella)?
For various reasons. Some reasons are:
• Minerals
• Cleansing abilities to draw out heavy metals
• High level of electromagnetic vibrational frequency [as measured by world class science Dr Hunt] that is retained by the unique celluliar structure of the water based plant foods.


And why is dulse so important?
• It is a purple food and highest in spirituality. This happens because it is a shallow water seaweed so it has the benefit of having the ocean dispurse numerous vibrational frequences from the sun onto the shallow water, as well as have direct absorption of the sun’s energy. It is a very unique food.
• Minerals
• Cleansing abilities


I see now that sprouting is dirt cheap and really healthy. So I am guessing a normal blender is not good enough if you want to juice, but something like this works? http://www.therawfoodworld.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=316_320_323&zenid=7noln8a71ifq5hs7uqmigkrmf1
No blending is ideal, but at the start of the raw journey blending is highly recommended. Juicing is far better, but that is more for people who have adjusted to the raw diet. I would buy both.


I don't think I have the money to juice at the moment, but maybe in the future.
Just buy a manual juicer. Plastic ones are $50 and metal ones are $250. Easy.

I would like to start growing sprouts, and using it for salads at school etc. What are good ones to start out with? I am going to buy this:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Sprouting-Jar-1-Jar/18256
Just buy a manual juicer and get cheap 2 or 3 liter jars locally and start sprouting alfalfa, fenugreek, sunflower greens and wheatgrass. See the sprouting topic here on this forum, it talks all about it.


and maybe this if kelp is worthwhile:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Kelp-8-oz-227g/16668
Hard to know. You need to contact the company and see how they dry it. Always get raw kelp.


Any tips on buying seeds? What to look for and look out for? I think I am gonna start out with buying two jars and maybe this:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Healthy-Foods-Sunflower-Seeds-16-oz-454-g/8455
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Healthy-Foods-Zesty-Sprouting-Mix-16-oz-454-g/15377

There really is not much of a selection:
http://www.iherb.com/Search?kw=sprouting+seeds&x=0&y=0#p=1&sr=0

Know of any better sites for buying seeds?

Anyway thank you for the information, I would say I am a normal healthy guy, who knows he is not getting enough nutrition at the moment. So this sprouting business seems smart. Would love it if you could answer my questions!

And is it necessary to buy the easy sprout sprouter, is it worth it?
http://sproutpeople.org/supply/sprouters/easysprout.html
Someone else can answer those questions.

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Edit: one last thing, when it comes to sprouting, when you need sunlight the jar has to be outside the window not behind a window because then the sunlight can create chlorophyll?
The jar can be kept inside behind the window, just make sure it is not in direct sunlight ever or the sprouts dry out quickly.

And how important is it to get sunlight, since there isn't much of it here in bergen, this is the city in the world where it rains the most in the year.
The sprouts will pick up the sunlight quite easily. It doesn’t matter if the sunlight is low.

I don't get the whole difference between direct and indirect sunlight.
Direct sun = putting sprouts straight in the sun
Indirect sun = keeping sprouts in a slight shaded area, but still enough light to turn them green.

When the sprouting process doesn't need sunlight is it ok to have it in a room with the lights on?(lol stupid question)
Depends. Beans need no sunlight light, but keeping them in a dark room with a conventional light on is o.k. Various seeds do need sunlight after 4 or 5 days.

Read the sprouting thread, it talks about lots of stuff.