NASA and Jones Trust Your Gut on the same page

Just bear with me on this…  I just want to talk about why NASA is raving about blue spirulina, one of our favourite ingredients.

Getting into space is very difficult.  This little video about ‘skyhooks’ explains exactly why it is expensive, dangerous and difficult; it explains beautifully how we expend colossal energy to get tiny spaceships through the earth’s atmosphere and offers insight into infrastructure solutions that could help us in the future.  If you want to know how we might navigate the solar system in the future then it’s an easy to follow and entertaining use of 8 minutes…

To summarise the basics.  To get a tiny spaceship through the atmosphere into space requires it to go very fast, very quickly so, rocket scientists have developed a way of (sort of) safely sitting a tiny travel capsule on top of a massive stack of rocket fuel.  It is fair to say that the capsules are not roomy inside, and that storage space is at a premium.  This is fine if you’re neither claustrophobic, nor intending to stay in it for very long. 

However, we are eyeing up a future in the stars for the survival of mankind.  Current technology suggests that a return trip to Mars, our next big staging post, will take about 18 months (although a system of skyhooks will reduce that massively).  Our tiny capsules need to carry quite a lot of provisions.  Water can be generated from *ahem* waste products, but nutrients need to come from either “Jetson-style” supplements or, well, food.  So, NASA have been on the hunt for nutrient dense solutions. 

As a small family run food business based in the hills of Monmouthshire, we may not have many things in common with NASA.  But, an admiration for blue spirulina definitely is one such thing.  It is an algae that grows in lakes and ponds made blue by phycocyanin, a naturally occurring phytochemical. It has formed a part in the diets of humans for hundreds of years (Aztecs are believed to have eaten it).  Blue spirulina has the added benefit (compared to its green cousin) of not having a fishy off-taste.  This is great stuff obviously, but is one of those amusing questions about ‘who first tried to eat it’, because in its raw form it looks like pond scum.

To say it is nutrient dense is no exaggeration.  It contains 18 of the 22 amino acids that we need and is protein rich.  In addition, it contains most of the vitamins we need and a good range of minerals, including iron, magnesium, potassium, phosporous, calcium.  And whilst it has a vanishingly small calorific content, it does contain phytochemicals.  These are chemicals naturally produced by plants to function and protect themselves, which many people consider as helpful anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories, immune strengthening and cleansing.

Its beta-carotene can help to support eye sight.  The folic acid and iron help to maintain haemoglobin levels as well as energy and stamina (and is way more absorbable than iron supplements).  General health claims relate to the cardiovascular system, allergies, diabetes, inflammation, immunity digestion, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.    As discussed in our previous blog, these aren’t fully tested and proven health claims that we would wish to make for spirulina, but…...  if it is good enough for NASA to dedicate some of its incredibly precious food storage space, then I’m ok to include it in my diet on the ‘balance of probability’ that it is a good addition to my varied diet.

With that in mind, we love to include spirulina in our range.    We are super-proud of our kraut, made psychedelic blue by delicious spirulina.  We would love you to try it to see for yourself.  We are offering a bundle of our Organic Fermented Spirulina Kraut and Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for only £10.  Take a look here…..