A rediscovery

Under normal water conditions, Spirulina is simply one of many microalgae species.

But the more alkaline and salty the water becomes, the more inhospitable it becomes to other life forms, allowing the algae to flourish as a single species.

In natural lakes, the limited supply of nutrients usually regulates growth cycles. New nutrients come from either an upwelling from inside the Earth, when rain washes soils into lakes, or from pollution. The microalgae production grows rapidly, reaches a maximum density and then dies when nutrients are exhausted. A new cycle begins when decomposed microalgae release their nutrients or when more nutrients flow into the lake.

Spirulina as a food source was recognised by the natives in Mexico and in Africa. The largest Spirulina lakes are around Lake Chad, others are in East Africa, South America, Asia and China.

The first written records of the food source date back to 1524. Fray Toribo de Bonavente reported that the Aztecs living on Lake Texcoco ate a blue-green cake called tecuitlatl. The Spirulina algae growing in the lake were the sole ingredient of the cake.

Other reports claim that the dry Spirulina was made into bread which tasted rather like cheese and it was mixed with grain, tomatoes, spices and chili pepper in order to make a sauce called chilmolli.

The Mayans of Central America were the first to cultivate Spirulina in a network of waterways. The water containing the Spirulina was also used for irrigating and, at the same time, fertilizing their crops.

Despite being listed from 1936, then discovered in 1939 in a market at Massakong in Chad by Professor Creac’h from Bordeaux, and described in 1940 by a phycologist named Dangeard from a sample brought back by a pharmacist, it was not until the 60s that a Belgian expedition brought back dry pancakes which were entrusted to P. Compère who will named it Spirulina Platensis. From time immemorial until the present day, the Kanembu tribe  living at the edge of the lake Chad obtained their main source of protein from Spirulina.

The wind pushes the algae to shore where the thick ‘mats’ are collected by the Kanembu using fine woven baskets. The Spirulina sludge is then brought to the sandy dunes of the lake where the water drains easily into the sand. The hot tropical climate quickly dries the paste into a biscuit which the natives call dih’e. Millet, a daily food in this area, is served with a dih’e sauce which is made in a similar manner to the Central American sauce from Spirulina, tomatoes, spices and chili pepper.

The Kanembu people eat Spirulina for 70% of all of their meals and use approximately 10-12 grams per person per day.

Since then scientists have  discovered that Spirulina is a safe food, which has been consumed for hundreds of years traditionally by indigenous peoples, and shows promising nutritional health benefits. If this blue-green algae were cultivated and consumed by millions of people, it would have tremendous benefits, especially for the children world-wide and the future of our planet. It seems to be the solution we have been waiting for.