Food & Nutrition

Algae have the potential to supply more protein than the world’s soya crops

  • Naturally growing seaweed is a significant dietary component in many parts of the world.
  • Algae provide essential vitamins including A, B1, B2, B6, niacin, and C.
  • Algae is also rich in iodine, potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium.
  • Microalgae such as Spirulina, Chlorella, and Dunaliella are sold as nutritional supplements.

Algae are national food favorites

  • Seaweed has featured extensively in the diets of coastal societies since pre-historic times. The Chinese consume 70 species of algae including Fat Choy; the Japanese, who brought sushi to the Western World, are partial to Nori and Aonori; the Chileans eat Cochayuyo; the Irish enjoy a red alga called Dulse; the Scots like Ulva, the sea lettuce, and badderlocks; Laver is used to make “laver bread” in Wales, where it is known as Bara Lawr; the Koreans enjoy 10 varieties of Gim; algae is also consumed along the west coast of North America, in Hawaii, and by the Maori of New Zealand.

Algae constitute a fast-growing portion of the dietary supplements market

Oils extracted from certain algae are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. 

Some varieties of algae contain omega-3 fatty acids, such as Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), known to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels.