Sea Vegetable
Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green cyanobacterium (Arthrospira) cultivated in alkaline lakes and ponds, dried to a deep green powder or tablets. Culinary use includes smoothies, energy balls, pasta colouring, and savoury sprinkles with a strong marine-vegetal taste. Though not a true seaweed, it is grouped with sea vegetables in many culinary taxonomies as a water-grown green food.
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Breeds, cuts & preparations
Variety
Arthrospira maximaArthrospira platensisChinese SpirulinaHawaiian SpirulinaIndian SpirulinaSpirulina platensis
Source
AquacultureOutdoor FarmedWild
Provenance
Fair TradeHand HarvestedOrganicSeasonalSingle OriginSustainableWild Harvested
Preparation
DriedFlakeFresh PasteFrozenPowderTablet
CommonCharacteristic
EarthyGreenIntenseMarineMineralStrongUmamiVegetal
History
MX
Aztec and African lake communities harvested spirulina-like mats as protein foods.
Scientific interest revived spirulina as a cultivated high-protein food resource.
Commercial pond culture made spirulina powder a global health-food ingredient.
Chefs and manufacturers used spirulina for natural green colour in foods and drinks.