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The following essential fatty acid (EFA) information represents an average for both Alpha Sun®
and Omega Sun®# Super Blue Green® Algae as determined by independent laboratory
analysis. Four capsules of either Alpha Sun or Omega Sun equal one gram.
| Lipid Analysis |
Averages |
Amount per 250 mg capsule |
| Total Lipid (fat) content |
Avg: 4.4% of dry weight |
11 mg per capsule |
| Total Saturated Fat |
43% |
4.7 mg |
| Total Unsaturated Fat |
57% |
6.3 mg |
| Total Essential Fatty Acids |
45% |
5.0 mg |
| Total Omega-3 essential fatty acids |
38% |
4.1 mg |
| Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) |
37% |
4.1 mg |
| Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA) |
0.4% |
.04 mg |
| Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPA) |
<.1%* |
<.01 mg |
| Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) |
<.1%* |
<.01 mg |
| Total Omega-6 essential fatty acids |
8% |
0.9 mg |
| Linoleic Acid (LA) |
8% |
0.9 mg |
| Arachidonic Acid (AA) |
.1% |
0.01 mg |
*Note: Some analyses have detected DHA and DPA in very small
quantities.
Approximately 45% of the lipids (fats) within SBGA are essential fatty acids.
We do not have an analysis of the essential fatty acid content of all of our
products; however, as all SBGA products contain algae, all will contain a measure
of the fatty acids listed above.
EFAs and algae. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) algae, the ultimate
photosynthesizer, contains both LA* and ALA• in an ideal balance (more ALA).
The researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital who studied its fat content
concluded that AFA was a good source of the most valuable fatty acids and
"should be a valuable nutritional resource" (Kushak et al. Favorable effects of
blue-green algae Aphanizomenon flos-aquae on rat plasma lipids. JANA 2(3):59-65).
Interestingly, they found that it raises the blood levels of the good fatty acids
far more than would be expected based on its ALA content alone. They concluded
that something about the algae - probably its range of micronutrients - was helping
the animals to utilize the fatty acids they were getting from other sources as well
as those in the algae. The balancing effect was impressive: not only did the levels
of "good" fatty acids (ALA, EPA, DHA) go up, but also the levels of the troublemaker,
arachidonic acid, went down.
* Linoleic acid (LA) - the essential omega-6 fatty acid
• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, for short) - the essential omega-3 fatty acid
# Since the cell wall is removed, the amount of essential fatty acids per gram is somewhat higher for Omega Sun.
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