Algal Oil Microalgae oil is one of the most interesting, and healthy, natural products that has grown to gain recent attention. High in omega-3 fats, all natural, and with many benefits outside of nutrition alone, it should come as no surprise that this product's omega-3 market share has been increasing quickly.
Source of Microalgal Oil As the name implies, these fats are extracted from very miniscule algae. You may have heard of these small microalgae referred to as "Microphytes" or even just "sea-weed." There are many different sorts of species and each have slightly different properties.
Algae can, certainly, be found occurring naturally, but a safer, more cost-effective, and less environmentally invasive way of procuring microalgae is by farming it intentionally, in large, clean indoor ponds through a process called algaculture . As an organism, microalga cells has a few basic essentials needed for it to grow and thrive: namely carbon dioxide, energy in the form of light from the sun, water, and some basic minerals found virtually everywhere. Just as some organisms do better in certain locations, temperatures, and climate condition than others, the water in which microalgae is being farmed must be kept to a specific range of temperatures to encourage growth and keep the algae from dying off rapidly.
As long as the right conditions are present, the algae will grow wonderfully, setting the stage for microalgae harvesting and, soon enough, fat extraction.
How Is Microalgae, As A Crop, Gathered? From the algaculture farms, the microalgae may be harvested any number of ways, such as with small screens, centrifuge, and other processes. Once the algae is gathered, the fats can be extracted either by crushing the algal cells or using chemical solvents to extract the oil.
Health Benefits of Microalgae Oil Once extracted from the individual cells, microalgae oil is bottled and sold, and one of its most popular uses is for its health benefits from omega-3. It is important for people who enjoy the brain-related and heart-healthy benefits of fish oil but are looking for an alternative to flax oil. Fish oil can come with high mercury levels and trace toxins from pollution of the ocean, while microalgae oil is grown in a safe environment. In addition, fish oil is an animal product, which can be a problem for vegans.
Specific health benefits are from microalgae oil's high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been reported in popular media to be associated with all of the following: * Preventing heart disease * Improving immune health * Cognitive performance / brain health * Reducing and preventing inflammation
Other Uses of Microalgal Oil Interestingly enough, microalgae oil was not cultivated for its health uses originally. Although many species of microphytes can be (and are) used in food, algalculture began originally as a way to harvest microalgae cells for other uses.
One of the main uses of algae oil, besides health, is as a source of energy. As a biofuel, algal oil is far more productive by mass and effective than other fuel sources, with very friendly emissions. However, due to its costs, microalgal oil is currently better suited to use in smaller quantities (such as for health supplement) than in large ones (as a source of energy for a car).
Source of Microalgal Oil As the name implies, these fats are extracted from very miniscule algae. You may have heard of these small microalgae referred to as "Microphytes" or even just "sea-weed." There are many different sorts of species and each have slightly different properties.
Algae can, certainly, be found occurring naturally, but a safer, more cost-effective, and less environmentally invasive way of procuring microalgae is by farming it intentionally, in large, clean indoor ponds through a process called algaculture . As an organism, microalga cells has a few basic essentials needed for it to grow and thrive: namely carbon dioxide, energy in the form of light from the sun, water, and some basic minerals found virtually everywhere. Just as some organisms do better in certain locations, temperatures, and climate condition than others, the water in which microalgae is being farmed must be kept to a specific range of temperatures to encourage growth and keep the algae from dying off rapidly.
As long as the right conditions are present, the algae will grow wonderfully, setting the stage for microalgae harvesting and, soon enough, fat extraction.
How Is Microalgae, As A Crop, Gathered? From the algaculture farms, the microalgae may be harvested any number of ways, such as with small screens, centrifuge, and other processes. Once the algae is gathered, the fats can be extracted either by crushing the algal cells or using chemical solvents to extract the oil.
Health Benefits of Microalgae Oil Once extracted from the individual cells, microalgae oil is bottled and sold, and one of its most popular uses is for its health benefits from omega-3. It is important for people who enjoy the brain-related and heart-healthy benefits of fish oil but are looking for an alternative to flax oil. Fish oil can come with high mercury levels and trace toxins from pollution of the ocean, while microalgae oil is grown in a safe environment. In addition, fish oil is an animal product, which can be a problem for vegans.
Specific health benefits are from microalgae oil's high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been reported in popular media to be associated with all of the following: * Preventing heart disease * Improving immune health * Cognitive performance / brain health * Reducing and preventing inflammation
Other Uses of Microalgal Oil Interestingly enough, microalgae oil was not cultivated for its health uses originally. Although many species of microphytes can be (and are) used in food, algalculture began originally as a way to harvest microalgae cells for other uses.
One of the main uses of algae oil, besides health, is as a source of energy. As a biofuel, algal oil is far more productive by mass and effective than other fuel sources, with very friendly emissions. However, due to its costs, microalgal oil is currently better suited to use in smaller quantities (such as for health supplement) than in large ones (as a source of energy for a car).
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