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Is algae the new kale?

nationalgeographic.com

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Re: Is algae the new kale?

#131

Post by gruez »

CuriouslyC wrote: post #102
ravenstine wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think the main reason we don’t hear more about just how goddamn efficient a bowl of lentils and rice is, or oatmeal, is because it’s not sexy. No, we don't hear about it more because it's not healthful. If it were, the human digestive system would be like that of cattle, but it's not. You can feed everyone carby, fibrous meals, but that's not optimal and not even necessarily better for the environment. The reason…

Sorry, but lentils are pretty much the closest thing to a single food that meets all of a human's nutritional needs in existence. If you pair lentils with a small amount of spinach and eggs that gets you there. Your comments about what "people" were designed to eat also sounds pretty ignorant, since we're not genetically homogenous for starters. Most humans of European descent have evolved for seasonal carbohydrate c…

>Your comments about what "people" were designed to eat also sounds pretty ignorant, since we're not genetically homogenous for starters. ...

Source for this? I don't doubt that there are groups with genetic adaptations to food (eg. genes for lactase persistence), but I'm not aware of anything for carbs.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#132

Post by jansan »

There was a mid sized scam by a company praising algae as the future in Germany a few years ago.The company claimed that they would soon produce huge quantities of algae for nutrition, cosmetics, fuel, etc.. They collected money from private investors (which how they did it was illegal), but they had nothing but a small prototype that did not even work well, is was all smoke an mirrors. A very nice but gullible friend of mine lost about 5000€ in that.

Since then I am VERY sceptical about articles praising algae as the next big thing.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#134

Post by Apocryphon »

swader999 wrote: post #6

Better than crickets, but I'll stick to beef thanks.

I've wondered if the move to get rid of livestock to reduce wasteful resource consumption can just be focused on getting rid of beef. Poultry cultivation is far less water intensive than raising cattle. If everyone just ate chicken and pork that would be a significant improvement.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/beef-uses-ten-...

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#135

Post by dr_dshiv »

marricks wrote: post #39

I love all these whacky avenues people take when eating just plants is a very low foot print option available to almost everyone. We don’t need to eat crickets, we don’t need to eat algae, we don’t need bioreactors for growing meat. I think the main reason we don’t hear more about just how goddamn efficient a bowl of lentils and rice is, or oatmeal, is because it’s not sexy. You just can’t make a start up on beans an…

I would totally imagine a beans and rice drive-through focused on getting healthy family dinner for lowest possible price. Call it “Bowls” and allow upsells on toppings.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#136

Post by UncleOxidant »

I recently bought some red dulse from a seaweed farm on the Oregon coast (Oregon Seaweed in Garibaldi, Oregon). Bought it right from the farm. The guy who was growing it said it makes a great bacon substitute. I tried frying it up and while it didn't taste much like bacon to me (maybe I needed some liquid smoke?) it was an umami bomb. I had it in a sandwich and it was actually pretty good.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#137

Post by slavik81 »

yawgmoth wrote: post #42
socialismisok wrote: post #4

We already eat various forms of algae. Some are quite nutritious, some give us tummy troubles, some at excellent sinks for CO2. I'm very curious if we could mass manufacture something like algae and then pyrolize it to get fuel and solid carbon to sequester. If we find some good ideas for kelp, there's whole coastlines whose kelp forests have been decimated. We could start propagating and sustainably harvesting it an…

I recently bought an Algae Powered CO2 scrubber. No idea how effective it is, I wonder what the easiest way to measure is?

The CO2 that it absorbs has to be stored. Measure the change in weight.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#138

Post by BlargMcLarg »

stuff4ben wrote: post #110

All of the people who are saying they'd never eat it and will stick with their beef/chicken/pork are the same kind that said hell no to EVs. They'll die out and the world will adapt to a changing food economy just as we did with the changing fuel economy.

EVs are barely making a dent into the problem, even coupled with everyone going fully vegan (a pipedream). The economy still continues to occupy any new room available under "we must grow" incentive.

You'll die out with the others at this rate of token changes.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#139

Post by mjul »

If you want the high-end take on this, check out the Spanish Michelin star chef, Angel León. He is known as “chef del mar”, making novel dishes with the plants from the ocean.

Here is a short portrait in English:

https://thebestchefawards.com/2021/06/06/angel-leon/

His restaurant, Aponiente:

https://www.aponiente.com/en/

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#140

Post by photochemsyn »

c7b wrote: post #96

I love the seaweed that you sometimes get in restaurants (rarely where I live, unfortunately). But the article makes me a bit skeptical, it doesn't mention any downsides at all, it sounds more like a marketing piece than a balanced assessment. I don't even know what questions I'd have to ask, off the top of my head I'd like to know what the risks regarding eg mercury and microplastics contamination are. Also, would w…

Origin of supply seems fairly important to keep track of:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-21732-z

> "Distribution of metals and metalloids in dried seaweeds and health risk to population in southeastern China (2018)

Most sources report levels low enough to not cause health risks, but eating large quantities ( > 5g day ) is probably not the best idea, and it should be tested for lead, mercury and cadmium (industrial waste sources). Arsenic and iodine are also naturally accumulated in seaweeds, particularly iodine, which while a necessary trace element, can be dangerous in high concentrations.

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