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Is algae the new kale?

nationalgeographic.com

261–270 of 320 posts

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. People need meat.

For B12? You do know that animals don’t produce B12, but microorganisms (that can be found in soil and untreated water) and that farmed animals eat B12 supplemented food? So no, people don’t need meat. Not for B12, or for proteins or for iron or for anything else. Do people want to eat meat? That’s a different story.

If you want to turbo optimize your life and give up caffeine so your body can absorb non-heme iron be my guest. It’s far simpler to eat as omnivores as humans were meant to be, especially with so many factors on the scale against your favor.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For B12? You do know that animals don’t produce B12, but microorganisms (that can be found in soil and untreated water) and that farmed animals eat B12 supplemented food? So no, people don’t need meat. Not for B12, or for proteins or for iron or for anything else. Do people want to eat meat? That’s a different story.

If you want to turbo optimize your life and give up caffeine so your body can absorb non-heme iron be my guest. It’s far simpler to eat as omnivores as humans were meant to be, especially with so many factors on the scale against your favor.

For me it makes no difference whether I consume animal products or not. I’ve consumed no animal products in about five months now, and aside from needing to spend a bit longer looking at labels when I first started, now I know what I’m doing I spend no more or less time on food.

I take a big multivitamin in the evening and that’s it.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For B12? You do know that animals don’t produce B12, but microorganisms (that can be found in soil and untreated water) and that farmed animals eat B12 supplemented food? So no, people don’t need meat. Not for B12, or for proteins or for iron or for anything else. Do people want to eat meat? That’s a different story.

If you want to turbo optimize your life and give up caffeine so your body can absorb non-heme iron be my guest. It’s far simpler to eat as omnivores as humans were meant to be, especially with so many factors on the scale against your favor.

Are you saying you believe vegans are unable to drink coffee?

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#264

I was looking into algea/spirulina for B12, but found some sources indicating it is not a bioavailable form of B12, and also prevents real B12 from being absorbed. I'd be interested to know any counter research to this. > almost all algae revealed vitamin B12 analogues instead of the real thing. Analogues are not only ineffective, but also potentially dangerous. Most researchers have consequently dismissed algae as a…

Isn't the recommended B12 dosage per day like 4 micrograms? Less than 1.5 milligrams in a year. Looking at the cost of Cyanocobalamin, it appears to be around $1000/kg. https://www.pharmacompass.com/active-pharmaceutical-ingredie... Complete B12 supplementation is going to set you back literally 0.1 cents per year. All B12 you'll ever take in your whole life is not even worth 10 measly cents. Just some supplement for…

Well, if you go in on bulk B12 with some friends at $1k/kg, I guess you could limit it to 10¢. In reality, more accessible supplements run me closer to $5/month. I'm fine with that. Risking a deficiency isn't worth $5/month, and I don't have an efficient or viable alternative.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For B12? You do know that animals don’t produce B12, but microorganisms (that can be found in soil and untreated water) and that farmed animals eat B12 supplemented food? So no, people don’t need meat. Not for B12, or for proteins or for iron or for anything else. Do people want to eat meat? That’s a different story.

If you want to turbo optimize your life and give up caffeine so your body can absorb non-heme iron be my guest. It’s far simpler to eat as omnivores as humans were meant to be, especially with so many factors on the scale against your favor.

Humans weren't "meant" to eat any single way, for what it's worth. We have the good fortune of possessing exceptionally flexible diets, but we can survive readily on many variations of what's possible.

Something people frequently overlook (or are unaware of) is that in much of the world, animal agriculture utilizes B12 supplementation. This is part of why there is B12 in commercial animal products. Without that, B12 levels in commercial animal products would be lower. Further, people who eat animal products aren't guaranteed to avoid deficiencies.

The idea that we "need" meat is thoroughly debunked by decades of excellent, high-quality research. What we "need" as far as B12 goes is essentially less sanitary environments; we (and animals we ate) used to get enough from food and water which wasn't clean by current standards.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also need Hi-C Flashin' Fruit Punch because rib eye is low in ascorbic acid.

You can get that from eating whale skin, much tastier and healthier

Oh man, I ate whale skin in Greenland. It was hairy and tasted like a decomposing car tire. You must have had the good kind.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#267

I was looking into algea/spirulina for B12, but found some sources indicating it is not a bioavailable form of B12, and also prevents real B12 from being absorbed. I'd be interested to know any counter research to this. > almost all algae revealed vitamin B12 analogues instead of the real thing. Analogues are not only ineffective, but also potentially dangerous. Most researchers have consequently dismissed algae as a…

Yep. People need meat.

Very true, but you know idealism, denial and delusion is a thing. Many will literally die rather than come to terms with the 'fact' that every human (without exception) needs some animal products.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#268
post #52

Algae has what I sometimes call the "hempseed problem": it tastes awful. Hempseeds are highly productive, nutritious, and smash almost every other whole plant food on the crucial protein:fiber ratio, coming in at 12:1. The only problem is, you have to eat them. Japan pretty much identified every kind of seaweed that you can eat without puking a thousand years ago and the list is not long. A tablespoon of spirulina is…

I eat shelled hemp seeds pretty much every day at this point, but even when first trying them I thought they tasted pretty innocuous, and very easily overpowered by the rest of the dish. I put it in quinoa salads and butternut squash stews all the time (at the point of consumption, I never cook them into the stew). Have never had anyone tell me there was a rank flavor in the mix either.

Re: Is algae the new kale?

#270

This reminds me when I was in kindergarten, the most popular diet/health supplement are some green/blue tablets which are claimed to be made of some sea plants or algae called Spirulina and with multiple benefits. I think Amway is still selling those tablets in some countries now.

I feed it to my fish and shrimp.
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