Beyond hearing about them in biology class, you may not have thought much about algae before (we don’t blame you). But algae is actually pretty incredible stuff.
Vital for regulating marine ecosystems, algae is an umbrella term for a large group of aquatic photosynthetic organisms. These organisms aren’t technically plants, but function in a similar way (albeit, underwater).
There are lots of different types of algae, from microscopic species right through to giant kelps which can grow to be as large as 60 m in length!
In this article, we’ll take a look at exactly why algae is so important for marine life and why it’s the top choice for more sustainable supplements.
Algae and the marine ecosystem
Algae have an incredibly important ecological role in aquatic life and can be found in almost all aquatic environments.
Just like plants on land, they photosynthesise to produce oxygen, which is needed to keep oxygen levels in the oceans and freshwater sources balanced. Just like on land, oxygen is vital for all aquatic organisms to survive.
Algae is also the primary food source for almost all aquatic organisms. This is true of both marine (saltwater) and freshwater environments.
Many different types of small fish, plankton, shellfish and even ducks feed off algae as their main food source, which means it forms the base for the entire aquatic food chain.
Algae and nutrition
In addition to supporting aquatic food chains, algae has been consumed for centuries as a nutrient-dense food source for humans—particularly in Japan, East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Famed for their medicinal benefits, different types of algae have been used to help aid heart and brain health, reduce inflammation, improve gut and digestion issues, or simply for a high-protein snack.
Over the past few decades, algae oil, extracted from algae, has become a popular supplement—just like our Algae Oil Omega 3 and Algae Oil Vitamin D3.
Algae oil: a more sustainable supplement choice
Algae oil supplements are, you guessed it, extracted from algae. Algae oil is incredibly rich in various vitamins and minerals—especially omega 3s.
Because of its abundance and how easy algae is to grow and replace, sustainably extracted algae oil can offer an eco-friendly alternative to more traditional supplement ingredients—especially omega 3 fish oil supplements derived from fatty fish.
Overfarming of fish puts a huge amount of pressure on marine systems, with some species now becoming scarce and even facing extinction. Sourcing high-quality omega 3 from abundant algae is a far more sustainable sourcing approach.
Not to mention, it’s also vegan—win, win.
Fish, especially those bred in fish farms, are also often exposed to chemicals, antibiotics and a whole host of toxins that can end up in the end product.
How our algae oil is extracted
Here at NothingFishy, we care deeply about our environment, especially our incredible oceans and marine ecosystems. We wanted to approach supplements differently—with sustainable, ethically sourced ingredients.
We source all of our algae from closely monitored saltwater pools away from the ocean. It’s then transferred to specially developed saltwater tanks where it’s closely monitored and regulated to ensure it’s free from any toxins.
Our oil extraction process is free from harsh chemicals and tested rigorously to ensure its purity.
So you can feel all the amazing benefits algae oil can bring you, with the peace of mind that it contains absolutely no nasties.
Check out our Algae Oil Omega 3 and Algae Oil Vitamin D3 to learn more about what the medicinal benefits of algae could do to improve your health and wellbeing.