Having read the title of this article you might be thinking I’m a vegetarian or vegan but no, I love a good burger... a GOOD burger! Made with locally raised grass fed beef with about 15-20% fat, fresh local veggies, real cheese that’s not pre-sliced on a butter toasted brioche bun. You’re not getting that burger from a place where it’s handed to you wrapped in paper or comes in a clam shell box.
Now I also love spirulina! And not because I am a member of the Nutrex Hawaii Ohana, makers of Pure Hawaiian Spirulina®, the best spirulina in the universe. But because of its health benefits AND the benefits that farming spirulina has on our planet over farming beef. I asked my daughter who lives a vegan lifestyle, why are you vegan? She told me, “I chose to go vegan mainly for our environment, I never realized how much of our water usage goes to agriculture, specifically towards our livestock. Our oceans are also in critical condition, and growing up in Hawaii I want to protect the ocean I grew up living in, for my kids and all future kids to enjoy. An added benefit is of course the welfare of all animals.” Now I thought the answer to the question “why be vegan?” would be all about its benefits to your body so I asked if there were any other benefits and my daughter added, “the main benefit of being vegan for me is for my conscience... there are many health benefits to being plant-based that I also enjoy having, but the main benefit is me feeling good about minimizing my water footprint and doing my part in protecting the planet by not supporting the industries that are harmful to it.”
Water footprint?!?! “The water footprint is a measure of humanity’s appropriation of fresh water in volumes of water consumed and/or polluted”1. I know a lot about carbon footprint but not so much about water footprint so I investigated… and learned a lot about farming spirulina and cows for protein!
Protein per acre/year: Pure Hawaiian Spirulina: 14,500lbs
Beef Cows: 20lbs2
Gallons of water used: Pure Hawaiian Spirulina: 160 gal/lb. of protein produced
Beef Cows: 2,500 gal/lb. of protein produced3
Surprised? I was! I also learned that Pure Hawaiian Spirulina produces more than 725 times more protein per acre/per year than cattle farming and uses less environmental resources and that spirulina is made up of 55-70% complete protein, containing all essential amino acids.
Our Pure Hawaiian Spirulina is grown right here in Kona, Hawaii, USA. An ideal location to grow microalgae with lots of year-round sunlight, warm temperatures, low population density and fresh water. And yes, the Big Island is also an ideal location for responsibly farm raised grass fed beef.
You know what goes great with a good burger? A chocolate shake! Here’s my recipe for a simple nutritious protein packed “shake”:
- 2 cups unsweetened dark chocolate almond milk
- 1 teaspoon Pure Hawaiian Spirulina Powder
- 1 pinch of Hawaiian sea salt (course Himalayan salt works too!)
Mix in a shaker and enjoy!
So, from one GOOD burger lover to all the burger lovers out there, will this make you reconsider having a burger next time you’re craving one? Nah, me neither. But I will keep enjoying burgers responsibly.
References:
2: Wikipedia Contributors. “Edible protein per unit area of land.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 19 Jun. 2017. Web. 19 Jun. 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_protein_per_unit_area_of_land
3: Borgstorm, Dr. George. “Impacts on Demand for and Quality of Land and Water.” American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1981, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. http://www.earthsave.org/environment/water.htm
Guest Contributor: Edgar – Eddie O – Ombac is an ambassador and employee of Nutrex Hawaii, makers of Pure Hawaiian Spirulina and BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin.
