Spirulina from Chenghai Lake

Spirulina from Chenghai Lake

　　Yongsheng Chenghai Lake spirulina is a specialty of Chenghai Lake in Yongsheng County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. It is a microscopic plant invisible to the naked eye that floats on the water's surface. Under a microscope, it appears bluish-green, unbranched, and filamentous, resembling a coiled spring—hence the name spirulina. Spirulina is currently known as the most nutrient-rich and balanced organism on Earth.

　　It is a microscopic plant invisible to the naked eye that floats on the water's surface. Under a microscope, it appears bluish-green, unbranched, and filamentous, resembling a coiled spring—hence the name spirulina. Yunnan’s Yongsheng Chenghai Lake is currently one of the world’s three major freshwater lakes where spirulina grows naturally, alongside Lake Chad in Central Africa and Lake Texcoco in Mexico.

　　Spirulina is currently known as the most nutrient-rich and balanced organism on Earth. Scientific testing shows that 1 gram of spirulina powder contains as many nutrients as 1,000 grams of combined fruits and vegetables. Spirulina has a protein content of 65%–71%, and its amino acid composition is similar to human blood proteins, making it highly absorbable. Spirulina is also rich in various vitamins, trace elements, algal polysaccharides, phycocyanin, linolenic acid, insulin-like substances, and other bioactive compounds. It offers multiple medicinal and health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, detoxifying the kidneys, enhancing immune function, promoting prostaglandin synthesis, preventing cancer, and accelerating wound healing. It serves as an ideal low-toxicity, high-efficiency health food and medicine for chemotherapy, anemia, hepatitis, diabetes, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and bone marrow disorders.

　　Currently, the area has established the world’s largest spirulina production base, including the Chenghai “Shipu Rui Group,” which produces 500 tons of spirulina powder annually. Products such as spirulina tablets, capsules, and beverages made by manufacturers like Lijiang Chenghai Spirulina Bio-Food Factory have won gold awards at the Korea International Food Expo, enjoying strong and lasting market demand.

　　Chenghai spirulina is a protected geographical indication product. The protected area for Chenghai spirulina as a geographical indication product is defined according to the scope outlined in the “Approval on the Application for the Issuance of the Geographical Indication Product Protection Area Definition Document and Range Map for Chenghai Spirulina” (Yong Zheng Bao [2005] No. 64) issued by Yongsheng County, Yunnan Province. This area includes the administrative regions of Chenghai Town and Yongbei Town under the jurisdiction of Yongsheng County, Yunnan Province.