Green algae juice covers the daily vitamin B12 requirement

Unique drink worldwide: cover daily vitamin B12 requirements with algae juice

More and more Germans are eating without animal products. A vegan diet is not only associated with health benefits, but also makes an important contribution to the ecological life. However, the supply of vitamin B12 is seen as a problem in this diet. Help now comes from Brandenburg, where a student developed a beverage that can meet the daily vitamin B12 requirement.

Prevent vitamin B12 deficiency

The number of people living vegan for health, moral and ethical reasons is increasing. Some critics say that this diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies, but according to experts, many vegans are better informed about deficiencies than other people. For some nutrients, it is actually more difficult to absorb them properly through a vegan diet. Especially the supply of vitamin B12 can cause problems. However, vegans are usually aware that they should avoid vitamin B12 deficiency. This is possible, among other things, through dietary supplements or by asking which foods contain the most nutrients and are nourished accordingly. Another possibility could be a new algae juice, which a student has developed in Brandenburg.

People who eat vegan often find it difficult to get enough vitamin B12. In the future this could be done by a new drink from Brandenburg. The algae juice developed by a student covers the daily vitamin B12 requirement. (Image: lenets_tan / fotolia.com)

Revolutionary drink

Valentin Kunze, a student of the University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde (HNEE), developed a new beverage, which is unique in the world, during his practical semester together with the cider mill Ketzür (Brandenburg), according to a statement.

The juice, which is bottled in brown 250ml bottles, is offered in two flavors: apple aronia and apple carrot and ginger.

"They are the result of weeks of testing and turned out to be particularly tasty in combination with the very taste-intensive Chlorella algae," explains Kunze, who is studying in the 4th semester organic agriculture management at HNEE.

The drink "Olga", which contains the Chlorella alga Vitamin B12 of natural origin, will be presented for the first time on April 25, 2018 as part of a kick-off event.

Even with a bottle you can cover the daily needs

"The revolutionary thing is that you can cover your daily requirement of vitamin B12 with just one bottle of juice," says the HNEE student, who was involved in product development for the first time.

"Vitamin B12 has a strong impact on physical and mental well-being, as it is needed for vital, vital functions in the body," explains the statement.

"The vitamin is involved in, among other things, the formation of blood, the protection of the central nervous system and detoxification in the body."

Not just for vegetarians and vegans

As part of his studies, the student has already dealt with various theories on how to implement new product ideas in companies. Now he put the theory into practice on the basis of "Olga".

"For the first time, I was able to do something tangible in relation to the module for agricultural management," reports Valentin Kunze. For three months, the Berliner worked in the cider mill Ketzür and ultimately received a job to complete the product development and market introduction.

He was in exchange with various partners, who participated in the implementation of the product idea.

For example, the IGV Institute of Grain Processing GmbH, which had already gained experience with Chlorella algae as a vitamin B12 supplier, and the rehabilitation clinic "Hoher Fläming" in Bad Belzig (Brandenburg), which treated patients with deficiency symptoms and from the beginning was part of the project.

"Especially vegetarians and vegans, but also elderly and sick people as well as pregnant women or athletes often suffer from a vitamin B12 deficiency," says Kunze. (Ad)