The next time someone asks where you get your protein, the answer could be the green stuff.

While vegans and vegetarians steer clear of fish and shellfish, there’s another kind of seafood we need to talk about – and it could be the solution to a lot of problems.

Algae, that green, slimy stuff you probably cringe at when you see it in a body of water, is being looked at by nutritionists and entrepreneurs in the food space as a potential godsend that’s been more or less untapped until lately.

What if eating meat is not only wrong – but obsolete? | Arwa Mahdawi Read more

Of course, the health food niche is no stranger to algae. If you have been to a smoothie shop anytime lately, you have probably seen spirulina, a strain of algae, on the menu. And those mermaid bowls or unicorn lattes you may have come across? They’re made with E3 blue majik, another strain of algae.

As smoothie fans already know, these strains of algae boast impressive health cred. They’re packed with vitamins and antioxidants and are more protein-dense than most vegetables. They could also be another way for vegans and vegetarians to get enough of the right kinds of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets.

While nuts and seeds can be a good source of omega-3s, they only contain one of three main kinds, known as alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. The two other kinds, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are primarily linked to all the hyped-up health benefits you have probably heard about omega-3s, from positive effects on mental health to fighting inflammation. The human body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, but not very effectively. Microalgae is the only known plant source of DHA and can help raise levels of EPA in the body. The reason fish tend to be so high in these two kinds of omega-3s is because they subsist on microalgae themselves. So the plant-based answer to fish oil supplements might be simply eating what the fish eat.

But the potential use of algae is much broader than simply as an occasional supplement to a vegan diet. There are a few traits that make algae unique among food sources. Algae can grow very quickly and in even the most inhospitable of environments. It doesn’t even require fresh water (hence its ability to grow in the ocean). Essentially, it’s a crop with minimal needs. All of this, combined with its remarkable nutrient density, is huge.

The richness of algae, combined with its minimal resource requirements, makes it a promising and sustainable nutrition solution

Some startup companies have picked up on this and are working with it eagerly. The richness of algae, combined with its minimal resource requirements, makes it a promising and sustainable nutrition solution. Triton Algae Innovations and iWi are two companies exploring what is possible with algae. Triton grows its algae in labs and iWi farms it in the deserts of Texas and New Mexico. According to its website, iWi’s algae farms produce more “essential amino acids and vital nutrients per acre and gallon of water than traditional plant- or animal-based farming”, all without disrupting marine ecosystems. Both companies have an interest in sustainable nutrition and recognize algae could be a low-input, highly effective way to feed the world.

But what they have in mind isn’t simply supplements and bitter green juices. There are hundreds of thousands of strains of algae, and only some smell and taste like the scummy green stuff you might have in mind. IWi is already selling supplements, but as its CEO, Miguel Calatayud, told CNN Business, the strain of algae that it farms is “virtually imperceptible” and could theoretically be used in a variety of foods without changing the flavor or scent.

Triton, too, is experimenting with versatile uses for algae. One of its ventures is algae-derived heme, the complex that makes the Impossible Burger “bleed”. Its heme, however, doesn’t require genetic engineering, which means it can be labeled as GMO-free, according to Forbes. In the article, Triton’s CEO, Xun Wang, asserted that the company’s algae could be used not just for techie meal replacements, but as an ingredient to make food-foods such as pasta and veggie burgers.

And some strains of algae are ready to cook right out of nature. Edible seaweed is nothing new (as sushi lovers know), but food scientists have begun to look past its traditional uses. You might recall reports from a few years back about scientists at Oregon State University breeding a new strain of red algae that’s highly nutritious and supposedly tastes like bacon. Something like that becoming commercially viable would be a great win for foodies, environmentalists and health nuts alike.

It’s exciting that food tech startups are thinking seriously about not only how to sustainably solve global hunger, but how their solutions can be integrated into real life. From smoothie bowls to bright green and yellow, nutrient-dense pasta, algae might just be the next breakthrough in innovative and sustainable nutrition.