Chlorella and Spirulina vs greens powders: How do they compare?
, by Catharine Arnston, 9 min reading time
In today's wellness world, you hear about greens powder supplements everywhere. From podcast ads to social media influencers, these products often claim that a single scoop can do everything from improve immune function to lower stress, support digestion, and even increase energy. With so many options, it can be difficult to know which, if any, live up to the hype as nutritional insurance or a way to improve your health.
Greens powders or superfood powders often contain a blend of vitamins, minerals, and trendy ingredients – powdered kale, chia seeds, adaptogens, or probiotics. Both greens and algae tablets aim to support overall health and provide you with nutritional insurance. However, once you look at the facts more closely, single ingredient algae tablets like ENERGYbits® often come out on top. After all, more ingredients are not necessarily more beneficial. In this article, let’s explore why algae tablets can be the better option.
While both greens and algae tablets aim to serve similar purposes, there are some key differences you should be aware of. After all, they are different products with distinct nutrient profiles, bioavailability, and functional properties.
First, let’s clearly define each product:
-
Spirulina or chlorella tablets are raw, whole, single-ingredient foods made from sustainably grown algae, containing a wide variety of natural nutrients needed to support overall health. They are nutrient-dense foods that offer natural vitamins, minerals, protein, and omega-3s in perfectly natural ratios.
-
Greens powders are dietary supplements created from a blend of powdered fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. They can contain some algae, or other ingredients such as probiotics, adaptogens, or prebiotics. They often include synthetic vitamins, fillers, and additives to enhance flavor, texture, and mixability. The synthetic vitamins added may be necessary so the manufacturer can list specific nutrient levels on the supplement facts panel. Even the cleanest brands can have fruit juice powder, a source of sugar, for taste.
Now let’s dive into key differences in more detail.
Why algae tablets are better than greens powder supplements
Better nutritional value from whole foods
While both algae tablets and greens powders contain a wide variety of micronutrients, they may not be created equal. Algae tablets only have one ingredient: raw microalgae cells, slightly cracked for better nutrient accessibility. Each tablet naturally contains over 40 micronutrients, along with complete protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) without any synthetic additions. This whole-food balance enhances bioavailability, meaning your body can absorb and use these nutrients more effectively.
Spirulina and chlorella naturally pack more nutritional punch than any fruit or vegetable [1]. Gram for gram, the algae tablets have 48 times iron compared to spinach and 45 times more antioxidant compared to broccoli. It’s no wonder greens powders often rely on synthetic vitamins and minerals to boost their nutritional value—freeze-dried vegetables are no match for nutritional content. While algae tablets and greens may contain a similar list of nutrients, many are not part of the original food and might not work synergistically. Greens powders also often undergo high-heat processing, which can degrade nutrients and reduce their effectiveness.
ENERGYbits® and BEAUTYbits® tablets preserve their raw nutritional content. Chock-full of vitamins and minerals to begin with, they require less processing and there is less risk for their nutrient profile diminishing during production.
More evidence-based health benefits
Currently, there are 3,372 studies about spirulina and 9,406 about chlorella on PubMed, most of which explore their health benefits in both animals and humans. Veterans to the wellness market, chlorella, and spirulina have been studied for decades, with the highest levels of available evidence like meta-analyses. Some positive impacts found in the research include:
In contrast, less than 20 studies have looked at the health impacts of greens powders, including some with insignificant results [11]. After all, dried and ground up vegetables are not comparable to fresh vegetables. Companies often cite research linking a single ingredient to a health benefit – but few assess these products as a whole. This makes algae tablets, like ENERGYbits®, a more reliable and evidence-based choice for your health.
Greens powders can also be manufactured using high heat, irradiation, and mechanical processing, which can degrade nutrients and even impair how well they are absorbed and digested. Algae tablets are dried, mechanically cracked, and pressed without heat, preserving their raw nutritional content. This may explain why algae tablets have more health benefits.
Sustainability
Manufacturing greens powders can take a lot of work and energy. This has raised concerns about how sustainable these products are. Because each individual ingredient requires separate manufacturing (plus more to assemble the final product), greens powders can generate greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
Algae tablets are one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly food sources out there. Research shows that algae production addresses some of the biggest sustainability issues with modern agriculture [12]. Unlike traditional farming, spirulina and chlorella grow on non-farmable land and do not produce waste water or agricultural runoffs [12]. This means they don’t compete for resources needed for regular farming.
Algae can even support carbon emission reduction – they absorb carbon dioxide during growth [12]. Because they can be grown cleanly and with minimal environmental impact, algae tablet production is uniquely sustainable.
Lower risk of contamination
Algae tablets, like our RECOVERYbits®, have a lower risk of contamination because they are sourced from a single, controlled ingredient. Our spirulina and chlorella are grown in clean and fresh water in Taiwan, a country known for producing the highest quality algae with the strictest regulations.
Greens powders, on the other hand, combine ingredients from multiple sources – up to hundreds of ingredients. This increases the risk of unwanted substances making their way into the product, especially if they import ingredients from China. Ingredients may contain pesticides, mold, heavy metals, or other contaminants. The FDA also lacks oversight when it comes to supplement regulations – meaning what the label says might not be what is actually in the product.
This is not to say that all greens are contaminated, but testing hundreds of raw ingredients is very costly. Inevitably, the costs get passed on to consumers, which explains why the reasonably clean greens are so pricey.
No need for fillers and sugar to taste good
Algae tablets don’t need sweeteners, fillers, or artificial additives to taste palatable. In contrast, greens powders require mixing with a liquid before consumption. Consumers are very sensitive to taste and vegetables can taste bitter, so the greens need fillers and other additives are added for products to mix or taste better. These ingredients may not all be healthy. Some of the big ones include:
-
Gums or lecithin, used to thicken, stabilize, or emulsify. These are added to increase shelf-life and mixability, but can dilute the concentration of nutrients per serving.
-
Maltodextrin to thicken or sweeten the product [13]. It is a highly processed and unhealthy sugar that can increase certain health risks [14].
-
Artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors, used to improve the appearance and taste of the product, with no nutritional value [15].
-
Inulin, used as a healthy and sweet filler which might cause discomfort like gas, bloating, or cramping [16].
-
Added sugar can hide in other healthy-sounding names, such as fruit juice concentrate or even coconut water powder.
Aside from needing these ingredients, the manufacturers will also have to invest in R&D like food scientists and labs to develop the flavor and consistency. They’ll also have to figure out how to keep the flavor profile consistent from batch to batch. Inevitably, these costs get passed on to consumers, thus increasing the product price.
Conclusion
If you are looking to fill nutritional gaps, algae tablets can be a better choice than greens powders. While eating fruits and vegetables should always come first, most of us just don’t hit our daily targets. Algae tablets offer superior whole-food nutrition, proven health benefits, sustainability, and purity. With ENERGYbits®, you can trust you are getting high-quality superfood that supports overall health – without fillers, additives, or the risks that can come with greens powders.
While clean greens powders can be expensive and cost-prohibitive for long-term use, algae tablets like ENERGYbits® provide comprehensive nutritional support for roughly $1.00 per day. They have a longer shelf-life, and are suitable for all diet types. If you do decide to go with a greens powder, look for third-party testing of both raw ingredients and finished products, so you can be sure that it’s free of contamination and you’re getting what you pay for.
But, if you want to ensure you are maximizing your return on investment, algae tablets are a stronger choice. Experience the difference for yourself – better not only for you but the planet too, and backed by science. Our wide range of options can support you no matter what your goal!
Tags
Blog posts
-
, by Catharine Arnston Chlorella and Spirulina vs greens powders: How do they compare?
-
, by Catharine Arnston Spirulina and Chlorella Preventive Health Benefits
-
, by Catharine Arnston New Year, New You: Building Small Habits for Big Results
