Getty Images/Aniko Hobel
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Blue-green algae is a pretty niche ingredient.
But the similarities between chlorella and spirulina end there, as the two algae offer different nutrient profiles.
So, which is better?
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Well lay out the facts for you.
The oldest examples of it are3,500millionyears old.
Spirulina has been used as a food source in Mexico and Africa since approximately 1300 AD.
In Chad, spirulina remains an important part of the local economy.
Chlorella, on the other hand, was discovered much more recently.
Dutch microbiologist Dr. Beijerinck is credited with discovering it in 1890, and it was then named chlorella.
The drying process occurs both in the sun and indoors.
From there, its ready to eat.
For usage in fine applications like capsules, it is ground into a fine powder.
Without cracking its cell walls, consuming chlorella makes you overly sensitive to sunlight.
“The photosensitivity incidents refer to occurrences of blisters sparked by exposure to direct sunlight after ingestion of chlorella.
Because chlorella has a tough cell wall indigestible by stomach acids, chlorophyll remains intact in the body.
Now that all chlorella has its cell walls broken down in processing, this is a non-issue.
But it does explain why spirulina has steadily grown in popularity while chlorella lags behind.
Chlorella outperforms spirulina in a variety of ways.
Each contains all nine essential amino acids, a rarity for a vegetarian food source.
Chlorella also contains more omega-3.
The Detoxifying Abilities
Because of their antioxidants, bothchlorellaandspirulinacan assist with chelating.
Both algae have been proven effective at detoxifying everything from aluminum to cadmium.
Theres no need for an either/or take on the topic.
Its green hue isnt vibrant like matcha, or even deep and rich like kale or spinach.
Enterblue spirulina, an antioxidant extractive of spirulina.
Which Is Better?
In addition, they each offer a good amount of assorted vitamins and minerals.
As a nutritionist, I’d recommend opting for chlorella.
It offers a better bang for your buck, especially because the two are similarly priced.
Bito T, Okumura E, Fujishima M, Watanabe F.Potential ofChlorellaas a Dietary Supplement to Promote Human Health.Nutrients.
