Dried, blue-green salty seawater algae are rich in carotenoids and B vitamins, according to NYU Langone Medical Center. They also contain many essential minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc. Spirulina is a great source of protein—over 70% of its dry weight consists of protein. These blue-green algae thrive in warm climate zones and alkaline waters. Many cultures around the world are increasingly incorporating them into their daily diets due to their powerful nutritional benefits. This superfood is available in dried or freeze-dried form, as powders, tablets, or flakes.
The two most common forms of consuming blue-green algae are powder and tablets. Spirulina is also an ingredient in some protein and energy-boosting powder blends. You can even find it in certain desserts at health food restaurants—sometimes added to baked goods, pastries, or truffle-style energy balls, usually made from blended dates, nuts, coconut, and other natural ingredients. While some people may find its slightly savory, ocean-like flavor off-putting, it actually balances and complements the sweetness of smoothies or juices quite well. If you’re making a smoothie, balance the overall flavor by combining spirulina with sweet fruits like bananas, pineapples, and mangoes. If you prefer juice, try mixing it into naturally sweet juices such as pineapple or orange juice.
Nutritional Profile
Blue-green algae are not only rich in amino acids but also offer many other health benefits. They are packed with protein, chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, and iron, and serve as an excellent source of B vitamins, including vitamin B12. Spirulina is also said to help lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol levels, and increase energy.
- Protein – Supports muscle growth and maintenance.
- Iron – A key component of hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. It also helps reduce fatigue.
- Chlorophyll – A superfood full of powerful nutrients that promote wound healing, support hormonal balance, detoxify and deodorize the body, and improve digestive health.
- Vitamin B12 – Boosts energy levels, supports essential body functions, and helps maintain healthy nerves and red blood cells.
- Calcium – Helps build and maintain strong, healthy bones.
- Magnesium – Regulates blood sugar levels, supports normal muscle and nerve function, and maintains healthy blood pressure.
Spirulina – Powder vs Tablets
The most commonly used forms of blue-green algae are tablets and powder, so let’s take a closer look at both. Although the main ingredient remains the same across different product forms, there are some important differences between them.
Digestion Process
Your digestive system can absorb both tablets and powder, although tablets are harder and more compact, so they may be only partially or even poorly digested. This means you risk not getting the full nutritional value of spirulina. Some tablets are now designed to dissolve quickly and be easily digestible, but overall, powders are generally more reliable in this regard, as the body can absorb the nutrients in them more easily compared to tablets, which may not fully break down. While powders have the advantage of easier absorption, if you combine them with foods that your body struggles to process, you might still lose some of the nutritional value of the blue-green algae. For example, if you are somewhat lactose intolerant and add the powder to a lactose-containing smoothie, your body may not be able to absorb all the beneficial nutrients.
Binding Agents
To maintain their shape and volume, tablets often contain fillers or binding agents, such as silicon dioxide or certain types of clay. These binding agents are not easily digestible by your body, which can make it harder to break down the tablet fully and absorb all the nutrients in the product. Since ingredients in the final product are listed by weight, the higher a binder appears on the list—say third rather than fifth—the more binder there is in the superfood tablet. Some tablets are made without binders or fillers, which you can check by reading the tablet packaging information. Additionally, because tablets require binders, they can make up about 20-30% of the tablet’s net weight. This means that to get the same amount of superfood as you would from powder, you may need to consume more tablets.
Ease of Use
One of the biggest advantages of tablets is that they are easy to store and carry with you, so you can take them almost anywhere. However, using superfood powder is also simple—it just requires a bit of creativity. You can mix the powder into smoothies or other drinks, as well as into baked goods or sauces. When used as an ingredient, superfood powders increase the nutritional value of the final product. For example, add 1-2 tablespoons of superfood powder to fresh juice or a smoothie and mix well to create a nutrient-packed “green” drink. You can also mix the powder with dried ingredients for baked goods or use it in salad dressings to thicken the texture and boost your intake of beneficial nutrients.
In the end, both superfood tablets and powders are excellent choices and a great step toward better health and a balanced diet. Feel free to choose whichever option is more convenient for you—you won’t go wrong with either. If you decide to go with spirulina powder, you can find the highest quality product at Daily Spoon.
How to Use?
Blue-green algae are one of the most nutrient-rich superfoods available. Unlike many terrestrial plants, they do not have a tough cellulose cell wall, which makes them easier for the body to digest. These algae are high in protein and contain all 9 essential amino acids that the human body cannot produce on its own and must obtain from food.
Mixing superfood powder with greens like kale, spinach, cucumber, and lime will create a refreshing juice drink. They can also be consumed on their own with a glass of water. While the taste might not be very pleasant for some, many people find it enough to know they are getting a rich supply of nutrients this way. For those who find the flavor of blue-green algae too strong or unusual, it can be masked by combining it with other nutritious ingredients.
You can add this superfood powder not only to juices or smoothies but also to sauces or salads, or sprinkle it over soups to boost your daily intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals. A popular recipe is to stir 2 teaspoons of the powder into pesto sauce to make the dish more nutritious, sprinkle it over salads, or mix it into sour cream-based dips, salsa, or guacamole.
Blue-Green Algae Latte
This quick and easy 3-ingredient latte naturally boosts your energy before workouts or whenever you need a pick-me-up during the day.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plant-based milk (e.g., almond milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon spirulina powder
- 1 teaspoon sweetener of your choice, such as maple syrup
How to make it?
Combine all the ingredients in one container, shake well, and serve over ice. Alternatively, you can put everything in a blender and simply blend until smooth.
Cinnamon and Cashew Cream
This rich green cream is perfect as a topping for smoothie bowls, desserts, or fruit. It’s packed with iron for energy metabolism, complete proteins, and B vitamins. Cinnamon helps balance blood sugar levels and is a good source of magnesium and copper.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- ½ teaspoon blue-green algae powder (spirulina)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
- ½ cup water
How to make it?
- Soak the cashews in a bowl of water for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Drain the water and place the cashews into a blender.
- Add the maple syrup, ½ cup water, Ceylon cinnamon, and superfood powder. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Use your creativity and enjoy!
Store the cream in the fridge for up to 5 days.
