Powdered spirulina
Powdered spirulina is the one most commonly found on the market. It can be easily mixed into a beverage, green tea or apple juice, which soften its flavor. It’s also added to smoothies and sweet or savory recipes.
In any case, it will add a nice green or bluish color to your favorite dishes.
Spirulina flakes
Spirulina flakes are more “natural” than powdered spirulina because they are less processed: harvesting, pressing, drying, artisanal grinding.
We recommend consuming it in savory recipes, such as in soups, hummus, or guacamole. You can also sprinkle it on your salads, eggs, or mashed potatoes to enjoy its mild iodine flavor, beautiful color, and crunch.
Spirulina tablets
Spirulina in tablet and capsule form is recommended for those who don’t enjoy the taste of the powder and flakes. Be aware, though, that their processing results in a less favorable nutrient profile.
Also read the Our tips for buying spirulina in tablet forms
Fresh spirulina
It’s the best way to benefit from all of its nutrients, but unless you source it directly from the producer, it’s difficult to find fresh spirulina.
This one comes in the form of a dark green paste and doesn’t keep very long. We recommend blending it into a breakfast smoothie or a coconut milk cocktail for aperitif, we promise it’s delicious!
Prefer raw spirulina
When it is dried for preservation and packaging, spirulina loses some of its nutrients. Check the labels carefully. If it is cold-dried at a low temperature, below 42°C, it is considered raw and therefore ideal for enjoying its benefits.
Spirulina taste
This is a point of debate. Some detect a delicately iodine-like taste, an umami flavor, or even a chlorophyll note. Others find its sea-like character far too strong. Often its taste varies depending on where it is produced, so don’t hesitate to compare products.
Spirulina and vitamin C
It is recommended to pair it with vitamin C, one of the few vitamins it lacks, which helps improve iron absorption. Complement it with foods rich in vitamin C, particularly citrus fruits, acerola or camu camu fruit.
Spirulina or chlorella?
Chlorella is a microalga from the Chlorellaceae family, which includes many species of green algae, rich in chlorophyll. It is often mistaken for spirulina!
They are indeed both particularly rich in nutrients. Both contain 18 amino acids including the 8 essential to the human body. They are also rich in antioxidant pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoids), vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
But some nutrients are not present in the same quantities in spirulina as in chlorella. This explains their differences in properties and benefits for health. Chlorella is primarily known for its detoxifying action because it contains sporopollenin.
Also read the Chlorella or spirulina: what are the differences and how to choose?
Consume sustainably: favor French, artisanal spirulina
✓ Before buying spirulina, you should first seek to know its origin. It is now produced in many places around the world and under quite uneven conditions. Its price is more attractive, but spirulina grown in China, for example, is often contaminated with lead!
Also read the Artisanal spirulina made with love in the Southwest
✓ Ideally its still best to buy French spirulina, from small producers near you or at Biocoop. We have noticed that large organic store chains often offer foreign spirulina, whereas the French sector is committed within the Federation of Spirulina Producers of France to respect a very strict, high-quality specification. Spirulina grown on our land is much better traceable and its consumption more ecological.
✓ However organic spirulina is not (yet) available in France, because spirulina cultivation requires mineral fertilizers that do not meet the production conditions of certified organic agriculture. We were nevertheless informed of a farm in the south of France where the producer makes his own nitrogen fertilizer using plant macerations. This producer has obtained organic certification.
Also read the Organic spirulina does not exist (yet)
✓ Its somewhat the last stand of small French producers, because the majority of spirulina consumed in France comes from abroad, notably China, and for reasons of equivalence between the EU and the exporting country, the product can be labeled organic.
