Chlorella vs Spirulina

What Is Chlorella?

Chlorella is a kind of freshwater algae. Although some people tend to describe it as a type of seaweed too. (Source)

There are as many as thirty different types of chlorella, although normally, only two different kinds are found in supplements and super green powders.

You can’t simply pick chlorella and consume it as is; it has an indigestible cell wall which means that humans can’t access and benefit from its goodness until the wall has first been broken down.

It’s usually grown in places such as Japan or Taiwan and has become well known for its unique health benefits and nutritional profile. (Source)

You can find chlorella as a standalone supplement, but it’s also commonly combined with spirulina and other superfoods as part of a super green powder blend.

What Is Spirulina?

Spirulina is also a type of algae, and it grows well in both fresh and saltwater. It’s an extremely popular type of supplement and is used by many people looking for an everyday health boost. (Source)

But it’s not just a recent health fad. This type of blue-green algae was even used by the Aztecs, who revered its health-boosting abilities.

Its naturally bitter taste might be a turn-off for some, but it’s worth persevering with it by adding it to juices or smoothies – as you’ll see below, its health benefits are definitely worth investing in.

What Are The Differences Between Chlorella And Spirulina?

There is certainly some overlap between chlorella and spirulina. After all, they are both a type of algae and whilst spirulina can be found in salt water, both grow happily side by side in freshwater.

And that’s not where their similarities end – as they are both extremely nutrient dense and offer a wide range of evidence-based health benefits.

But there are some unique attributes to both chlorella and spirulina which may explain why many people prefer to take them in tandem, in order to get the best of both worlds.

Here are some of the main differences:

Chlorella vs Spirulina: Fat And Calories

Chlorella is higher in both fat and calories than spirulina. That doesn’t mean it’s fattening or will make you pile on the pounds if you consume it regularly though. (Source)

This is because overall, you would be consuming such small amounts of these superfoods anyway that they are unlikely to have any real tangible impact on your weight levels.

And the types of fat present in chlorella are exactly the types you want to be stocking up on anyway. This means that chlorella is a better source of heart-healthy omega 3’s than spirulina.

As these fats can help with everything from post-exercise inflammation to cognitive function, it’s certainly something to be getting more of! (Source)(Source)

Chlorella vs Spirulina: Protein

Spirulina can be higher in protein. In fact, spirulina packs such a protein punch that it is used by astronauts during their space missions. (Source)

And, unlike many sources of plant-based protein, spirulina is unique in that it contains all essential amino acids – making it a complete protein source.

So, if you are following a plant-based diet and are looking to gain muscle mass, adding in some extra protein can be as easy as taking a daily supergreen powder containing spirulina.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Chlorella?

Again, there are some overlapping health benefits between chlorella and spirulina.

This is because they can both support your heart health, boost your antioxidant levels, and may also both positively impact your blood sugar control.

But, they each have some of their own unique benefits too. Here are the main health benefits of chlorella:

1. It Can Help You To Detox Naturally

So, here’s the thing. Your body is actually pretty good at detoxing itself.

It does this through your skin, your lungs, your liver, and your bowels. But, in the modern world, we tend to ask quite a lot of our bodies and often load it with more toxins than we can reasonably process.

And it’s not just our love of alcohol and fast food that introduces unwanted toxins into the body.

We are also exposed to myriad toxins in the environment such as heavy metals and endocrine-disrupting dioxins. (Source)

Luckily chlorella can help. Because it binds to the unwanted toxins and helps to safely remove them from the body.

Studies have shown chlorella can reduce the toxic burden on organs such as the liver and the brain, when consumed regularly. (Source)

2. It May Increase Your Athletic Performance

We all want to be fitter and healthier. But it can be hard to increase your aerobic capacity and work out for longer.

Whilst there’s no magic pill to make running easy, there is some evidence to show that chlorella may help you to increase your athletic and aerobic capacity.

In one study, when compared with a placebo – the participants who took chlorella supplements were able to get more oxygen into their lungs and therefore workout harder, for longer. (Source)

Whilst more evidence is needed to confirm the mechanism behind this, for now – it seems as if the high content of branched amino acids may be responsible for this benefit.

Chlorella may also:

• Reduce your cholesterol
• Support your immune system
• Promote healthy eyes
• Improve your blood pressure

It’s also exceedingly nutrient-dense and offers you a top-up of key vitamins and minerals which you may be lacking in your diet.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Spirulina?

Spirulina is also incredibly nutrient dense. As well as offering you protein and potassium, it also contains around 11 percent of your daily iron needs.

This can be a real bonus if you have heavy periods or prefer a plant-based diet. Outside of its impressive nutrient profile, spirulina can also help you with the following.

1. It May Have Anti Cancer Properties

We all worry about cancer. And it’s hard not to when it might affect up to one in two of us.

So doing everything we can to lower our risk is definitely worthwhile. Stopping smoking, avoiding excess alcohol and processed meat can all help. But there’s some interesting evidence showing that spirulina may have its own unique anti-cancer benefits too.

In animal-based studies, this superfood was able to reduce both tumor size and cancer recurrence rate – which are two highly important aspects of cancer management. (Source)

And spirulina seems to work best for some types of cancers in particular. For example, evidence shows that it seems pretty adept at reducing the impact of oral cancer lesions in those affected. (Source)

2. It May Lower Your Cholesterol

We all know we should keep our cholesterol in check. But this can often be easier said than done.

Busy lives and fast food can often tip us into a less-than-ideal cholesterol balance.

So, we can move more and try to cut the saturated fat. But, sometimes we need a little bit of extra help.

Enter, spirulina. It has a special ability both lowering the bad cholesterol whilst raising the good. And it even manages to lower your total cholesterol too – altering the overall LDL/HDL profile for the better. (Source)

It may even help to improve your triglycerides too – which means you can target multiple heart health risk factors all at once. (Source)

Spirulina can also help with:

• Blood pressure control
• Hay fever symptoms
• Anemia prevention
• Muscle endurance

Which One Is Best?

This is a hard question to answer. Because despite their similarities, both offer their own unique advantages. If you are most interested in supporting your body’s natural detox pathways or upping your omega-3 levels, then you might opt for chlorella.

But, if you are really after a protein-dense superfood that will support you with physical activity, boost your nutrient intake, and reduce your cancer risk, then spirulina might be the way to go.

So, it comes down to your health goals and specific lifestyle needs.

But, remember that it doesn’t have to be either/or. Because you can instead choose to find a superfood blend that incorporates both. This way you can enjoy their complimentary benefits as well as their own specific advantages, all at the same time.

How Much Spirulina And Chlorella Per Day?

In general, you can take around 2-5g of spirulina and chlorella combined each day. This can be taken all in one go, or you might prefer to split the doses into your morning and evening routine.

For most people, these natural algae are entirely safe and can be taken with minimal if any side effects.

But, if you have autoimmune conditions it may be a good idea to steer clear. This is because, despite spirulina boosting your immune system, this can cause an overdrive in conditions of autoimmunity where the immune system is mistakenly attacking healthy cells. (Source)

Similarly, if you are taking blood thinners already, then be aware that both of these superfoods can affect the rate at which your blood clots- which may alter the way such medications work. (Source)

So do check with a doctor if you are worried about any contraindications.

How To Take Chlorella And Spirulina?

You could choose to find individual supplements of chlorella and spirulina or take them together.

Most forms of chlorella and spirulina are in powder form. 

Some of these are sweetened or mixed with additional flavors, whilst others retain their natural earthy bitterness.

Most people prefer to combine these deep green powders into another part of their diet. This could take the form of smoothie bowls, juices, or even as part of a superfood dressing – the choice is yours, be as creative as you like.

The main thing is to find an easy and achievable way to take these superfoods on a regular basis.

As it’s over time, and with consistency that the benefits really start to show.

Whilst we normally promote a food-first approach for getting nutrients, realistically, with these algae it is best to supplement.

And the main reason for this is that you need to consume chlorella in its broken cell wall form in order to gain its benefits.

So, using a product such as super tonik could be worth consideration. Because here you can find both chlorella in its ideal form, and spirulina for an added super green boost.

And it doesn’t stop there – you’ll also gain from adaptogens such as ashwagandha, antioxidants, immune-boosting blends, and even cognition-boosting nootropics such as l-theanine. 

Perhaps most importantly, you can also be sure you are getting contaminant-free spirulina and chlorella – unfortunately the same can’t be said of all supergreens.

The third-party testing and full transparency labeling mean you can be confident that you are avoiding the one thing you are trying to avoid – heavy metals and other contaminants.

To conclude – it’s hard to pick between spirulina and chlorella despite their differences, and I don’t see why you should, especially when you can conveniently combine them in a product such as Supergreen Tonik, so why not get the best of both worlds?

Julia Ebbens, MSc

Julia is a health content editor and nutritionist from Norwich, UK. She has worked as a health coach in private practice and for the national health service. She undertook an MSc in nutritional medicine to deepen her knowledge.

She enjoys producing evidence-based content which inspires people to become healthier and happier.