Spirulina is a winner as algae is the best nutritional and nutraceutical product. If we compare Spirulina with Chlorella, we will see that Spirulina has a few more qualities. These conditions make Spirulina superior to other algae.
Differences between Spirulina and Chlorella
Chlorella traits
Chlorella is a tiny monocellular alga. Her size is 5 microns.
The harvesting of Chlorella requires a high-speed centrifuge. It means that electric power and labor would be involved in the process of Chlorella’s cultivation.
Chlorella has a thick cellular membrane. Humans can not digest Chlorella quickly.
Chlorella is cultivated in lightly acidic conditions. The carbon dioxide generated by Chlorella is high in volume. A minuscule amount of carbon dioxide is utilized and dissolved.
Spirulina’s traits
Spirulina is a multicellular alga. Spirulina is one hundred times bigger than Chlorella. It means that harvesting can be done using simple cloth: no centrifuges, electric power usage, and labor.
Spirulina has a thin membrane. Spirulina can be digested in 16 hours using proteinase pepsin. The percentage is 85 %. Spirulina
Spirulina can grow in very alkaline conditions. It means that carbon dioxide gas is transformed into hydrogen carbonate ions. These ions remain in the alkaline culture solution.
Spirulina can absorb carbon dioxide and hydrogen carbonate ions as a carbon source.
The high utilization of carbon dioxide keeps the atmosphere clean and abundant with oxygen.
Better digestibility, low production expenses, high efficiency in utilization of carbon dioxide, cultivation in alkaline waters, and high temperatures in Africa allow Spirulina to stand out from other algae.
Spirulina is a winner
By no means Chlorella is a valuable alga. Germans used Chlorella during the first war. It was a food shortage. Scientists proposed to use Chlorella as a food source. Chlorella was better than yeast because it needed just air, sunlight, water, and a few minerals.
The cultivation of yeast required sugar. Later on, Germans abandoned research on Chlorella, but the scientific community got interested in the algae Chlorella.
Scientists from the USA and researchers in Japan started research on mass cultivation. The reason for analysis was the constant food crisis in the world.
However, Spirulina’s traits show superiority against other algae.
Better digestibility, low production expenses, high efficiency in utilization of carbon dioxide, cultivation in alkaline waters, and high temperatures in Africa allow Spirulina to stand out from other algae. Spirulina is a winner.
Therapeutic abilities of Spirulina
Researchers from Japan decades ago reported positive effects of Spirulina in the cases of diabetes, pancreatitis, liver diseases, weakened immune system, anemia, vision problems, and so on.
The recently published book Spirulina in Human Health and Nutrition provides evidence from scientists and doctors. The results are impressive. They show that Spirulina is a nutraceutical food supplement.
Dr. Christopher Hills called Spirulina miraculous algae. Spirulina is a winner because her quality and usage outperform other algae.
How about you? Did you try to use Spirulina as a food supplement?
Thank you for a great review of these two nutritional supplements! The review is very clear and gave me good insight in all the benefits with Spirulina, compared to Chlorella..
For me that aren’t an expert in nutritional supplements I was wondering if you could tell me what specific benefits this supplement has to your body? I was thinking of trying it.
Thanks so much for your help!
Best,
Stina
Spirulina is a source of proteins which are completely digestible. These proteins provide all eight amino acids. It is five times easier to digest proteins from Spirulina compare with soy and meat.
In addition, Spirulina contains ten of twelve non-essential amino acids. Minerals are part of Spirulina. Potassium, calcium,zinc, magnesium, manganese, selenium, iron and phosphorus are in Spirulina.
Chlorophyll, pigment porphyrin, pigment phycocyanin is found in Spirulina.These all active components give the body building materials for easy metabolism.
What fascinates me that Spirulina has only 3.9 calories per gram of protein. The beef has 65 calories per gram of protein. The 500 mg tablet of Spirulina contains one to two calories. People who want to get al vital nutrients do not need eat full plate of long digested food. Spirulina is easily digested and absorbed.
All the best, Nemira.
Hey Nemira, I’ve used Spirulina as a supplement. I didn’t find it to greatly improve my energy, but perhaps I took too low a dosage. My wife and I experimented with it vs some other B- and E-vitamin combos and in the end the latter combos seemed to do more for us. Once more I’m really if we were just playing it too safe with the dosage. What would you recommend?
Hello, Joshua, nice to hear from you. I wonder how much did you take of Spirulina? Overall, if you feel well, maybe you do not need additional food supplement. People who consume organic food, exercise regularly and have positive mindset, they deal easier with everything what the life throws at them. I think that you know that in energetic drinks such as Red Bull vitamin B-complex is main component. At first it gives plenty of energy. Later on it has side effects such as weight gain, insomnia, chronic conditions. I guess that you use just vitamin B complex and vitamin E, which are important to our bodies.
We are all different. If you feel okay and you get all nutrients from food it is wonderful. However as I read that the soil mostly in USA is depleted thanks to constant farming. If you live in a different part of the world where the soil is rich with nutrients , you are lucky man. Nowadays people do not get nutrients from food. It means that they need to take supplements. Spirulina is a complex of vital nutrient. It is a reason why I write about this food supplement here.
All the best, Nemira.
Hello,Nemira!
Thank you for this post, is very informative and usefull about the use of spirulina.
I was actually deciding between some suplements and after reading your post i finally made my choice.
I didnt knew that spirulina was an algae.
Thank you again for the info!
Wish you the best
Santiago
Hello, Santiago. I wonder why people do not read and do not look for information what it is good for them. It is so simple just pick a book or go to the library and ask questions about topics which are the concern for you.We have problems or just unsolved questions regarding one or another moments in the life. We better will ask family members or neighbours, the people who do not know more as we do. Books, scientific magazines are great resources for answers and ideas. Authors spent so much time researching topics. Spirulina is known many decades ago as nutritious food supplement. It does not cost so much. Unfortunately, most of us eat empty, without vitamins , minerals and enzymes food. Later on we wonder why we gain weight. Energy is lost, well-being compromised. There are plenty of good and real, not artificial goodies which help us to feel well.
All the best, Nemira.
Hello Nemira! I learned a lot from your post. Before reading, I wasn’t aware of Chlorella as compared to Spirulina. Sounds like Spirulina has way more benefits than Chlorella. Do you know if it has any positive affect on digestive health? If it does, I need to try it out to see if it improves mine.
Thanks!
-Tony
Hello, Tony. Spirulina is easily digested because the wall of algae is thin. I use tablets as candies. Your body saves the energy for digestion.
All the best, be well:)