Article at a glance:
- Chlorella is an extremely nutritious superfood used in a wide variety of supplements in the market today.
- When looking for chlorella supplements, you must consider the origin, strain, type, and certifications that may indicate its quality.
- Chlorella supplements come in three forms: tablets, capsules, and powders; this article discusses the best of each type in the market today.
The buzz about chlorella supplements has been around for a while. It has become one of the most popular superfoods. As such, you may be interested in trying chlorella to support your overall health. However, with so many chlorella supplements available in the market, it may be confusing to find the best one. Luckily, we’re here to help.
In this article, we’ve created a list of the top chlorella products you can try, whether powder, tablets, or capsules. We’ll also give valuable tips on what you should look for to ensure it’s a premium chlorella product.
What Is Chlorella?
Chlorella is a type of algae now notably known as a superfood. It has a rich nutritional profile and many health benefits.
Some of the most well-known chlorella benefits include:
- Chlorella is 65% protein, making it an excellent dietary nutrient source. It also contains all the essential amino acids that benefit our body.
- Chlorella may help support cardiovascular health. It may help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels.
- Chlorella may be good immune health support. One of the many health benefits chlorella has is that it may aid in improving the body’s immune function.
- Chlorella may help improve aerobic activity, boost energy levels, and improve brain health.
- Taking chlorella may help with natural detoxification. It may help absorb and get rid of heavy metals in the body.
- Taking chlorella may help improve gut and colon health. It may also help with weight loss.
- Chlorella carries a lot of vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin b-12, vitamin C, vitamin D, carotenoids, nucleic acids, and more.
It is safe for most people to consume chlorella daily. The only people who should avoid chlorella are those with serious health conditions, allergic reactions, and those taking blood-thinning medication.
A Buyer’s Guide: What to Look For in Chlorella Products
When you search for chlorella in physical stores or online retailers, you may find a wide array of brands and product choices. However, not all chlorella products are made the same, and some are made better than others. Reading the label thoroughly and researching the brand and product before buying your chlorella is crucial.
But what should you look for to ensure you’re getting premium chlorella? If you don’t know where to start, here’s a quick guide to help you.
1. Take Note of the Country of Origin
Most chlorella algae are grown and harvested in five places around the world: Taiwan, Japan, China, India, and the USA (Hawaii, in particular). The best country of origin that you should look for is Taiwan. It is known for certified, safe, pure freshwater farms that produce top-quality chlorella.
People may have reservations about chlorella grown in Japan and China. People try to avoid Japan-sourced chlorella for fear of radiation due to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Meanwhile, some suspect that China-sourced chlorella is low-quality due to its cheap prices.
If the country of origin says “USA,” try to find out if it’s grown and harvested from Hawaii, as that’s the only place in the country where high-quality chlorella is grown.
2. Find Out the Chlorella Strain Used
Two strains are commonly used in making a chlorella supplement: Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Chlorella Vulgaris.
When looking for the best chlorella supplements, you should look for products that use Chlorella Pyrenoidosa. The Pyrenoidosa strain is richer and more jam-packed with nutrients and beneficial compounds than Chlorella Vulgaris.
3. Make Sure to Get Broken Cell Wall Chlorella
Chlorella, especially Chlorella Pyrenoidosa, has a thick cell wall that the human body can’t easily digest. However, supplement manufacturers have found ways to break through the cell wall, allowing for superior nutrient absorption.
If you see “cracked cell wall” or “broken cell wall” chlorella on the label, try to find out how the manufacturer processed the algae.
The best techniques are heatless and mechanical. They should only penetrate the cell wall to retain the additional fibers and beneficial compounds. High pressure means high heat, and this can damage healthy chlorella enzymes.
Sound Vibrations
The best way to break chlorella’s cell wall is by using sound vibrations. The chlorella passes through a sound chamber, and the vibrations crack the cell walls. No chemical or mechanical process is involved, and there is no high pressure or heat. Thus, chlorella’s nutritional bioavailability stays intact.
Pulverizing
Pulverizing chlorella is also a good technique as it opens the possibility for maximum absorption as it also breaks the cell wall. It’s a process that involves a technique similar to milling wheat. This process results in the fine powder form of chlorella. However, milling chlorella can also affect its nutritional bioavailability and digestibility.
Fermentation
Fermented chlorella also allows for better absorption of nutrients, but it has many drawbacks compared to the mechanical methods used. Often, fermented chlorella is grown and kept in a place without sunlight, disrupting photosynthesis. While it gets nutrients from being fermented, it won’t carry the highly beneficial chlorella growth factor that comes from photosynthesis.
Hot Water Extraction
Hot water extraction is another way to process chlorella. This involves practically steeping for 4 hours chlorella at a 1:20 liquid-to-solid ratio at 70°C temperature. The polysaccharides extract resulting from this process is then put into a centrifuge and re-extracted twice. This process gets healthy compounds from the chlorella, but much of it is lost. Since it involves high heat, more nutrients and enzymes in the chlorella are lost.
4. Make Sure It’s Third-Party Tested and USDA-Certified Organic
Certifications are good indicators of high-quality chlorella supplements. If you want to try out only the best chlorella supplements in the market, look for indications that they are USDA certified and third-party tested safe. Also, ensure they are non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, and free of artificial fillers and harmful compounds.
9 of the Best Chlorella Supplements to Try
No need to scour the web for the best chlorella supplements, we’ve got nine of the best for you in this list!
Best Chlorella Tablets
1. Sunlit Best Green Organics Chlorella Tablets
If you’re looking for the best organic chlorella tablets around, we highly recommend Sunlit Best Green Organics. Arguably the producer of the best chlorella tablets all around, Sunlit Best ticks all the boxes.
The tablets are easy to swallow and are made with 100% raw and natural chlorella. No heat was used in producing them, so the supplements retain all their nutritional value.
Features:
- Sunlit’s organic chlorella tablets come from Taiwan’s top manufacturer, recognized for its good manufacturing practices. The algae this brand uses is grown in certified safe and top-quality facilities.
- This brand also uses cracked cell wall Chlorella Pyrenoidosa, the more nutritional and beneficial strain. The cell walls have been cracked using a heat-free, proprietary low-pressure flash expansion technique that penetrates the cell wall.
- Since the cell wall-breaking process is mechanical and not via fermentation, Sunlit Best Green Organic’s chlorella tablet retains its rich nutritional and chlorella growth factor content. Also, breaking the cell wall makes the chlorella easy to digest while retaining the fibers and compounds from the algae’s cell wall.
- Providing organic, best-quality organic chlorella tablets, Sunlit’s offerings are ensured safe by third-party laboratory testing. It comes without any impurities or bacteria, making it one if not the cleanest chlorella tablets that you can find around.
Availability
One of the best chlorella brands around, Sunlit Best Green Organics offers you 250 mg tablets of broken cell wall Chlorella pyrenoidosa. They’re available in packs of 500 or 1,000 tablets. You may also find chlorella-spirulina combined tablets, pure spirulina tablets, and other green superfood supplements from this brand.
2. Sunfood Superfoods Chlorella Tablets
Another widely popular chlorella tablet brand we can suggest is Sunfood Superfoods. This brand offers 100% pure chlorella that they promise to be top quality, natural, and all-clean.
Features:
- This brand sources its chlorella from Taiwan, and the algae they use are grown in pure fresh water under natural sunlight. The chlorella they use is harvested, dried, and cold-pressed to make tablet supplements.
- This brand also boasts using organic Chlorella Pyrenoidosa.
- The brand also uses a chemical and heat-free method of cracking the chlorella’s cell wall. It boasts using a pressure-and-release method that makes this supplement easy to digest and promotes the optimal absorption of nutrients.
- According to Sunfood Superfoods, people can take these organic chlorella tablets in multiple ways. They can be taken as is since they’re chewable and easy to swallow. Alternatively, people can take it with water or mix it with smoothies.
Availability
Sunfood Superfoods offer 250mg chlorella tablets. They are available in 2-ounce packs (containing around 228 tablets), 4-ounce packs (containing around 452 tablets), and 8-ounce packs (containing around 912 tablets).
3. Vital Plan Pure Chlorella
Most well-known as a chlorella brand developed and recommended by Dr. Bill Rawls, MD, another chlorella tablet supplement brand you should look out for is Vital Plan.
The brand promotes its organic chlorella tablets as a supplement that promotes detoxification, immunity, and good gut health. It’s also one of the most popular chlorella brands advertised by a licensed physician.
Features:
- Vital Plan’s chlorella tablets are made with organic algae grown in Taiwan. The chlorella this brand uses is naturally grown in clean and pure freshwater bodies and under sunlight.
- Since the growing and processing method doesn’t involve fermentation in a dark room, this brand’s chlorella supplement is rich in chlorophyll and CGF.
- During processing, Vital Plan uses the coveted Chlorella Pyrenoidosa strain, which has the optimal nutrient content compared to other types of chlorella.
- The manufacturer uses a pressure-release method to crack the cell wall without using any heat or chemicals. Thus, the dense nutrient content, along with cell wall fibers and healthy compounds remain intact.
Availability
Vital Plan’s organic chlorella supplement is certified pure and cold-pressed into 250mg tablets. You can get these chlorella tablets in packs of 1,000, providing 66 servings of this supplement.
Best Chlorella Capsules
4. Fresh Healthcare Chlorella Powder Capsules
When it comes to capsules, one of the best chlorella supplements we recommend is produced by Fresh Healthcare. It provides pure, high-quality chlorella supplements encased in an easy-to-swallow capsule.
Features:
- Fresh Healthcare promises to use top-quality, pure Chlorella Pyrenoidosa in its capsules. The chlorella they use is grown in freshwater pools under the sun.
- The brand uses cracked cell wall chlorella for better absorption.
- However, while the brand says they manufacture and pack the capsules in California, USA, its chlorella is grown in China. While the origin is one of the more unreliable locations, the brand promises that its products are third-party tested and are certified safe and pure.
- Additionally, Fresh Healthcare’s capsules are FDA approved. They’re also non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free. They are made without any fillers and additives and remain one of the decently recommended chlorella capsules on the market.
Availability
This brand offers 1,200mg chlorella powder capsules. You can get them in 180-capsule bottles.
5. Simple Life Nutrition Organic Chlorella Capsules
Another brand offering premium-quality chlorella capsules is Simple Life Nutrition. They promise to provide top-quality cracked cell wall chlorella for their customers. This is our budget-friendly pick if you’re looking for affordable chlorella capsules.
Features:
- The chlorella used for the capsules is grown in clean, pure freshwater pools and under the sun.
- However, do know that Simple Life Nutrition sources its chlorella from Japan, which may be a red flag for many. Some people avoid Japan-grown chlorella as many of them are wary of heavy metals and radiation.
- Simple Life Nutrition’s supplements are tested and ensured to be irradiated without heavy metals. The brand promises that the chlorella used is free of GMOs, fillers, binders, and preservatives.
- Simple Life Nutrition uses pure broken cell wall Chlorella in its capsules. The company uses a natural binding method to ensure the superior absorption of nutrients. However, it fails to mention which strain of chlorella is used in their product.
Availability
This supplement brand provides 1,000mg chlorella capsules. The supplements are sold in 60-count bottles, which is enough supply for 30 days.
6. HCL HERBAL CODE LABS Store Chlorella Capsules
HCL Herbal Code Labs is another supplement provider that offers top-of-the-line chlorella capsules to fit into your nutritional routine.
Features:
- The brand boasts of providing 100% pure chlorella that is grown and harvested from clean, pure, and safe fresh water. HCL also mentions that its chlorella farms are situated in clean environments and away from the pollution that industrial settlements may cause.
- Do note that HCL doesn’t disclose the country where these farms are. The country of origin of the chlorella it uses is not clearly stated.
- This brand uses Chlorella Pyrenoidosa, the more nutritional type of chlorella available, it has a richer concentration of nutrients.
- The manufacturer makes the chlorella more easily absorbed by the body through milling. While they advertise it as cracked cell chlorella, this process would be more akin to producing pulverized chlorella that completely removes the cell wall.
- HCL promises to provide safe, organic chlorella capsules free from contaminants, fillers, GMOs, and preservatives. It is certified organic and FDA-approved.
Availability:
HCL’s chlorella supplements come in 750mg capsules. These are sold in 180-count bottles, which is a good 45-day supply based on the brand’s recommended serving size (3,000mg).
Best Chlorella Powders
7. Sun Chlorella USA
Sun Chlorella USA is one of the most recognized and oldest chlorella supplement brands in the United States. Given their years of experience, it’s no surprise that many people recommend using this brand, and so do we.
Other than organic chlorella powder, Sun Chlorella USA is known for producing chlorella supplements in other forms. Sun Chlorella tablets are also popular products from this brand.
Features:
- This company sources its chlorella from Taiwan, which many consider the best place to get it. This brand’s organic chlorella powder is made from algae harvested fresh in a top-quality environment.
- The chlorella is processed using a unique mechanical technique that removes the tough outer cell wall of chlorella via pulverization. While this offers maximum digestion, it fails to retain the cell wall fibers and healthy additional compounds you may benefit from.
- The powder supplement is also clean, organic, and certified pure by third-party lab testing. It’s also free of artificial fillers, yeast, and binders.
- The brand also uses Chlorella pyrenoidosa in its supplements – the strain preferred due to its higher nutritional content.
Availability
Established in 1969, Sun Chlorella USA offers 6g packets of chlorella powder. These packets may be sold individually or in boxes of 10 or 30.
8. Micro Ingredients Chlorella Powder
You may have seen Micro Ingredients’ chlorella products around as it is one of the more popular brands producing organic chlorella powder. The powder is vegan-friendly and treated without any use of heat or chemicals.
If you’re looking for a chlorella supplement made from the Vulgaris strain, we give this one a thumbs up!
Features:
- This brand uses Chlorella Vulgaris, a slightly less nutritional strain of chlorella.
- While this strain already has weaker cell walls, Micro Ingredients also puts its organic chlorella powder through a mechanical process to crack it, bringing optimal absorption further. It’s also processed at low temperatures, preserving all nutrients.
- Microingredients’ chlorella powder is tested by third-party labs and certified safe and pure. The brand also promises that its products are rich, effective, and potent.
- This powder is advertised without any GMOs, additives, preservatives, or extenders. It is also soy-free and gluten-free.
Availability
Micro Ingredients sells its chlorella powder in either 10-ounce bags or 16-ounce bags. The brand also offers chlorella tablets, as well as other superfood supplements.
9. Anthony’s Organic Chlorella Powder
Anthony’s Organic Chlorella Powder is another product worth checking out. This supplement is a high-quality chlorella product you can incorporate into your diet.
Features:
- This product is a multi-use chlorella powder that you can mix into drinks, including smoothies and juices, or dessert and food, such as pancake or cake batters and yogurt.
- Anthony’s Organic touts its Chlorella to be non-GMO and vegan. It has also been tested and verified as all-organic and gluten-free.
- While this product is well recommended, it’s important to note that the brand doesn’t disclose which strain of chlorella it’s using. It also doesn’t mention the country of origin of the chlorella powder or how they process it into supplements.
Availability
Anthony’s Organic Chlorella Powder is sold in 8-ounce packs.
Get the Best Out of Chlorella by Using Top-Quality Products!
Quality is crucial to look for when it comes to finding the best chlorella supplements. Many can easily produce tablets, capsules, and powders, but you need to find premium-quality products to know that you’re reaping the most benefits.
Hopefully, this guide teaches you what you need to look for in high-quality organic chlorella products. Start adding more support for your health and see the benefits of chlorella for yourself by trying out some of the top chlorella products around!
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