Fresh Spirulina: Is It Better Than Dried Powder?

One of the most nutritious foods on earth and a must-have supplement in your food is Spirulina. The blue-green algae can be taken fresh or in powder form. But which one is better? Fresh spirulina or dried?

Dried powder spirulina is readily available as a supplement. If you’re wondering how to consume spirulina, you must decide between these two forms.

There are pros and cons to taking either fresh or dried powder spirulina. In the post, I’ll discuss more fresh spirulina and how to consume it. I’ll also create a comparison table to help you make an informed decision.

Continue reading below.

What Exactly Is Fresh Spirulina?

So what is fresh frozen spirulina? Fresh spirulina is raw and unprocessed spirulina that has been harvested, pressed, or crushed. The spirulina is made into a paste and frozen to extend its lifespan.

That’s how to make spirulina, and the process is simple and easy. The process is a little complicated when making dried spirulina powder. Here, freshly harvested spirulina is dehydrated, additives added, and then the spirulina is turned into powder.

Manufacturers then pack the powder form while others press it further into tablets.

There are pros to taking fresh spirulina over powder. Fresh spirulina is raw spirulina or live spirulina. It contains enzymes while the dried one is dead lacking extra nutrients.

Health Advantages of Eating Raw Spirulina

What is spirulina good for? There are more advantages to eating raw spirulina than dried powder spirulina.

It greatly boosts proteins, iron, antioxidants, and amino acids. Taking both powder and fresh spirulina can provide you with these great benefits. However, taking raw spirulina does have some extra advantages.

Below are some of the main advantages of eating raw spirulina.

Raw spirulina is cost-effective and affordable. That’s the case, especially when you cultivate it at home.
It contains enzymes that our bodies require to absorb nutrients. The same cannot be said of processed dry spirulina.
It’s also anti-rheumatic and anti-infection. It can fight goiter, which is a thyroid gland swelling on the neck.
Assists with skin regeneration. It can be used in slimming regimens. Spirulina for weight loss has been in use for years now.
Fresh spirulina is highly concreted and easily absorbed.
Mild flavor and smooth texture blend easily with juices and smoothies.
Higher anti-oxidant levels to fight free radicals.
It helps reduce yeast infections and fight allergies

How Long Does Fresh Spirulina Last?

Fresh spirulina comes frozen to extend shelf life. It can last 14-16 days under refrigeration.

By freezing the spirulina, you easily get to retain all the health benefits while extending its lifespan. You can scoop a daily dose from the frozen spirulina and use it after defrosting.

You can drink it right away or add it to your drinks.

How Do You Consume Fresh Spirulina?

Consuming fresh spirulina is much easier than you think. You must defrost the spirulina and drink it with water, juice, or smoothies.

Add defrosted spirulina into a glass.
Then add some water, juice, or smoothie.
Stir and drink

Apart from taking it with your drinks, you can also sprinkle it over your food toppings. It can be added to salads, food toppings, and much more.

A good example of how to take fresh spirulina is to make a spirulina lemonade smoothie. Mixing the fresh spirulina into your lemonade smoothie takes away the fishy flavor taste.

Moreover, fresh spirulina can be taken as a paste right after harvest. However, if you want the paste to serve you for a few more days, freezing it makes sense.

Comparing Fresh Spirulina with Dried Powder

A small comparison of the fresh spirulina and dried powder spirulina does reveal some differences. Here are some differences between fresh and dry powder spirulina under different categories.

	Dried Powder	Fresh Spirulina
Origin	Most of the spirulina is grown overseas and harvested naturally from seawater.	Most spirulina is grown on local farms and in a controlled manner.
Benefits	Powder foam spirulina is dead spirulina. Enzymes and other nutrients are denatured.	It contains enzymes since the spirulina is alive, offering more nutrient content.
Purity	Highly prone to contamination as most growing conditions are uncontrolled.	Growing conditions are controlled, giving the best quality possible.
Taste	The strong fishy flavor is not quite enjoyable.	Mild flavor with a smoothie texture.
Process	The blue algae are turned into dry powder by fast cleaning and dehydrating it. Drying methods are different, with spray-drying most common. Additives are then added to prevent the powder from clumping.	Consumed raw without any major processing. Harvested and pressed to remove the excess water content. The soft paste is then crushed and frozen, ready for use.

Is Fresh Spirulina Superior To Dried?

Fresh spirulina is superior to dried spirulina since it’s taken raw without processing, killing enzymes and other nutrients. The alive form and enzymes enable our bodies to absorb nutrients much easier.

Moreover, fresh spirulina is odorless and only features a mild flavor. This is the complete opposite of dried spirulina with a strong fishy taste which is usually unpleasant.

Can Spirulina Be Frozen?

You can freeze fresh spirulina and store it in a freezer to extend its lifespan. Freshly frozen spirulina still retains all the nutrients. It can stay for up to 16 days without going bad.

Does Spirulina Make You Gain Weight?

Spirulina will not make you add weight as a tablespoon which is the recommended dose and contains about 20 calories. You need over 3,500 calories to add weight.

So unless you consume huge amounts which are not recommended, spirulina will not make you add weight.

Fresh vs. Dried Spirulina FAQs

Can We Eat Raw Spirulina?

We can eat raw spirulina without any side effects as long it’s not contaminated. Furthermore, fresh spirulina is the best, offering consumers more nutrient content.

How Much Fresh Spirulina Can You Eat?

You should take between 5 and 40 grams of fresh spirulina daily. You can take spirulina in the morning or the evening.

Conclusion

That wraps everything from us concerning fresh spirulina. While powder and tablet form spirulina are more common, fresh spirulina is superior and can benefit users more than powder or tablet spirulina.

Fresh spirulina is unprocessed and alive. The enzymes and other nutrients are not denatured, retaining more content than dried powder spirulina.

If you opt to get a tablet for convenience, you can grab Sunlit Best Green Spirulina. A superfood packed with nutrients!