Spirulina and Chlorella: Why Low-Heat Processing Is the Difference Between a Superfood and an Expensive Disappointment

There are two types of spirulina and chlorella supplements on the market. The first type is grown carefully, dried slowly at low heat to preserve every enzyme and nutrient intact, tested rigorously for contaminants, and packaged in UV-protected vacuum sealed bags to protect the chlorophyll from degradation. The second type is processed quickly at high heat, which is cheaper and faster, and destroys the most biologically active compounds in the algae before the product even reaches you.

Most of what you'll find on Amazon or in health food stores is the second type.

This article explains why that distinction matters enormously, what spirulina and chlorella actually do when they're processed correctly, and why ENERGYbits is the only algae brand I personally recommend after years of researching and using both.

Related: best biohacking supplements 2026, the omega-3 guide for algae lovers, and the ENERGYbits discount code THRIVE25.

I literally add ENERGYbits to all my meals. At this point it's like a condiment to me. A handful of tablets with breakfast, a handful before a workout, a handful with dinner. It sounds like a lot until you understand what these tablets actually contain, and then it starts to feel like the most efficient nutritional decision you make all day.

Spirulina and chlorella are the most nutrient-dense foods on Earth, packed with plant-based protein, chlorophyll, and over 40 vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive. Backed by decades of research from NASA, the United Nations, and leading scientists, algae is proven to support energy, focus, detoxification, immune health, and longevity, all in one simple, natural source.

That's not marketing language. The research behind these two microalgae is genuinely extensive, with over 100,000 published studies between them. The issue has never been whether spirulina and chlorella work. The issue is whether what's in the bottle is still alive and active by the time you swallow it.

Here's what most algae supplement brands don't tell you: spirulina and chlorella are extraordinarily fragile at a molecular level. The enzymes, phycocyanin, chlorophyll, B vitamins, and essential fatty acids that make these algae so remarkable are heat sensitive. When dried at high temperatures, which is faster and cheaper for manufacturers, these compounds are degraded or destroyed entirely before the product reaches the shelf.

ENERGYbits spirulina and chlorella is grown in protected, pristine freshwater springs, not open lakes or ocean ponds, so it avoids microplastics, pesticides, and industrial runoff. Every batch is rigorously tested for heavy metals and contaminants, then slow-dried at low heat to preserve delicate nutrients like phycocyanin, chlorophyll, and B-vitamins that high-heat processing can destroy.

ENERGYbits' technique for processing their chlorella uses sound waves rather than heat to crack the chlorella cell wall, passing the chlorella through a sound chamber where the vibrations do the cracking. Most importantly, since the chlorella is never exposed to high heat, this technique preserves all the nutrition and enzymes so it remains a raw food.

This matters for chlorella specifically because chlorella requires mechanical processing to make it worthwhile for human consumption. Because of its hard, indigestible cellulose wall, chlorella must be processed to crack that wall — otherwise the body cannot break down and metabolise its nutrients. The process can be quite costly, which explains why chlorella is usually more expensive than spirulina. The sound wave method ENERGYbits uses is both more expensive and more effective than heat-based processing, and it preserves everything the algae contains.

The Research Behind the Claims

Spirulina is a blue-green cyanobacterium, one of the oldest life forms on Earth, dating back over 3.6 billion years. Packed with 60% plant-based protein, iron, B vitamins, and antioxidants, it's your body's natural fuel source. Originally used by ancient civilizations for strength and endurance, spirulina delivers clean energy, sharp focus, and immune support, all without caffeine, sugar, or crash.

The research supporting these claims has become considerably more robust in recent years:

Chlorella is a green freshwater microalgae, structurally different from spirulina but complementary in its nutritional profile and health effects.

Chlorella has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions, while serving as a preventive agent against macular degeneration, cataracts, anaemia, and gastric ulcers. Research highlights its antiviral properties including anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity as well as antibacterial and anti-tumour effects.

Where chlorella truly earns its place in a daily protocol is detoxification. Chlorella contains an exceptional blend of bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, carotenoids, and chlorophyll, that support the body's natural detox and elimination pathways. Chlorophyll has a unique ability to bind with certain toxins and help facilitate their removal, easing the burden on the liver.

A comprehensive 2025 review found that both spirulina and chlorella contribute to multiple biological activities including antioxidant defence, modulation of inflammation, immune regulation, and potential protection against chronic disorders. Spirulina is particularly recognised for its phycocyanin and gamma-linolenic acid, while chlorella provides substantial quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, peptides, and cellular antioxidants such as glutathione and lutein.

I have tried a lot of algae supplements over the years. The quality difference between ENERGYbits and most other brands is not subtle, it's significant and it's felt.

Swallow with water, that's the easiest, no-taste method.

The tablet format is one of ENERGYbits' most practical advantages. No mixing, no blending, no preparation. It takes 10 seconds to consume them and there is no effort involved. For travel especially this is invaluable, a bag of ENERGYbits is the most nutritionally dense thing you can pack in a carry-on.

It's worth addressing directly because it's the most legitimate concern about algae supplements. Spirulina and chlorella have a high biosorption capacity which raises concerns regarding the accumulation of environmental contaminants. These microalgae are able to bioaccumulate heavy metals such as lead and cadmium at concentrations significantly higher than those found in their environment.

This is precisely why sourcing and testing matter so much in this category. ENERGYbits is grown in protected pristine freshwater springs, not open lakes or ocean ponds, avoiding microplastics, pesticides, and industrial runoff. Every batch is rigorously tested for heavy metals and contaminants. The controlled growing environment combined with comprehensive testing is what separates ENERGYbits from bulk commodity algae sourced from unmonitored open water.

Spirulina and chlorella are among the most evidence-backed whole-food supplements available, but only when the product you're taking has actually preserved the compounds that make them valuable. High-heat processing is the industry's dirty secret. It makes production cheaper and faster while delivering a nutritionally inferior product in packaging that tells you nothing about how it was made.

ENERGYbits solves that problem completely. Low-heat drying, sound-wave cell wall cracking for chlorella, pristine freshwater growing conditions, heavy metal testing on every batch, UV-protected vacuum packaging, and 100% pure single-ingredient tablets with nothing added and nothing subtracted.

I add them to every meal. After years of taking them I'm not sure I could tell you exactly what they do because at this point they're just part of how I feel every day. Which is probably the highest compliment you can give any supplement.