Spirulina tablets or powder: which suits you?
Short answer: Spirulina tablets and spirulina powder contain the same thing: dried Arthrospira platensis. Choose tablets if you don't want to taste the salty flavour and want to know exactly how much you take (500 mg per tablet for ours). Choose powder if you want to mix spirulina into a smoothie, juice or yoghurt. We have not found research that directly compares absorption from tablets and powder. So the difference is mainly taste, convenience and dosing.
Last updated: 5 November 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin
Spirulina tablets or powder is the first choice you make when you start with spirulina. Both have pros and cons, and which form works best mainly depends on what your day looks like. Below I compare the two side by side, explain what is in a tablet and share tips for using and storing both.
What spirulina is exactly and what to look for when buying is covered in our article what is spirulina.
What is the difference between spirulina tablets and powder?
The difference is in the form, not the contents: tablets are pressed spirulina powder. Ours both consist of organic spirulina only. This is how they compare:
| Spirulina tablets | Spirulina powder | |
|---|---|---|
| What's in it | 500 mg of organic spirulina per tablet, no other ingredients | 100% organic spirulina |
| Taste | you hardly taste them, you swallow them with water | distinct and slightly salty |
| Dosing | precise: 1 tablet is 500 mg | per scoop, the weight depends on how full you scoop |
| Directions on our label | 3 tablets twice a day | 2 scoops, 2 to 3 times a day |
| Handy for | on the go, at work, when travelling | smoothies, juices, breakfast and bowls |
| Packaging | 300 tablets, enough for 50 days | 150 g in a resealable pouch |
How much to take per day and how to convert tablets to grams is explained in spirulina dosage.
What is in a spirulina tablet?
A good spirulina tablet contains only spirulina. Our spirulina tablets are pressed without artificial additives: the label lists only organic spirulina (Arthrospira platensis), 500 mg per tablet.
Not every tablet is that simple. Some tablets contain processing aids that make pressing easier, such as binders or anti-caking agents. These are on the ingredients list, so always take a quick look. Also check the weight per tablet: it differs per brand, so 6 tablets from one brand are not the same as 6 from another.
Spirulina tablets: who are they for?
Tablets suit you if you want to use spirulina without any fuss. They are especially handy if:
- you don't like the salty taste of spirulina;
- you want to know exactly how much spirulina you take;
- you don't make a smoothie or breakfast every day that you can add powder to;
- you want to take spirulina to work or on a trip.
The downside: you swallow 6 a day. If you find swallowing tablets difficult, powder is easier. Our label says to take the tablets with water, and that is what we recommend too.
Spirulina powder: who is it for?
Powder suits you if you add it to your food or drinks anyway. It is especially handy if:
- you make a smoothie, juice or bowl every day;
- you don't want to swallow tablets;
- you like to decide how much you take each time, within the daily dose.
The downside is the taste. Spirulina powder tastes distinct and slightly salty. In a smoothie with banana, pineapple or mango you notice it least. The powder is fine and dark green, so mix it in a blender or shaker and it will clump less.
Our spirulina powder has one ingredient: organic spirulina, without additives or preservatives.
Is spirulina powder better than tablets?
No, not necessarily. Our tablets and our powder contain the same type of spirulina, with no other ingredients. We have not found any research that directly compares the absorption of spirulina from tablets and from powder. So anyone who claims one form is absorbed better cannot back that up with such a study.
What does matter is how much you take per day and how clean the product is. During cultivation, spirulina can become contaminated with microcystins (toxins from other blue-green algae), bacteria or heavy metals. The French food safety agency ANSES therefore advises choosing products with a clearly identified manufacturer and a controlled supply chain (ANSES, 2017). Whether it is powder or tablets makes no difference here: ask for a certificate of analysis (CoA) for both.
Can you use spirulina powder in hot food?
You can, but we prefer to use spirulina powder cold. The blue pigment in spirulina, phycocyanin, is sensitive to heat. In laboratory research, this protein broke down faster at 55 to 65 °C (Patel et al., 2004), and spirulina extracts lost colour when heated (Faieta et al., 2020). What exactly this means for your nutrition has not been studied. You mainly see it in the colour.
So preferably stir the powder into something cold or lukewarm: a smoothie, juice, yoghurt, quark or a dish that is already on your plate, rather than cooking it along.
Spirulina capsules or a mix with chlorella?
Besides tablets and powder you will also see spirulina capsules. They contain spirulina powder in a shell, for example made of plant cellulose (HPMC) or gelatine. We do not sell spirulina capsules. If you compare them anyway, look at the number of milligrams of spirulina per capsule and at what the shell is made of.
If you want to use both spirulina and chlorella, we have two options:
- Spirulina Chlorella Tablets: both algae in one tablet, 250 mg of each.
- Chlorella & Spirulina Combo Deal: one pack of spirulina tablets and one pack of chlorella tablets, so you can dose them separately.
The difference between the two algae and how to take them together is explained in spirulina vs chlorella. What to look for in chlorella tablets is covered in chlorella tablets: what to look for.
How do you store spirulina tablets and powder?
Store both in a cool, dry and dark place, out of reach of children. Our packaging says so too.
- Close the powder pouch well after every use. If moisture gets in, powder clumps faster.
- Use a dry scoop, not a wet spoon.
- Do not use tablets if the seal of the packaging is broken.
- Stick to the best-before date on the packaging.
Summary in 3 points
- Spirulina tablets and powder contain the same thing. Tablets are pressed powder; ours both contain only organic spirulina.
- Choose tablets for convenience, no taste and precise dosing (500 mg per tablet). Choose powder if you mix it into smoothies, juice or yoghurt.
- A difference in absorption between the two forms has not been shown. Focus on the daily dose and a certificate of analysis.
Frequently asked questions
Are spirulina tablets as good as powder?
Our tablets and our powder contain the same organic spirulina. We have not found research that directly compares absorption from tablets and powder. So choose based on taste, convenience and how precisely you want to dose.
Can you chew spirulina tablets?
Our label says to take the tablets with water, and that is what we recommend too. If you chew them anyway, you will taste the typical salty flavour of spirulina.
Do spirulina tablets contain binders?
Ours don't: they are pressed without artificial additives and contain only organic spirulina. This may be different for other brands, so always check the ingredients list.
Can you dissolve spirulina powder in water?
Spirulina powder does not dissolve completely in water. It mixes best in a shaker or blender, for example into a smoothie or juice. In plain water you taste the salty flavour most.
What is handier when travelling: tablets or powder?
Tablets. You don't need a blender, scoop or smoothie, and you know exactly how much you take. Just bring the number you need and keep them dry.
Sources
- ANSES. Compléments alimentaires à base de spiruline: privilégier les circuits d'approvisionnement les mieux contrôlés (opinion 2014-SA-0096), 30 November 2017. anses.fr
- Patel A, Pawar R, Mishra S, Sonawane S, Ghosh PK. Kinetic studies on thermal denaturation of C-phycocyanin. Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2004;41(5):254-257. PubMed 22900283 (laboratory study)
- Faieta M, Neri L, Sacchetti G, Di Michele A, Pittia P. Role of saccharides on thermal stability of phycocyanin in aqueous solutions. Food Res Int. 2020;132:109093. doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109093 (laboratory study)
- Packaging texts and product pages of Spirulina Tablets, Spirulina Powder and Spirulina Chlorella Tablets, consulted 5 November 2026.
Spirulina as tablets, powder or combined with chlorella can be found on the page buy spirulina.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If in doubt, pregnant or taking medication, talk to your GP or pharmacist.
Spirulina from GOYU
Organic, as powder and as 500 mg tablets, also combined with chlorella.
