Spirulina isn’t just a trendy ingredient in those gorgeous green smoothie bowls on Instagram—it’s the most nutrient-dense whole food source on the planet, and it’s the superfood you didn’t know you needed.
Spirulina is a blue-green algae that grows in highly alkaline fresh or salt water, and it has been used as a food source in Africa and the Americas for centuries. With a 60% protein content, spirulina is one of the most digestible sources of complete protein, which means it is an excellent source for all eight essential amino acids. It also contains several vitamins and minerals, and it even has more calcium than whole milk and over 50 times more iron than spinach.
Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, spirulina can help boost immunity, fight allergies, and reduce fatigue. And spirulina doesn’t only help the way you feel; it also helps the way you look. Its detoxifying and antioxidant properties help prevent acne breakouts and keep the skin looking young and fresh.
If you want to try spirulina but are unsure where to begin, check out four of our favorite spirulina-based wellness and beauty products that you can use to reap the benefits of this nutrient-packed superfood:
1. Vital Proteins: Spirulina Capsules
This 100% plant-based capsule is the easiest way to fit spirulina into your busy schedule, and the simple addition of these capsules to your morning can leave you reaping the benefits all day long.
Vital Proteins prides itself on providing sustainably sourced nutrition products, and this one is no exception. Filled with spirulina rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and other phytonutrients, these capsules aid the body’s natural detoxification system to help you stay energized throughout the day. They’re also a great source of antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals (waste substances produced by cells that can damage cells and harm body function) in the body and help improve overall health. Even just one serving of these small capsules contains 2 grams of protein, giving you a small plant-based protein boost not found in other dietary supplements.
2. HUM Nutrition: Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder
If you’re looking for a tastier way to incorporate spirulina into your diet, then HUM Nutrition’s Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder is for you.
Available in three delicious flavors—Mint Chocolate Chip, Tahitian Vanilla & Berry, and Coconut & Pineapple Tropical Infusion—this powder combines spirulina and 38 other detoxifying superfoods to give you sustainably sourced, clinically proven nutrition. This superfood powder contains antioxidants, enzymes, probiotics, and fiber; it has only 30 calories per serving and contains no artificial flavors.
Add a scoop of it to your favorite drink to give you the energy you need to make it through that afternoon slump, include it in your post-workout shake, or use it to create your own bright green, Instagram-worthy smoothie bowl. However you want to incorporate Raw Beauty into your diet, you know you don’t have to sacrifice flavor to reap all the benefits spirulina has to offer.
3. CAP Beauty: Odacité’s Green Ceremony Cleanser
Turn washing your face into a ritual with Odacité’s Green Ceremony Cleanser. Inspired by the principles of Japanese tea ceremonies—purity, respect, harmony, and tranquility—this cleanser uses its natural ingredients to apply these same principles to your skin.
Spirulina teams up with matcha in this powder-to-foam facial cleanser that leaves your skin feeling smooth, fresh, and energized. Spirulina’s potent antioxidants keep your skin looking youthful, while its powerful detoxifying properties deeply cleanse and nourish. With aloe vera to soothe inflammation and keep your skin calm, this cleanser ensures that you remove excess dirt, oil, and dead skin from your face without being too harsh on the skin.
Suitable for all skin types, the Green Ceremony Cleanser is a great way to add spirulina to your skincare routine—and you can do so with peace of mind, knowing that, like all of Odacité’s products, it’s free from harsh chemicals, certified organic, and completely cruelty-free.
4. Youth to the People: Superfood Skin Reset Face Mask
This creamy, clay-based face mask is the skin reset button you’ve been waiting for. Youth to the People’s Superfood Skin Reset Mask combines spirulina with their custom superfood blend—including kale, spinach, and green tea—to deliver age-defying antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that instantly balance your skin tone and leave your skin looking radiant and refreshed. Its fresh, sea greens scent and bright green color make it the perfect spirulina-inspired addition to your self-care routine.
This face mask is made with completely vegan ingredients and comes in recyclable glass packaging; it’s also free from parabens and other harmful chemicals commonly found in cosmetic products.
Whether you add this to your regular weekly routine or use it to treat yourself when you’re needing a little extra self-love, this face mask can help you reap all of the skin-improving benefits of spirulina.
If you’ve been needing some rejuvenation, a boost to your immune system, or some lasting energy throughout the day, any of these products can help you incorporate spirulina into your life and make the most of the benefits this potent superfood has to offer. It just might be the missing ingredient you’ve been searching for.
