Earthrise® University: Compare Various Micro-algae

Comparison Between Aphanizomenon, Chlorella and Spirulina

				Comments
General Characteristics
Classification	Blue-green algae	Green algae	Blue-green algae
Structure/Form	Multicellular	Single cell	Multicellular
Habitat	Water	Water	Water
Dominant Color	Blue-green	Green	Blue-green
Cellulose Cell Wall	No	Yes *	No	* Cellulose not easy to digest; cell wall must be cracked open first by processing.
Phytonutrient Content
Carotenoids/Betacarotene	Low	Low	High
Chlorophyll	Low	High	Medium
Phycocyanin	Medium	None	High	Antioxidant/Anti-inflammatory
Superoxide Dismutase	None	None	High	Oxygen scavenger
Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)	None	None	High	Anti-infammatory and immunity
Protein	High	Medium	High
Evidence of Efficacy
Animal Studies	Low	Medium	High
Human Clinical Studies	Low	Low	Low
Cyanobacterial Toxins
Microcystins	Present *	Absent	Absent	* Some strains contain liver toxins and/or get contaminated by other toxic algae.
Neurotoxins	Present *	Absent	Absent	* Some strains contain neurotoxins and/or get contaminated by other toxic algae.
Safety Guarantee
GRAS	No	No	Yes *	* Generally Recognized as Safe after FDA review.
HACCP	No	No	Yes *	* Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Certification
dsGMP	Unknown	Unknown	Yes *	* Dietary Supplement GMP; FDA requirement
History of use as food	Very Recent	Recent	Ancient *	* Used by Aztecs in Mexico and the Kanegus in Africa