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Adam drinking SuperGreen TONIK

Superfood Supplements: Should You Consume Capsules or Powder?

Superfood supplements have been at the forefront of the health and wellness market for years now, and the popularity of these supplements is growing exponentially! We have all gone superfood crazy, and for good reason.

If you’re searching for a superfood supplement, it’s not only difficult to know which one to choose, but it’s also difficult to know if you should be looking for superfood capsules or superfood powders.

In this article, I’m going to be giving you the lowdown on the different pros and cons of both capsules and powder and then letting you know which type of supplement you should be purchasing.

The Pros & Cons of Superfood Capsules

Pros:

Easy To Take and Tasteless

Brands that produce superfood capsules tend to market them as incredibly easy to make, and that’s true!

Unlike a powder, there’s no preparation at all involved with superfood capsules. So, rather than having to mix a powder with a glass of water or juice before you head out for the day, you simply have to swallow a capsule and you’re good to go!

This easiness appeals to a lot of people, especially those with busy lifestyles. Other people that benefit from capsules are those that can’t stand the taste or texture of powdered supplements. Although you can get all kinds of tasting powders, some people prefer to have a tasteless supplement, so choose to go with a capsule option instead.

Easy To Carry Around With You

As well as being easy to take, superfood capsules are easy to carry around with you. If you’re rushing off to a meeting or you’re going away for a few days with minimal luggage, all you have to do with capsules is put the desired amount in a small container and you’re all set.

Some people might find it difficult to carry around a powder, or pre-made powdered drinks with them, especially if they’re constantly on the go.

Green capsules on table

Cons:

They’re Most Likely Underdosed

Most superfood capsules are around 600mg, which is an incredibly tiny amount, especially as the formula contains a mixture of superfoods. Most of the important superfoods, such as spirulina and wheatgrass, for example, have a minimum standard recommended daily dose between 1-3g. Therefore, it’s impossible for the ingredients within superfood capsules to be significantly dosed.

So, essentially, it’s a waste of money to buy superfood capsules, because they won’t provide you with the correct amount of nutrients.

They’re Not Always Vegetarian Friendly

You need to be careful if you’re vegetarian or vegan and looking for superfood capsules to take because not all capsules will be vegetarian-friendly.

Standard capsules are made from gelatin, so you need to make sure that you’re choosing a plant-based capsule!

Superfood capsule brands I have reviewed

The Pros & Cons of Superfood Powders

Pros:

Much Larger Doses

Although superfood powders have different serving sizes depending on which product you choose to purchase, the typical serving size of a superfood powder is between 10-12g. Therefore, in comparison to the 600mg of a capsule, it’s obviously more likely that a powder is going to contain significantly dosed ingredients.

Although you do have to watch out for proprietary blends, in both capsules and powders, the likelihood that super greens powders contain underdosed ingredients is very unlikely, especially in comparison to capsules.

Ideas for Mixing Powdered Greens

This is the MAIN reason why I prefer powdered greens over multivitamins.

Faster Absorption

Unlike superfood formula that is encased by a capsule, superfood powders are quickly absorbed by the body. Without having a capsule, the formula isn’t only more easily absorbed by the body, but the body actually absorbs the nutrients faster.

Therefore, superfood formulas deliver the nutrient goods to your body faster, meaning you will experience the benefits much faster than if you were taking a capsule.

Better For People That Can’t Swallow Capsules

A lot of people struggle with taking capsules, or actually cannot swallow capsules, so obviously, a powdered option is much better! In addition, if you’re someone that hates swallowing capsules but you’re worried about the taste of a superfood formula, don’t panic! Most superfood formulas are naturally flavored or sweetened, meaning the flavor of the formula is palatable and actually appealing.

With a powdered formula, the bonus is that even if you don’t like the taste, you can consume it in a variety of different ways that suit your personal taste preference, meaning you’ll still be able to consume the powder and benefit from the nutrients inside it.

Most popular superfood powders I have reviewed

Cons:

Some People Don’t Like The Flavor

Honestly, the only downside that I can seem to think of when it comes to superfood powders is that some people don’t like their flavor of them.

However, as mentioned above, you can use a powder in various ways, from making a smoothie with it to adding it in as a baking ingredient, so even if you’re not the biggest fan of the taste of superfood powders simply mixed with water, you’ll be able to add it into your diet in a way that suits you.

Supergreen TONIK best greens powder
Photo by Supergreen Tonik

So, What’s The Conclusion – Superfood Capsules Or Powder?

You should always choose a powder over capsules when it comes to superfood powders, simply because powders are much more likely to contain sufficiently dosed ingredients because they have much bigger doses.

As mentioned above, a capsule typically contains 600mg or formula, meaning that the ingredients will not be sufficiently dosed. However, with a powder, the typical serving size is anywhere between 10 – 12g, meaning the ingredients are much more likely to be sufficiently dosed.

If you want to be sure you’re consuming a formula with sufficiently dosed ingredients, make sure you purchase a formula with a fully disclosed label, so you can actually check the amount of each ingredient with the standard recommended dose.

My super greens formula, Supergreen Tonik, has a fully disclosed label and sufficiently dosed ingredients, simply because transparency was something I felt was missing in the superfood supplement industry.

So, feel free to take a look at it, or, look at my selection of best superfood formulas on the market to choose one that suits you!

Adam Author

About the LifeHacker Guy

Hi, I'm Adam the founder of the LifeHacker Guy.

I have a First Class Honours degree in Sports Science from Brighton University, specialising in exercise physiology and nutrition. In my youth I was a competitive Triathlete and long-distance runner placing top 10 in most triathlon races I completed.

Since suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I moved into web development, after a couple of years I then moved onto developing a number of online businesses. I've recently taken a sabbatical and I'm now looking to make big changes in my life, hopefully this may resonate with you - join me in my journey!

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