Sea Moss Gel Vs. Capsules & Powder: Which is Better?

So, you’ve recently heard about sea moss and its incredible nutrients and health benefits. You're ready to give it a try but are now wondering which form of sea moss is best for you.

Indeed, sea moss supplements come in several forms, including gel, capsules, powder, gummies, or raw.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of each form of sea moss and help you make an informed decision on how to best consume this superfood!

Related article: What are sea moss’s health benefits?

Different Forms of Sea Moss

The main point of consuming sea moss is to reap its health properties by supplementing our body with essential minerals and vitamins. 

There are several ways to do so, including eating fresh Chondrus crispus (the scientific name of sea moss), incorporating sea moss gel or powder into our food, applying it topically, swallowing sea moss capsules, or even chewing a few gummies.

Sea moss gel

Sea moss gel is the most common way to consume Chondrus Crispus. It’s a gel-like substance obtained by blending raw sea moss with water or boiling it.

It’s a natural way to eat sea moss as there are no other ingredients than sea moss and water. The carrageenan naturally found in the seaweed gives a gel jelly-like consistency.

You can make or purchase pure organic sea moss gel as well as fruit-infused and flavored ones.

 

Related article: 4 easy ways to make sea moss gel at home

Sea moss capsules

Sea moss capsules are another popular form of sea moss. After the sea moss is harvested from the ocean or pool-grown, it's washed and dried in the sun. Once completely dehydrated, the alga is ground into a fine powder before being encapsulated.

You can make your own sea moss capsules from sea moss powder or find excellent store-bought ones. The ones we sell at Organics Nature contain 1000mg of organic Irish sea moss, enriched with 300 mg of organic bladderwrack and 200 mg of burdock root.

Sea moss powder 

Sea moss powder is obtained by drying sea moss in the sun until it's moisture-free and grinding it into the finest powder. It's the same process as making sea moss capsules, but the powder is not encapsulated.

Raw sea moss 

If you’re up for the culinary adventure, Chondrus crispus (sea moss) can also be consumed raw. It’s the most natural form of sea moss because the seaweed has not gone through any processing (neither blending nor grinding).

There are two ways to eat raw sea moss: fresh from the sea or dried. Either way, you can add it to savory recipes like salads or soups.

Related article: What does sea moss taste like?

 

Sea moss gummies 

Sea moss gummies are chewable candies enriched with sea moss gel. They’re tasty health supplements packed with sea moss’s minerals and vitamins.

Whether store-bought or homemade, sea moss gummies are a fun way of incorporating sea moss into your lifestyle.

 

Now, let’s see the pros and cons of these sea moss forms.

Sea Moss Gel vs. Capsules

Sea moss gel and capsules are the two most common ways to consume sea moss. But they both come with their advantages and drawbacks. 

The gel has more diversified uses than capsules 

The first difference between sea moss gel and capsules is their method of consumption. While sea moss capsules offer little room for maneuver as you can only swallow them, there are plenty of ways to use sea moss gel.

Sea moss gel can be consumed orally, eaten pure, or incorporated into food or drink recipes. It can also be applied topically on your skin (as a face mask or a soap, for example) and hair.

Related article: How to make sea moss smoothies?

Sea moss capsules offer best dosage control than gel 

One of the biggest advantages of sea moss capsules over the gel form is that store-bought sea moss capsules are dosed with extreme precision. So when swallowing a pill, you know the exact amount of sea moss you're having and can easily track your consumption of nutrients. 

Chondrus crispus is a very safe ingredient, but overconsumption could lead to serious side effects, including iodine poisoning.

Each Organics Nature's sea moss capsule contains 1000 mg of sea moss powder. We recommend taking 2 pills a day, which is an efficient but safe dosage for most people. 

Related article: Find out how much sea moss gel you can eat daily

Capsules may be more convenient

Some consumers find capsules to be more convenient to use than gel. While the gel offers a wider variety of uses and recipes, pills are easier to transport and take anywhere at any time. 

On the other hand, sea moss gel is the best option for you if you're one of the many people who cannot swallow pills.

Sea moss capsules vs. gel: shelf life 

Another advantage of sea moss capsules is that they’re easier to store than sea moss gel and have a longer shelf life.

Sea moss gel is a fresh product and perishable food. It lasts 3 to 4 weeks but must be refrigerated in an airtight container. If not refrigerated, sea moss gel can start deteriorating and going bad within a few days only.

On the contrary, sea moss capsules do not need refrigeration. They can last about 2 years if stored in dry, cool places because the encapsulation technology forms a protective envelope against adverse ambient conditions.

Related article: How long does sea moss gel last, and how to store it properly?

Are sea moss capsules as effective as the gel?

Sea moss capsules and sea moss gel are both very effective forms of sea moss. However, sea moss capsules have a higher bioavailability than sea moss gel(the ability to be absorbed and effectively used by the body). It means that you need a smaller amount to get the same potency and effects.

For the most part, sea moss capsules offer many advantages over sea moss gel. But it ultimately comes down to your preferences. If you want to reap sea moss's health benefits in the simplest and most convenient manner possible, choose sea moss capsules. But if you'd like to diversify its uses and consumption, the gel offers more options!

Sea Moss Gel vs. Powder 

Sea moss gel and sea moss powder are more similar than you’d think. They're both easy to incorporate into food and drink recipes and almost tasteless.

However, this is how they differ:

• Sea moss gel can be eaten pure, while sea moss powder must be mixed with foods or drinks.
• Sea moss gel lasts only 3 to 4 weeks if kept refrigerated, while sea moss powder lasts longer in a dry, cool place.
• You can’t apply sea moss powder to your skin or hair.
• Sea moss powder may have a higher bioavailability than gel. 

Sea moss powder vs. capsules

Sea moss capsules are encapsulated sea moss powder, so the ingredient is fundamentally the same. Only the form, method of consumption, and storage vary. Depending on your preferences and lifestyle, you may choose one or the other, considering the following differences:

• Capsules have a longer shelf life than powder which can be affected by humidity and dust.
• Capsules are pre-dosed with precision, while you must control the dosage of sea moss powder yourself.
• You can cook with sea moss powder and incorporate it into foods and drinks.
• Capsules are easier to transport.

Organics Nature's Sea Moss & Collagen Peptides Powder

Sea Moss Gel vs. Gummies

Sea moss gummies are made with sea moss gel. Because they also contain other ingredients, you’re not consuming pure sea moss. However, gummies are a great and fun way to consume sea moss, especially for kids, as you can get any flavor and color of your choice!

Like sea moss capsules, gummies have the advantage of being dosed out to the milligram so that you can track your sea moss consumption.

They’re ideal for sea moss beginners, kids, and people who want to take small doses of sea moss daily. 

One serving of Organics Nature’s sea moss gummies (2 gummies) contains 87.5 mg of sea moss extract. Like our capsules, they’re enriched with bladderwrack and burdock root extracts.

 

Sea Moss Gel vs. Raw Sea Moss

Finally, let’s compare sea moss gel and raw sea moss. Naturally, sea moss purists stand up for eating raw Chondrus crispus freshly harvested from the ocean. 

While it clearly is the purest form of sea moss, eating fresh sea moss comes with significant drawbacks, including:

• It tastes very strong, with an oyster-like flavor, and can be super salty.
• It has a gelatinous texture only some people like.
• It’s perishable and can only be kept in the fridge for a few days.
• Finally, it can make you feel gassy or bloated.

Most people prefer eating sea moss gel to fresh sea moss. However, if you still want to eat raw sea moss, we recommend you try dry sea moss. It's pure sundried Chondrus crispus. It's easier to store and can last up to 2 years in a cool, dry place. You can add it to soups and seaweed salads or even make your own sea moss gel from it. 

Have you ever tried raw sea moss? What's your favorite form of sea moss? Do you prefer gel, capsules, powder, or gummies?