Protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, calories and food composition explained with practical context.
Plain açaí pulp and an açaí bowl are not the same food. A current 100 g unsweetened frozen packet provides 70 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g fiber and 0 g total or added sugar. Prepared bowls can contain far more calories and sugar because the recipe—not the açaí alone—includes fruit, granola, syrups and other toppings.
Spirulina is a cultivated cyanobacterium, not a marine macroalga, and dried powder is especially concentrated in protein. Seaweeds such as nori, wakame, and kombu are richer in structural fiber and marine minerals, with iodine ranging from modest in nori to extremely high in some kombu.
Edible seaweeds include red, brown, and green species with very different profiles. Dried seaweeds are generally low in fat and rich in fiber and minerals; red nori can be relatively high in protein, while brown wakame and especially kombu tend to contain more iodine. The species name matters far more than the word “seaweed.”
Nori is a red seaweed and wakame is a brown seaweed. In one dry-matter study, nori contained about 32% protein versus 10% in wakame, while wakame had more fiber. Iodine also tends to be higher in wakame: one commercial survey measured 94–185 mcg/g versus 29–46 mcg/g in nori.
Seaweed has no single iodine value. One commercial analysis found 29–46 mcg/g in dried nori, 94–185 mcg/g in wakame, and 241–4,921 mcg/g in kombu. Species, location, growth stage, season, and processing all matter; some brown kelps can exceed the U.S. adult upper limit with less than a gram.
Commercial spirulina is dried biomass from Limnospira/Arthrospira cyanobacteria, not a marine seaweed. USDA reference data provide about 57.5 g protein and 28.5 mg iron per 100 g, but a 7 g tablespoon-sized amount gives roughly 4 g protein and 2 mg iron. It is not a reliable vitamin B12 source.
Dried spirulina is highly concentrated in protein: the USDA reference contains 57.5 g per 100 g and reviews often report roughly 50–70% dry weight. A 7 g serving, however, provides only about 4 g protein; reaching 20 g would require about 35 g of the reference powder.
Spirulina contains all nine essential amino acids, so it is commonly called a complete protein. That label does not mean its protein is identical in quality to egg, dairy, or soy, or that a spoonful meets protein needs: amino-acid proportions, digestibility, and the amount eaten still matter.
Dried spirulina can contribute iron: the USDA reference contains 28.5 mg per 100 g, about 2 mg in 7 g. Its B12 story is very different. Chemical studies show inactive pseudovitamin B12 predominates, so spirulina is not a reliable source for preventing B12 deficiency.
Spirulina is a filamentous cyanobacterium; chlorella is a single-celled green microalga. Both can provide roughly 50–70% protein by dry weight, but chlorella has a tougher cell wall that often needs disruption for digestibility. B12 also differs: spirulina is dominated by inactive analogs, while some chlorella products contain active B12, with substantial variability.
Cacao nibs are broken pieces of the cocoa kernel and retain essentially all of the bean's cocoa butter. Cocoa powder is made after cocoa mass is pressed to remove part of that fat. Nibs are therefore fattier and crunchy, while powder is more concentrated in nonfat cocoa solids and mixes more easily into recipes.
Carob is naturally much sweeter and almost fat-free; unsweetened cocoa has far more protein and fat and contains caffeine and theobromine. Both are fiber-rich by weight, but they do not taste or behave the same in recipes.