Is chlorophyll healthy?

Chlorophyll is trending right now and can be found all over the place with claims of superfood health benefits. So what exactly IS chlorophyll, and why do we need it in our lives? Here we break down all the health benefits of adding this powerful plant compound into your daily life and routine.

What is chlorophyll?

Chlorophyll is what we call the pigment that makes plants green. Plants use chlorophyll to make food during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants (and some other organisms) use sunlight to make foods out of carbon dioxide and water.

Chlorophyllin base supplements are believed to help neutralize oxidants, which means they effectively decrease oxidative damage caused by factors like a poor diet, chemical carcinogens, UV light exposure and radiation.

In recent years, chlorophyll liquid, chlorophyll drops and chlorophyll powder have become a wellness trend, with drinking chlorophyll in particular being touted on social media as a fast-track to clear skin.

The Antioxidant Powers of Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is commonly known as a superfood due to its high nutritional and potent antioxidant properties. These antioxidant properties make chlorophyll a great source of essential vitamins and powerful nutrients that reduce oxidative stress and free radicals in the body. This means that chlorophyll is able to bind to toxins and inhibit them from being absorbed elsewhere in the body. As it helps to increase oxygen in the body, chlorophyll promotes healthy blood flow and aids the lymphatic system in removing harmful toxins, thereby purifying the blood. This green pigment also plays a role in stimulating bone marrow, which produces white blood cells that protect us from foreign bacterial and viral invaders in the body. Having both our lymphatic + immune system working properly allows our body to more easily and rapidly maintain homeostasis.

Benefits of chlorophyll

1. Helps Fight Cancer

The mechanism by which chlorophyll decreases the risk for cancer development and cleanses the liver is by interfering with the metabolism of chemicals’ procarcinogen, which must first be metabolized in order to damage DNA. Within the human body, enzymes called cytochrome P450 activate procarcinogens and turn them into active carcinogens, which go on to attack healthy cells.

2. May Improve Liver Detoxification

Another way by which chlorophyll might protect healthy cells and bodily tissue is by increasing phase II biotransformation enzymes. These promote optimal liver health and therefore the body’s natural elimination of potentially harmful toxins.

3. Speeds Up Wound Healing

Chlorophyllin seems to slow the rate at which harmful bacteria reproduce, making it beneficial for wound healing and preventing infections. Since about the 1940s, cholorphyllin has been added to certain ointments used to heal persistent open wounds in humans, such as a vascular ulcer and pressure ulcer.

4. Can Improve Digestion and Weight Control

Another way that chlorophyll improves detoxification is by speeding up waste elimination, balancing fluid levels and reducing cases of constipation. Additionally, preliminary research shows chlorophyll supports metabolism and increases the likelihood of success with weight-loss efforts.

5. Protects Skin

There’s some evidence that chlorophyll boosts skin health due its antiviral properties, allowing it to help stop the development of cold sores within the mouth or genital area caused by the herpes simplex virus. Some early studies have found that when chlorophyll-containing ointment or cream is applied to skin, it helps reduce the number of sores that appear and speeds up healing time, making it a natural herpes treatment.

6. Fights Inflammation

It helps turn off a pro-inflammatory cytokine called lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α, making it a promising treatment option for inflammation and related chronic diseases that conventional medicine has failed to control.

Supplements and Dosage

In addition to eating green-colored foods that provide chlorophyll, there are also supplements that provide the beneficial properties of the plant pigment. Supplements and recommended doses include the following:

Chlorophyllin supplements: Green algae like chlorella are often used to make chlorophyllin, which is found in most supplements. That’s because natural chlorophyll is not very shelf-stable and is prone to degradation, making it hard to consume and very expensive. Oral doses of chlorophyllin supplements taken in amounts about 100–300 milligrams per day (usually divided into three doses) have been used to safely treat conditions with almost no dangers for over five decades.

Liquid chlorophyll and other common sources: Supplemental chlorophyll can be found in herbal treatments, including alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and silkworm droppings. If you have access to liquid chlorophyll, try adding a few drops to a glass of water once or twice a day. It will turn your water a bright green color, but rest assured that it doesn’t taste as bad as it might look and might help give you a little boost in energy when sipped throughout the day.

Conclusion

Chlorophyll benefits include helping fight cancer, improving liver detoxification, speeding up wound healing, improving digestion and weight control, and protecting skin health.

The primary reason chlorophyll is considered a healthy is because of its strong antioxidant and anticancer properties. Chlorophyll supports the immune system because it’s able to form tight molecular bonds with certain chemicals that contribute to oxidative damage and diseases, like cancer or liver disease.

The very best sources of chlorophyll found on the planet are green vegetables and algae. Some of the top food sources to incorporate into your diet include green leafy veggies like kale, spinach and Swiss chard. Cooking these foods decreases the nutrient content and lowers the chlorophyll benefits you get, so eat them raw or lightly cooked to preserve the nutrients.

Consuming chlorella, chlorophyllin powder base supplements and liquid chlorophyll extract is also a way to get the antioxidant green color pigment in your system. Contact yanggebiotech.com to place an order today.