Chlorophyll is a compound created and used by all green plants allowing them to perform photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy. Chlorophyll benefits the body in a variety of ways.  Photosynthesis, simply put, allows a plant to transform carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. Different plants use chlorophyll is somewhat different ways, but that’s the base function of chlorophyll in all living plants.  Surprisingly enough, chlorophyll is actually very similar to human blood, to the hema in human hemoglobin.  Because of that, chlorophyll has been called plant blood.  Hemoglobin is the component of the blood that carries oxygen.  It contains a single molecule of iron, as does chlorophyll.  That’s one of the reasons why chlorophyll is so beneficial to the body.  It can help to oxygenate the blood in a similar way to hemoglobin, which we’ll talk about next.

How Does Chlorophyll Detoxify the Body?

Chlorophyll benefits the body through detoxification in two primary ways. First, because chlorophyll is so similar to human blood and stimulates blood production and nourishment, it promotes oxygenation of the blood which helps the body to cleanse itself. Since the blood is the pipeline for all compounds in our bodies, healthy blood flow and an abundance of oxygen helps the body to cleanse itself of impurities and carry then away. But chlorophyll does more than that. It also binds with toxins like heavy metals and releases them from where they were lodged inside the body so that they can be carried away and processed.

It has also been theorized that chlorophyll can benefit people with iron deficiency, also known as anemia.  Because chlorophyll contains a single atom of iron just like human hemoglobin, and can help to oxygenate the bloodstream, many people believe that chlorophyll benefits people with anemia and can help them to keep their bloodstream oxygenated even through an iron deficiency.  Chlorophyll has also been shown to help build up red blood cells, which is an obvious benefit to people suffering from anemia.

Can You Take Too Much Chlorophyll?

There are differences of opinion in the medical community about this question. Chlorophyll, because it is such a powerful detoxifying agent, can affect a body very strongly. A person who has a lot of stored toxins in their system can experience side effects from the detoxification process. When toxins are released into the bloodstream for processing, it can have many unpleasant symptoms, which we’ll talk about more in a later post. Because of this, many experts have thought it a good idea to not take an overabundance of chlorophyll, especially not at first, until a person knows how it’s going to affect them.

Chlorophyll Benefits — Chlorella Superfood

Chlorophyll benefits the whole body.  It releases toxins from where they’re stored, boosts blood flow, and helps the body return to a state of peak efficiency.  The reason why you see the product Chlorella pictured up top, is because out of any chlorophyll product you could take, this product is leaps and bounds better than the rest.  Chlorella is a single celled algae that is by far the richest source of chlorophyll in the world.  It has 10 times more chlorophyll than alfalfa, which is where most commercial chlorophyll comes from.  Chlorella is 7% chlorophyll.  Most commercial chlorophyll products measure between just 4-5% and don’t have the added superfood benefits.

Superfood

I mentioned in the title that Chlorella is a superfood.  Chlorella really is an amazing algae that has only recently become usable by humans.  Chlorella has a thick cell wall that the human digestive system can’t break down and process.  Modern science has found a way to use sound waves to crack the cell wall of the Chlorella algae, allowing its nutrients to be available for digestion.  And you wouldn’t believe how many they are.  Chlorella has everything:

• 20 Different Vitamins and Minerals
• 19 Different Amino Acids
• High Content of Essential Fatty Acids
• 60% Superior Protein (That’s higher than steak or fish)

Cost

It’s not as though Chlorella were more expensive than everything else either.  The picture at the top links to a 50% off sale where 2 packs of Chlorella are only $17.  That’s very cheap.  You won’t find chlorophyll any cheaper than that.  If you’re looking to maximize the chlorophyll benefits available to you, going with a superfood is really the way to go.  If you’re already going to pay around $20 for chlorophyll, why not buy a chlorophyll that’s all natural and has all the extra benefits?

Cellular Malnutrition

There are many reasons why you should go with a superfood/chlorophyll supplement.  Chlorophyll’s main benefit, in my mind, is to help the body return to a state of peak efficiency.  It removes toxins and frees the body up from a big burden.  But often, the cells of the body are very malnourished from years of poor dieting.  That, combined with a load of toxins can just make a person feel tired all the time.  If you really want to boost your energy levels and get your body back to peak efficiency, a chlorophyll/superfood combination is an awesome way to go.  Not only will Chlorella help remove the burden of toxins your body is constantly bearing, but it will help nourish your starving cells of the trace minerals and other things they need.  It’s really something to consider.

Chlorophyll Benefits and Bio-Availability

There are many different sources of chlorophyll out there, and some are better than others.  The reason why is because of a little word called bio-availability.  Bio-availability refers to the body’s ability to absorb and use the food we’ve just eaten.  With any plant source, some of the plant will be absorbed and used by the body, and some of the plant will be indigestible.  This is known as fiber.  And while fiber is very beneficial in its own way, it’s not usually the main point of eating something that’s high in chlorophyll.  So what are some great bio-available forms of chlorophyll.

A big one is wheatgrass powder.  Wheatgrass powder has a number of really good benefits.  Wheatgrass powder has been shown to have many benefits, including helping with blood production, regulation of bodily processes, reducing cholesterol, quicker healing, detoxification, protection from radiation, cancer defense and more.  Though there are many plant sources that contain chlorophyll, wheatgrass powder is one of the highest sources of chlorophyll on the planet and has been shown to have many amazing benefits.  It’s definitely worth considering.  The only thing one needs to be careful of is finding a quality brands, which we’ll talk about in upcoming posts.  Many bulk wheatgrass powder distributors get their product direct from China, which has a lot less quality control standards than the United States.  So don’t just go with the cheapest brand you find.  Make sure you do some research or read the reviews on this blog.

One other reason to really consider wheatgrass is that it can be grown in your own home and juiced whenever you feel like it.  The chlorophyll benefits of homegrown wheatgrass can be pretty amazing, and being that wheatgrass is just a grass, it grows relatively easily without too much effort.  The only thing that you need to be aware of is that it takes a lot of wheatgrass just to make a shot of wheatgrass juice, so if you’re going to go the route of growing your own wheatgrass powder, you’ll most likely want to grow quite a bit of it to make it worth your while.  That being said however, with your own juicer, you can make a combination drink with more than just wheatgrass.  One can juice just about anything, which gives you the ability to experiment and find out just what combination is best for you.

Beyond the chlorophyll benefits of wheatgrass powder, there are many other benefits as well.  Wheatgrass is a fairly substantial plant source of protein, contains many vitamins like E, B12, and C, and many minerals like Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, and more.  Plus, wheatgrass is a great source of Beta Carotine.  But primarily, people have been taking wheatgrass for years because of the chlorophyll benefits they derive from it.  Chlorophyll is definitely the main event, and gives so many benefits to the body.

Digestive Enzyme Benefits

One of the many chlorophyll benefits to the body is the huge benefit to the skin.  Chlorophyll and digestive enzymes are a very powerful combination that brings radiant health to the skin.  Here’s why.  When we were younger, our bodies were very efficient and digested most of the nutrients in the foods that we ate.  But through years of eating processed non-raw foods instead of raw fruits, vegetables, and other foods, our bodies’ supply of digestive enzymes begins to dwindle.  This means that as we age, we absorb less of the nutrients that are in our foods.  Having vibrant, healthy skin requires a wide range of nutrients, ones we often don’t have very much of in our diets.  Having a boost of digestive enzymes helps us absorb more of the nutrients needed for healthy, radiant skin.  That’s why I love green powder formulas like the one above that are power packed with chlorophyll and digestive enzymes.  Not only that, but it’s on a great sale right now.

Chlorophyll Benefits — Toxin Removal

Not only that, but we begin to store up more and more toxins.  The end result is that our skin suffers massively.  Our skin is one of the largest areas where the body stores toxins.  Toxins are stored there in hopes that through sweat, we’ll expel them and wash them free of our systems.  The problem is, most people sweat very little, and so the toxins build and build until they cause damage and premature aging.

That’s where chlorophyll comes in.  Chlorophyll has been called nature’s most powerful detoxifying agent.  Chlorophyll binds to things like heavy metals and other toxins and allows them to be removed from the body.  This can cause the skin to regain its youthful, radiant glow because the chlorophyll will help to remove the large store of toxins that’s causing a huge strain.

So when you combine chlorophyll with digestive enzymes, you get the best of both worlds as far as the skin is concerned.  You get an increase in the vital nutrients that help the skin stay healthy and vibrant, and a removal of the strain of toxins that causes the skin damage and premature aging.  This is one of the reasons why many green powder combinations have large amounts of both chlorophyll and digestive enzymes.  The manufacturers of many green powders realize that the combination between absorbing more nutrients and toxin removal is very powerful and is one of the fastest ways to get an unhealthy body back into optimal health.  Check out our reviews category to read more about green powder formulas that contain both chlorophyll and digestive enzymes.

Did you know that chlorophyll benefits those who are seeking to lose weight?  There are many different weight loss gurus out there telling you about this or that next new diet plan, many of them requiring cuts in calories and an exercise regime.  But most weight loss plans don’t start off with a foundation of getting your body back to peak efficiency.  That’s one of the many benefits of chlorophyll.  It helps bring your body back to peak efficiency.  Your body is a battleground, it really is.  The war we wage with the foods and chemicals we eat, the sicknesses we’re constantly being bombarded with, and the stress we undergo all play an important factor in our overall health and wellness.  One of the ways to get your body into a more healthy state is to get rid of the toxins that are stored up inside it.  That’s exactly what chlorophyll is best at.

The ideal body burns fat and calories like a furnace.  Just think about when you were a kid.  Most of us ran around all day eating whatever we felt like, had more energy than we knew what to do with, and never once saw an ounce of fat on us.  That’s because our bodies were running at peak efficiency, with few toxins to deal with and a racing metabolism to burn up all of the calories we ate.  But as we grow older, our bodies begin to take on new loads.  They encounter toxins that begin to build up, and lack of exercise and activity causes our metabolism to slow down.  Once our bodies begin to drift away from peak efficiency, weight gain happens.  It’s only natural.  That’s why chlorophyll benefits those most who haven’t detoxed in awhile.

So if you’re wanting to lose weight (and most of us do) then try doing things that bring your body back to peak efficiency.  Reducing the toxic load on your body is a pretty big deal.  Not only will it help to speed up your metabolism and give you more energy, your body will just feel better and you’ll feel a boost in vitality.  It’s not rocket science.  Toxins are like lead weights that keep us down.  The more toxins a person removes from their body, the less energy their body has to expend to deal with those toxins, which means the more energy they’ll have for positive activities.  Having more energy is one of the keys to healthy weight loss.  Of course, it’s not the only thing, but it’s a nice place to start.  You’ll still most likely have to do some exercise and calorie counting, but getting your body back on the road toward peak efficiency is a great place to start.

In the past, many people have complained of chlorophyll side effects, that they felt like they were coming down with a fever after taking it, with all kinds of aches, pains, nausea, headaches and dizziness.  What those people don’t realize is that the side effects of chlorophyll are generally the result of the detoxification process, and not directly from the chlorophyll itself.  Let me explain what I mean.  As you grow older, eating all kinds of things and being exposed to many different types of toxins — preservatives, pesticides, smog, alcohol, heavy metals — your body begins to store them in different places.  These toxins often become lodged in place and are very difficult to move from their final resting place.

But then you start taking chlorophyll and all of a sudden, the chlorophyll starts binding to the stored toxins and causing them to release back into your bloodstream to be processed and removed.  Even though this is a very good thing, from your body’s standpoint, your bloodstream is now full of toxins.  So you start feeling lousy, with aches, pains, fever, headaches, nausea and more.  One technical name for this is the Herxheimer Reaction.  It describes what happens to a body that’s suddenly loaded with toxins.  It’s almost as though you’re suffering from a hangover.  It’s a very similar condition.  After a night of too much alcohol, your body rebels at the high level of toxins that were in your bloodstream that it had to process and remove.  You pay for it by staying in bed the whole next day.

The main chlorophyll side effects comes as the result of detoxification.  If you take chlorophyll and start feeling symptoms of fever, aches, headaches, and more, then chances are, it’s working very well.  That generally means that your body has a lot of stored toxins that it’s finally getting the chance to deal with.  That being said however, it is possible that you might have an allergy to something in the chlorophyll product you’re taking.  Chances that you’re actually allergic to chlorophyll itself are very low, since chlorophyll is everywhere in plants and is of a very similar makeup to components in human blood.  But just be careful.  Each person is different.  If your chlorophyll side effects persist, then you might want to stop taking it for awhile or seek medical attention.

Sometimes, as with any food, people can have an allergic reaction to chlorophyll substances.  The allergy is most likely not due to the chlorophyll itself, but more likely the plant that contains the chlorophyll.  Most of the time, when a person takes chlorophyll, they eat a plant substance that’s high in chlorophyll, like wheatgrass powder or Chlorella.  If they have an allergic reaction, it’s probably to something else other than the chlorophyll.  Chlorophyll so closely resembles the hema of human hemoglobin that developing an allergy to it is very uncommon.

But the tricky thing is that because of the side effects of detoxification, which we’ll talk about in the next post, many people have thought they were allergic to foods high in chlorophyll.  Because of how detoxification works, a person may develop flu-like symptoms that can make them believe they’ve suffered from an allergic reaction.  Though allergic reaction is possible, people are more likely suffering the side effects of detoxification rather than an allergic reaction to chlorophyll or whatever food they ate which was high in chlorophyll.

For example, a friend of mine once thought that he was allergic to cilantro.  Every time he would eat it he would feel aches, nausea and feverish.  It took him awhile to narrow it down, but after awhile he came to the conclusion that he was slightly allergic to cilantro.  While this is possible, the more likely explanation is that the cilantro, which is very rich in chlorophyll, was causing the detoxification process to start, binding to and releasing many toxins into his bloodstream for filtering out of his system.  Because of the sudden release of toxins, his body would exhibit symptoms similar to the early stages of the flu.  So while an allergy is possible, the more likely explanation is that the cilantro was doing its job and helping to release toxins for processing.

I don’t know if my friend ever started eating cilantro or if he still believes himself to be allergic to it, but if you’re taking chlorophyll of some form and think you might be allergic to the supplement you’re taking, you might want to try switching to another form of chlorophyll and see if the new stuff has the same effect.  For example, if you’re already taking wheatgrass and it’s making you feel terrible, then maybe switch to Chlorella and see if you’re showing the same symptoms.

It has been reported that one of the possible chlorophyll side effects is a sensitivity to light on the skin.  Many medical professionals advise that persons taking chlorophyll should wear extra sunscreen when spending time outdoors.  To me, that’s quite odd.  I’ve done a lot of research and can’t seem to find any evidence for why chlorophyll would cause a skin sensitivity to sunlight.  It’s not as though the chlorophyll is going to cause us to photosyntesize and start producing energy from the light of the sun (although that would be very cool).

If I were to take a guess, I would say that skin sensitivity from chlorophyll was most likely due to the detoxification process, which we’ll talk more about in the next post.  The skin is the largest organ on the human body.  It’s also one of the main places where your body stores toxins.  The main reason behind storing toxins in your skin is because your body is hoping that through sweating, the toxins will be expelled from your body and washed away.  But most people in our modern culture don’t sweat very often.  And so the toxins begin to build and accumulate.  On some people, you’ll even begin to see spots, sometimes referred to as liver spots.

But when a person begins taking chlorophyll, toxins are released from their stored position and sent back into the system.  This can cause a general nauseous feeling and can make a person extra sensitive to their environment in general.  It could be the case that since many toxins that were once stored in the skin are now being released, but are still in the general vicinity of the skin, it could cause the skin to be sensitive.  I’m not saying that that’s definitely what’s going on, but it could play a large part in the sensitivity that has been reported as one of chlorophyll’s side effects.  Above and beyond that, there are no reported side effects from taking chlorophyll, but in the next post, you’ll see that there are some side effects that arise from the detoxification process.