Chlorophyll, a pigment which absorbs sunlight, gives plants their green color. It's found in plants, and is packed with hundreds of nutrients essential for good health.
This antioxidant-rich substance is found in wheatgrass, peas, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, green apples, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, green beans and cucumber – namely, any green fruit or vegetable.
It has dozens of positive effects on your health and well-being. You get chlorophyll through eating green vegetables or taking supplements. Cooking vegetables removes much of their chlorophyll (through eating cooked green veggies is better than not eating them at all), and eating them raw is unpleasant for most people.
You can get more of the health benefits of chlorophyll by taking a supplement, and a wheatgrass tablet is one of the best ways to do that, since chlorophyll is the primary nutrient found in wheatgrass.
Chlorophyll is also available in wheatgrass juice or as liquid chlorophyll. Liquid chlorophyll is used for the same health benefits as veggies and wheatgrass, but it is diluted with water or consumed plain, much like a wheatgrass shot. Learn about all the health benefits of wheatgrass.
Chlorophyll has anti-bacterial properties and can prevent infections from forming or getting worse. It protects healthy cells and makes your body stronger and better able to avoid disease. And this green pigment is great for improving mental clarity and reducing the effects of stress.
Chlorophyll calms the nerves, allowing you to remain focused during hectic times. It helps oxygen travel through the bloodstream, giving you more energy and increasing brain function.
Increased resistance to disease and better clarity are only two of the health benefits of chlorophyll. It also boosts digestion, fights inflammation and aids our bodies and cognitive functions in many other ways. Here's a list of 12 health benefits of chlorophyll. Add this green super nutrient to your diet through vegetables, fruits, wheatgrass and other supplements for more energy and fewer visits to the doctor.
1. Chlorophyll Helps Prevent Cancer
Chlorophyll helps stop the gastrointestinal tract from absorbing aflatoxin and other cancer-causing toxins. Studies show chlorophyll protects the colon against toxic substances found in meat, grains and polluted air. It has a phytochemical compound which may prevent cancer cells from multiplying.
An Oregon State University study showed that chlorophyll in wheatgrass and vegetables provides protection against modest environmental carcinogens. “Chlorophyll can reduce tumors, up to a point,” says the project's research assistant Tammie McQuistan.
The study indicated that rainbow trout (used in the study instead of lab mice) were likely to develop tumors when exposed to high levels of carcinogens and chlorophyll only increased the number of tumors when the carcinogens were increased to an inflated level.1
Chlorophyll and its derivatives help prevent cancer by providing antioxidant activity, trapping mutagens and inducing apoptosis (the cell death that occurs as a normal part of the body's growth).
2. Chlorophyll Improves Heart Health
Chlorophyll is chock full of magnesium, which promotes longevity when given to patients who've suffered heart attacks. It reduces the chance of hypertension and atherosclerosis, and 365 mg of magnesium (found in many wheatgrass or chlorophyll supplements) improves an individual's lipid profile.
Research by Austrian scientists found that chlorophyll slows the oxidation of “bad” cholesterol (LDL). Bad cholesterol is one of the contributors to cardiovascular disease, so increased protection against strokes and heart attacks are among the health benefits of chlorophyll.
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3. Eliminates Body Odor and Bad Breath
The health benefits of chlorophyll extend to daily quality of life. Natural ingredients like chlorophyll and mint have been used to reduce body odor and control bad breath since ancient Egyptian times.
A toothpaste called Chlorodont, containing chlorophyll, was distributed worldwide from its invention in Germany in 1907 until the 1980s. Some small companies still produce chlorophyll toothpaste. Clorets breath mints and gum, a popular brand containing Actizol, a substance with chlorophyll in it, was once widely used in the United States. It's now sold primarily in Southeast Asia, Japan, Mexico and South America.
This natural deodorizer is used to cure pyorrhea and treat bleeding gums. You can take chlorophyll as a supplement through wheatgrass tablets or shots to reduce body odor or bad breath, or add liquid chlorophyll to water. Regardless of the method you choose, chlorophyll will help control dental problems and body odor if used regularly.
Studies conducted on geriatric patients and reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that taking chlorophyllin tablets (a type of chlorophyll) reduced urinary and fecal odor, prevented gas and chronic constipation and worked as a morale booster for patients.2
4. Helps Wounds Heal Faster
The health benefits of chlorophyll include better wound healing. A report published by Butler University in 1950 outlined chlorophyll's value in healing wounds. When used topically as a spray. It speeds up the healing of cuts and other minor injuries.
Research conducted in the 1940s showed that chlorophyll helped slow the growth of anaerobic bacteria. It is often used to reduce swelling and redness in wounds, and a study conducted in India concluded that “chlorophyll and its degradation products are valuable and abundantly available anti-inflammatory agents.” 3
5. Promotes Better Digestion
The health benefits of chlorophyll are especially prominent when it comes to the digestive system. Chlorophyll massages the intestines, promoting regular bowel movements and stimulating digestion.
It helps cleanse the colon, eliminating blockage that may cause constipation. It tones the stomach and intestinal muscles, which helps keep you midsection flat and slim while aiding the digestive system.
Odor problems in other parts of the body are caused by poor digestion. By cleansing the colon and improving stomach health, chlorophyll removes potential causes of bad breath before they travel to the mouth and throat.
6. Fights Inflammation and Free Radicals
Another one of the health benefits of chlorophyll is its ability to reduce cell damage through its abundance of antioxidants. The vitamins in chlorophyll, including Vitamin A, C and E, plus beta-carotene and bioflavonoids, offer protection against free radicals and other damaging elements.
Chlorophyll has antiseptic properties which helps destroy bacteria and strengthen tissue.
7. Chlorophyll Contains Important Vitamins
The health benefits of chlorophyll are due to its abundance of vitamins and minerals. . The magnesium in chlorophyll keeps our muscles strong and helps them contract. Calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium keeps your bones healthy.
Since 50% of the body's magnesium is in the bones, eating green vegetables and taking wheatgrass or other chlorophyll-rich supplements will help prevent fractures and broken bones. Chlorophyll also has Vitamin K, which aids in the clotting of blood. It's used to treat nosebleeds, heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia.
Wheatgrass, highly due to its chlorophyll content, has hundreds of nutrients, including Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, zinc, calcium, selenium, iron, potassium and hundreds of enzymes. To receive the best nutrient's possible from chlorophyll, take a wheatgrass supplement in addition to eating a balanced diet.
8. Detoxifies the Body
Chlorophyll increases blood flow and transport of oxygen through the blood. This allows the body to flush out toxins, pesticide residue and chemical deposits faster. Chlorophyll binds and drives out mercury and other heavy metals from the body. This aids in detoxifying the liver.
9. Restores Red Blood Cells and Fights Anemia
The chlorophyll in plants has a structure similar to hemoglobin in human blood. Human blood has iron at the center of its structure; chlorophyll has magnesium at its center. This accounts for its value in transporting oxygen to cells and maintaining their health.
Chlorophyll replenishes the body's red blood cells, and its abundance of enzymes cleanse the blood. The magnesium in chlorophyll we ingest through green veggies or wheatgrass helps form red blood cells and increase our energy level.
Taking chlorophyllin, a modified type of chlorophyll, may improve quality in life for people with anemia. Many pregnant women take a chlorophyll supplement to combat anemia, build blood cells and prepare for blood loss during childbirth.
10. Balances Acid-Alkaline Ratio in the Body
Some of the health benefits of chlorophyll aren't obvious. The foods we eat are classified as alkaline, acidic or neutral. We need a combination of all three types of foods to stay healthy. Alkaline foods are considered the healthiest, and include most fruits, vegetables and beans.
Foods and supplements with chlorophyll are classified as alkaline. Butter and oils are neutral; coffee, cranberries, plums, soda, alcohol, white rice and most refined grains are considered acidic.
The ideal acid to alkaline balance is 7.4, with 7.0 considered neutral. Anything below 7.0 indicates overly acidic conditions, usually due to a poor diet. When you body can't neutralize or eliminate excess acids, it can cause fatigue, viruses, yeast infections and accelerated aging.
Having enough alkaline in your system keeps your tooth enamel strong and prevents dry skin, thinning hair and brittle fingernails. By eating a healthy diet, you can avoid demineralization caused by acidic foods.
Taking a wheatgrass supplement with chlorophyll will help balance your pH and make your body even more resistance to demineralization and inflammation. Chlorophyll contains an ample amount of magnesium, a mineral necessary to maintain proper alkaline content in the body.
Alkaline foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. Too much alcohol, red meat, sugar-filled desserts and fast food are considered acidic and can throw your pH balance off, making you more susceptible to high blood pressure, diabetes and other illnesses. A small amount of red meat, ice cream, candy and other acidic foods are fine, but don't overindulge.
11. Helps Prevent Kidney Stones
Chlorophyll reduces the chance of calcium oxalate buildup, which leads to kidney stones. Avoid excessive amounts of sugar and red meat in your diet, and be sure you are getting enough Vitamin C and B complex vitamins (and drinking enough water) to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
12. Promotes Weight Loss and Maintenance
By increasing the rate at which oxygen absorbs into cells, chlorophyll increases your energy and may raise your metabolic rate slightly, curbing appetite. Eating foods and taking supplements with chlorophyll improve your overall health, making it less likely that you'll feel the need to overeat.
Gradual weight loss occurs naturally when you eat good food (and exercise), and chlorophyll-rich foods and supplements are part of a healthy lifestyle.
Spinach, beans, arugula and parsley are rich in fiber as well as chlorophyll, and foods containing fiber help curb the appetite a bit more than other weight-loss friendly vegetables.
Enzymes in foods containing chlorophyll help break up fat molecules – contributing to weight loss even while you eat. Chlorophyll won't help you lose weight overnight, but the inclusion of it will help you maintain your ideal weight over time.
Happy Girl, Zeal O2, and REVV Offer The Health Benefits of Chlorophyll in a Wheatgrass and Herb Formula
Wheatgrass is young grass from the wheat plant picked just after sprouting. It's full of chlorophyll and so many other nutrients-so many it's called one of nature's superfoods. A partial list of the nutrients in wheatgrass includes the amino acids tryptophan, valine, arginine and aspartic acid; hundreds of enzymes not found in other foods (hexokinase, super-oxide, catalase, etc.) and up to 90 of 1O2 possible minerals.
The health benefits of chlorophyll alone would make wheatgrass a nutritional powerhouse, but the added nutrients make it one of the best supplements you can take.
Wheatgrass Love has three wheatgrass supplements, each one designed for a slightly different nutritional goal.
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Zeal O2 Weight Loss Supplement and Energy Booster harness the power of wheatgrass to curb your appetite and keep you healthy and focused while you diet. Zeal O2 also contains a blend of herbs for extra nutrition, including Citrus Aurantium to boost metabolism, cayenne pepper to improve circulation and green tea extract for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant power.
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Happy Girl Natural Mood Enhancing Supplement provides wheatgrass-based formula to balance mood and improve mental clarity for men and women. The minerals and vitamins in wheatgrass, including Vitamin B6 and B12, enable you to deal with stress better and stay balanced regardless of outside circumstances. The herb blend in Happy Girl has gingko biloba, ginseng, damiana and guarana extract for prolonged vitality. The carefully blended wheatgrass and herb formula aids circulation, digestion and detoxifies while it balances you mood.
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REVV Natural Energy Supplement bolsters your immune system while it energizes. Theses chocolate mint chewable contain wheatgrass, circulation-reviving periwinkle herb, caffeine and L-Taurine for a safe and unbeatable pick-me-up.
Wheatgrass contains chlorophyll and all the nutrients it provides, and all Wheatgrass Love products add additional herbs and natural ingredients to wheatgrass for a complete nutritional package. REVV, Zeal O2 and Happy Girl have money-back guarantees- if you're not satisfied with their nutritional power, we'll return your money!
Always talk to your medical provider before using any dietary supplement.
- http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2012/jan/chlorophyll-can-help-prevent-cancer-study-raises-other-questions
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/735O215
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22038065
