What is chlorophyll and why's it good for us?

Chlorophyll is the pigment in plants that gives them their green colour. It allows them to absorb energy through light in a process called photosynthesis.

Without chlorophyll there wouldn't be any green plants. Without green plants, oxygen wouldn't be produced and without oxygen, we couldn't survive! You could say chlorophyll isn't just good for us but actually essential.

Chlorophyll's chemical makeup

The name chlorophyll is derived from two Greek words: Chloros (green) and phyllon (leaf) and was given its name by Joseph Caventou and Pierre Pelletier in 1817. Subsequently, in 1906 it was discovered that it contained magnesium and more recently that there are two types of chlorophyll in plants: chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b.

Chlorophyll is very similar in structure to haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment found in the red blood cells of humans with the slight difference that the centre atom for chlorophyll is magnesium and for haemoglobin it's iron. Thus why chlorophyll is often referred to as - lifeblood or green blood.

According to the New York Times, “In the past year, consumers in the United States spent $6.7 million on supplements of chlorophyll and chlorella (a type of algae), a 17 percent increase from the year before.” So why is this life-giving pigment so popular?

Health benefits of chlorophyll

The therapeutic potential of chlorophyll has been studied by scientists ever since it was discovered and here are just some of the proven discussed benefits.

Energy boost

Chlorophyll can help the body build red blood cells, which carry oxygen to different organs and tissues, invigorating them along the way. A shot of chlorophyll can give you an energy boost and help reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Healthy blood

Chlorophyll contains vitamins and nutrients needed for good cardiovascular health. A healthy population of red blood cells helps deliver oxygen-rich blood to your organs and tissues. A diet rich in iron helps new red blood cells grow and increases their oxygen-carrying capabilities.

Reduces swelling

In traditional medicines, green leaves have often been applied topically to reduce swelling and redness. Chlorophyll is also high in magnesium, essential for healthy bones and healthy muscular structure.

Magnesium helps the body reduce inflammation. And studies indicate those with arthritis may benefit from supplementing their diet with it.

Antioxidant

Antioxidants encourage regenerative health at the cellular level and chlorophyll is full of them.

They protect cells from oxidative damage by eliminating free radicals. Studies have shown a high presence of antioxidants in the body helps reduce the appearance of ageing as well as maintaining healthy organs.

Enhance liver function

Chlorophyll is a natural detoxifier helping naturally remove toxins from your body. Your liver naturally removes toxins from the body, but as toxins build-up, adding chlorophyll to your diet helps your body remain in balance.

Heals wounds

Chlorophyll can help inhibit bacteria growth, reducing infection from wounds and speeding the rate of healing. It also reduces inflammation, therefore allowing healing to begin.

Studies were conducted in the 1940s indicating the chlorophyll could reduce healing time and more recently a study has shown that it can increase healing and reduce odours.

Weight loss

As well as being very good for you a recent study found that taking chlorophyll as a dietary supplement induced weight loss, improved obesity-related risk factors, and reduced the urge for unhealthy food.

Many more benefits of chlorophyll are being researched. As we well know, eating greens is good for our health, so it stands to reason that even more benefits will be discovered.

Where to get chlorophyll

A word of warning when you're buying chlorophyll products - not all of them contain natural chlorophyll - make sure you know exactly what you're buying.

Wheatgrass juice contains higher levels of chlorophyll than other green vegetables. It helps strengthen your immune system and blood cells, supporting your overall health.

Our wheatgrass juice is organically grown outdoors in local fields. We gently harvest it before flash-freezing to retain the optimum amount of nutrients. To order yours visit our shop today.