What is Chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants, algae and certain bacteria. It is essential for them to be able to use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars that it can use for energy. These are literally the carbohydrates we eat when we consume plants.
What does it do?
Because of its chemical makeup, chlorophyll has a strong tendency to give up an electron. Toxins from the environment and from the wastes our cells naturally produce are on the opposite side of the chemical spectrum. They have a natural tendency to take an electron from somewhere. But of course, you don’t want that to be from a cellular structure or DNA in your cells. Instead, antioxidants, like chlorophyll, give them ‘what they want,’ thus neutralizing them. Chlorophyll is particularly good at doing this.
What are the health benefits of it?
Adding chlorophyll to your diet significantly increases the antioxidant activity in your body. This means that toxins and free radicals (those waste products I mentioned) can’t cause damage they might otherwise. That damage, over time, called oxidative stress, has a strong connection with just about every disease in the book. However, on the flip side, the benefits of eliminating these nasty chemicals are felt in every cell and system in your body.
What is the best way to consume it?
Most people choose to add it to another drink such as juice or a smoothie. It typically makes dirt taste pleasant, so taking it straight may not be your fancy. Of course, the best way to get chlorophyll is from eating your veggies.
A lot of athletes, celebrities, dieticians and nutritionists advocate Liquid Chlorophyll as part of their daily diet. Is it just a trend or here to stay?
It probably should be, but let’s be honest, trends come and go. People lose interest once they find another shiny object. Even the good trends don’t last forever!
What is the best brand?
Chlorophyll is chlorophyll. It doesn’t matter much who prepares it but there is a difference in potency, purity and additives among brands. Look for brands that have few ingredients and no sugar.
Anything else?
As always, food sources are the best way to acquire any nutrient. But supplementation is a great way to add benefit. In other words, taking something like chlorophyll is not a substitute for a crappy diet. If you’re skipping out on your veggies, drinking chlorophyll is not somehow making up for it.
