Proven Health Benefits of Chlorophyll (Liquid, Water, Tablets) According to Science
Chlorophyll is a naturally-occurring pigment found in plants and especially in green leafy vegetables. Chlorophyll has many health benefits due to its high level of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Taking liquid chlorophyll can help to detoxify your body, lose weight, build red blood cells, and is good for your skin.
The liquid chlorophyll benefits come from the fact that chlorophyll harnesses the energy it absorbs from the sun. Chlorophyll is naturally found in cruciferous plants and in leafy greens such as spinach, parsley, curry leaves, peas, and wheatgrass. If you really want to benefit from chlorophyll then you can buy chlorophyll in liquid, powder, or tablets form.
In this article, you will learn about the many benefits of liquid chlorophyll in your diet. You will also find out how to use the natural health supplement to improve your digestion, lower inflammation, help wounds heal faster, and treat body odor.
What Is Chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is a pigment found in plants and algae that is necessary for photosynthesis. Scientists say that chlorophyll is used by plant cells to soak up energy from the sun. This energy is used for plant growth or is stored in chloroplasts in the plant cells as sugar or starch for later use. (1)
Research into the benefits of chlorophyll in plants has found that chlorophyll has many medicinal properties. Some of the reported benefits of chlorophyll extracts include skin tissue repair, neutralizing odors and pollutants, boosting blood health, and it even has anticancer activity. (2)
Some scientists say that the amount of chlorophyll in certain leaves is directly associated with the medicinal properties of the plant. (2)
What Is Liquid Chlorophyll?
Liquid chlorophyll is an herbal supplement that contains extracted chlorophyll in purified water. Some people refer to this as chlorophyll water.
Consuming liquid chlorophyll or chlorophyll water is a great way to get the same benefits of adding more greens to your diet. Most manufacturers recommend consuming a teaspoon of liquid chlorophyll daily for its health benefits.
You can also add a spoon of chlorophyll powder to a glass of water or to your favorite smoothie to help improve their nutritional content.
This chlorophyll shot will give your body a boost of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
You can also buy liquid chlorophyll in the form of chlorophyll drops. This means you can get all the benefits of eating more greens in this chlorophyll concentrate. You only have to add 15 drops to water to make your own chlorophyll drink.
What Does Chlorophyll Do?
It is clear that chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis in plants, but what does chlorophyll do in your body?
Researchers have found that chlorophyll capsules, tablets, powder, or liquid supplements have many health benefits. For example, because chlorophyll is rich in vitamins A, C, and E, chlorophyll liquid benefits your immune system and neutralizes free radicals. (3)
Another reason why chlorophyll is good for you is that it helps to reduce inflammation. This means that taking chlorophyll can help to improve gastrointestinal issues and also be used to help wounds heal faster. (3)
Chlorophyll also positively interacts with other compounds in green leafy vegetables and provides tremendous health benefits. For example, scientists say that chlorophyll extracts also help to absorb carcinogens in the body and can help prevent cancerous cells from spreading. (2)
One of the most potent uses of chlorophyll liquid or chlorophyll powder is to remove toxins from your body. For example, chlorophyll in plant leaves helps to neutralize toxins in the air. Also, consuming products containing chlorophyll helps prevent damage to cells and protects you from the side effects of toxins. (2)
Proven Health Benefits of Chlorophyll
Let’s look in more detail at how the best chlorophyll supplements can boost your health.
Chlorophyll Helps to Detoxify Your Body
Adding liquid chlorophyll to your diet is good for helping to rid your body of dangerous toxins. Chlorophyll powder supplements can also help to reduce the effects of oxidative stress in your body.
The Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism reported in 2015 that certain foods and nutrients help with detoxification. Researchers found that chlorophyllin (a compound made from chlorophyll) has the best detoxifying properties among many foods. (4)
One study found that chlorophyll supplements can help offset tissue damage caused by sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is a food additive and meat preserver that can cause oxidative damage in the liver and kidneys. After consuming chlorophyll supplements, scientists noted that chlorophyll acted as an antioxidant on the kidneys and liver to protect their function. (5)
Other studies have found that chlorophyll has a chemo-preventive effect and can protect against cell damage due to toxins. (6)
You can make your own heavy metal detox smoothie which contains lots of chlorophyll-rich food sources. If you want to find helpful information about detox, have a look at my e-book The Detox Guide which will teach you how to cleanse and energize your body naturally and safely.
Chlorophyll May Help You Lose Weight Quicker
If you want to shed extra pounds of body weight, then taking liquid chlorophyll can help speed up the process.
The journal Appetite reported on the benefits of chlorophyll for weight loss. In one study involving overweight women, researchers found that consuming chlorophyll extracts helps to suppress feelings of hunger. The study concluded that regular consumption of chlorophyll supplements can help to lower body weight over time. (7)
Another study on the effects of chlorophyll on weight loss in women found that taking green-plant extract supplements once a day helped to significantly lose more weight. The scientists concluded that the plant supplements help to speed up weight loss and can reduce the complications of obesity. (8)
Learn more about simple ways of losing weight and how daily walking can boost your weight-loss efforts.
Chlorophyll Is Good for Your Skin
The anti-inflammatory effect and antioxidant properties of liquid chlorophyll mean that it is an excellent wound healer.
Research has shown that chlorophyll also has antibacterial properties that can prevent Staphylococcus infections in wounds. Applying chlorophyll skin solutions can help to heal burns quicker with fewer complications. (9)
A review of effective wound-healing salves found that preparations that include chlorophyll help to promote healing and reduce odor from wounds. There is also evidence that chlorophyll skin ointments can help skin ulcers heal quicker, and sometimes are more effective than traditional remedies. (10)
Learn more about what to do and what to avoid to heal your wound faster.
Chlorophyll May Help Build Red Blood Cells
One of the benefits of taking liquid chlorophyll is to boost the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in your body.
Red blood cells are essential for good health and to nourish all of your body’s cells. Research into the uses of chlorophyll has found that it can help to build blood. Chlorophyll is very similar to the structure of hemoglobin and can be useful in helping to prevent anemia. (11, 3)
Learn more about some of the best foods to keep your blood healthy and what you can do to prevent iron deficiency anemia naturally.
Chlorophyll Can Increase Physical Performance and Endurance
You can take a glass of water with chlorophyll powder to help improve your stamina and physical performance.
One study on adult men and women found that chlorella can help to increase oxygen intake and, therefore, improve aerobic endurance. Chlorella is a type of algae that is rich in chlorophyll. The study found that taking chlorophyll tablets for 4 weeks helped to increase exercise performance. (12)
Find out what ingredients are natural energy boosters that can reduce fatigue without having to resort to energy drinks or sugary foods.
Chlorophyll Can Improve Body Odor
A chlorophyll drink made from chlorophyll powder and water can help to reduce chronic body odor and neutralize smells.
There is some scientific evidence that chlorophyll for body odor is an effective home remedy.
A study from Japan found that chlorophyll supplements in the diet can help treat a body odor disorder called trimethylaminuria. Scientists found that consuming copper chlorophyllin for 3 weeks helped to improve body odor and also improve quality of life. (13)
Find out how you can fight underarm odor by making your own homemade deodorant with some of these ingredients.
Chlorophyll Has Antifungal Properties
One of the many liquid chlorophyll health benefits is that its antimicrobial properties help to kill off fungal pathogens in the body.
Scientific studies have found that drinking chlorophyll liquid can help kill off Candida albicans fungal strains in your mouth. The researchers concluded that chlorophyll-based products can help to stop oral candida infections. (14)
This means that regularly taking organic chlorophyll supplements can be good for helping to prevent outbreaks of oral thrush. For example, you can use wheatgrass for teeth and oral health because it is a chlorophyll-rich food.
Learn how to spot signs that you may have a candida infection and how you can use coconut oil to treat and prevent oral candidiasis.
Chlorophyll Can Help Relieve Constipation
Another of the many liquid chlorophyll benefits is that it can improve your digestive and bowel health.
Constipation can greatly impact on your quality of life and cause you to have infrequent lumpy bowel movements. One study on 62 older people found that taking chlorophyllin tablets helped to increase the number of bowel movements. No side effects of taking chlorophyll supplements were reported. (15)
If you suffer from constipation, find out other natural remedies that can improve your digestion and help you pass stool easier.
Chlorophyll Helps to Treat Bad Breath (Halitosis)
The deodorizing effect of liquid chlorophyll can also help to remedy problems of bad odors from your mouth.
Researchers found that chewing on fresh green leaves such as mint leaves, curry leaves, or holy basil leaves helps to freshen breath. Although these are aromatic leaves, the research found that compounds in the leaves helped to reduce acidity in the mouth. Some research also points to the fact that curry leaves help to reduce halitosis. (16)
Learn more about some of the best home remedies to freshen breath and help prevent halitosis.
Chlorophyll is Anti-Inflammatory
Most green leafy vegetables and plants are anti-inflammatory foods due to their chlorophyll content. Instead of consuming a lot of cruciferous vegetables or leafy greens, you can take some liquid chlorophyll for its anti-inflammatory effect.
Anti-inflammatory foods help to prevent chronic inflammation in the body which can have a number of health implications. Chronic inflammation has been linked to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. (17)
Research in the journal Inflammation found that chlorophyll helps to lower inflammation and can help prevent the development of certain chronic diseases. (18)
Learn more about the importance of including foods in your diet that help to reduce inflammation and help keep you healthy.
Chlorophyll Has Anticancer Properties
The powerful antioxidants in chlorophyll liquid and supplements have some use when it comes to cancer prevention.
Some scientific studies point to the fact that the chlorophyll content of fruits and vegetables can help affect the growth and spread of cancerous cells. The journal Nutrition Research reported that dietary chlorophyll can help reduce the risk of cancer. (19)
Other studies have shown that chlorophyll has uses in the prevention and treatment of colon cancer. (20)
Although these healthy plant compounds such as chlorophyll have potential use in cancer treatment, more research on humans needs to be carried out.
Good Sources of Chlorophyll (Foods Rich in Chlorophyll)
What are good dietary sources of chlorophyll if you want to reap all of its health benefits? In general, most dark-green leafy vegetables are good sources of chlorophyll, especially if they are green throughout.
Here are a few examples of chlorophyll-rich foods:
Wheatgrass. Research has shown that wheatgrass is around 70% pure chlorophyll and is very similar in structure to hemoglobin. The difference between hemoglobin and chlorophyll is that the main element in chlorophyll is magnesium and in hemoglobin it is iron. (21) Because chlorophyll has properties that help improve dental health, you can also use wheatgrass for teeth health.
Spinach. Another good source of chlorophyll is spinach which has around 25 mg of chlorophyll in every cup. (22)
Broccoli. There is also a lot of chlorophyll in raw broccoli as well as vitamin C and antioxidants. (23)
According to the Oregon State University, other good chlorophyll-rich foods include: (28)
- Green beans (8.3 mg of chlorophyll in a cup)
- Garden cress (15.6 mg of chlorophyll in a cup)
- Parsley (20 mg of chlorophyll in ½ a cup)
- Peas (4.8 mg of chlorophyll in a cup)
- Arugula (8.2 mg of chlorophyll in a cup)
- Leeks
To get the greatest health benefits of chlorophyll, it is best to consume green leafy vegetables raw. Researchers have found that boiling, steaming, and stir-frying can reduce the nutritional content of cruciferous vegetables and lower their chlorophyll content. (24)
You can also easily make your own chlorophyll drink at home using raw green vegetables. For example, you could blend a handful of parsley with some water to make liquid chlorophyll for a health-boosting drink. This may look like green lean syrup, but the chlorophyll parsley drink is full of goodness.
Chlorella vs. Chlorophyll
One of the most popular chlorophyll powder supplements is chlorella. This is a type of chlorophyll-rich algae with many health benefits.
There are also many scientific studies showing that chlorella can help to address a number of health issues.
For example, the journal Nutrients reported that taking chlorella supplements can help to boost the immune system and reduce your risk of getting infections. (25)
Other studies have also shown that taking chlorella powder or tablets can help to lower cholesterol, improve lung health, protect against oxidative stress, and cancer. (26)
Taking chlorophyll-based supplements can also prevent your body from absorbing harmful toxins from food. (27)
Side Effects
Liquid chlorophyll, powder, drops, and chlorophyll pills are natural products that have many health benefits. As with most herbal supplements, you should not exceed the recommended dose. Most chlorophyllin supplements recommend taking between 100 and 300 mg daily.
Doctors from WebMD say that chlorophyll is usually safe when taken orally. You may find that your skin becomes more sensitive to the sun when taking chlorophyll supplements regularly. (29)
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid taking chlorophyll supplements as they have not been tested in pregnant or breastfeeding women. (28)
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