The 411 on Chlorophyll

Get your daily dose of this minty superfood 

You asked a lot of questions when you were a wee young lassie.

Mommy, where do babies come from? Daddy, why do you have so much hair on your back? Aunt Linda, why does Uncle Franco wear lipstick? 

Curiosity always got the best of you.

But you never did ask why plants were green. It required no explanation. Like Barbie’s tiny waist and the clouds in the sky, it just made sense.

Leafy greens can thank a little superfood known as chlorophyll for the color of their skin. And it does a lot more than just color them good - chlorophyll is what absorbs energy from the sun to facilitate photosynthesis. While it's key to a plant’s growth and respiration, many scientists and nutritionists have found that it is vital to our bodies, as well.

Once ingested, chlorophyll imitates the job of hemoglobin in our bodies, actually helping to repair and increase the production of red blood cells. It has the innate power to boost energy, detoxify the body, fight infection, heal wounds and promote the health of the circulatory, digestive and immune systems.

 

Why We Love It

Here are a few bitchworthy reasons we dig chlorophyll:

Chlorophyll is anti-carcinogenic. It helps get rid of excess acid and carcinogens that are bound to DNA in your liver and organs. The superfood also protects against carcinogens in fungus-laden foods like nuts and grains and – get this – even the airborne crap from pollution.

Chlorophyll is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Chock-full of vitamin A, C and E, chlorophyll helps keep the immune system strong and protects from free radicals. It’s also crawling with vitamin K, folic acid, iron, calcium and protein.

Chlorophyll helps kill bad breath. If you have some stank breath, look no further. By acting as a deodorizer and promoting a healthy digestive tract, chlorophyll helps eliminate odors in your mouth and throat.

How You Get It

Aside from eating your veggies (spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, collard greens, kale, swiss chard and Brussels sprouts) a spoonful of the minty fresh stuff can infuse your body with all the benefits. You can get chlorophyll supplements in capsule or liquid form. Just down a teaspoon or two each day, or add to water, juice or a smoothie.

Sidenote: Read the back of the label to ensure supplements don’t contain methylparabens or propylparabens. That would defeat the purpose of health now, wouldn’t it?

A Few of Our Favorites

Bio-Chlor Liquid Greens by Eniva. Made from natural extracts of alfalfa, spinach and mulberry leaf. Contains no parabens, stimulants, artificial colors or flavors.

 $24.95, eniva.com

Young pHorever ChloropHeal with Mint – a concentrated, dense almost tasteless source of chlorophyll with no artificial ingredients, sweeteners or preservatives. 

4 ounces, $19.95. phmiracleliving.com

Yaeyama Chlorella by Source Naturals. Sure, it’s not pure chlorophyll but we are all over it like white on rice. Made from 100-percent freshwater chlorella, Yaeyama Chlorella helps promote vitality and natural cleansing with vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, carotene and other important phytonutrients.

60 servings, $13.76, betterhealthinternational.com