You may or may not have heard of healthy freshwater algae, spirulina. It’s all the rage in the health food world, which is why you may be seeing pictures of bright green smoothies in your Instagram feed. Chlorella is a close cousin of spirulina. Also freshwater algae, chlorella is considered one of the most nutritious (and ancient) foods in the world due to its incredibly varied and rich nutritional profile. This blue-green algae supports many different functions in the body, so if you’re looking for a health boost, chlorella may be the answer. Read on to find out how chlorella can benefit your health.
Supports Heavy Metal Detoxification
One of the benefits chlorella is famous for is detoxification of heavy metals, radiation, and chemotherapy. It may surprise you to discover that heavy metal poisoning is not that uncommon. There are many ways in which people are exposed to heavy metals which include lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. These toxins can be found in polluted air and water, food, food containers, medicines, and in paint. Chlorella helps to rid the body of these heavy metals, because it binds to them, and prevents them from settling in our soft tissues.
Supports Chemotherapy and Radiation Detoxification
Chemotherapy and radiation save countless lives every day. Without these treatments, cancer cells would run amok, destroying so many more lives than it already does. The problem is, that while chemo and radiation destroy dangerous cancer cells, they also destroy healthy cells in their wake. These medications and treatments are toxic for the body, which is why they are able to kill cancerous cells. Cancer treatments can leave a person feeling drained, fatigued, weak, nauseated, anemic, constipated, and with a lack of appetite. Studies show that chlorella helps to protect healthy cells in the body during cancer treatment while encouraging the destruction of cancerous cells. The blue-green algae makes it easier on the body to endure cancer treatments because it speeds the detoxification process.
Fights Cancer
Chlorella is teeming with important antioxidants which protect the body from free radical damage and oxidative stress. The process of oxidative stress causes mutations in cell DNA, which is a prerequisite for cancer. Because antioxidants prevent this from happening, they have what is called chemopreventive properties. Research has pointed to a powerful cancer-fighting carotenoid antioxidant chlorella called C. ellipsoidea which may protect against colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and others.
Boosts Immune Function
Chlorella helps to naturally boost immune system function first by providing a healthy gut environment. Since about 70 percent of our immune system cells live in our gut, it’s important to eat prebiotics — foods which support the activity of probiotics — like chlorella. Additionally, one study showed that chlorella stimulates and enhances immune cell, or Natural killer (NK) cell activity. This means that it kicks immune cells into high gear to search out and destroy foreign organisms before they are able to cause damage to the body. Chlorella has been shown to improve response to flu vaccine, prevent colds, and increase white blood cell count.
