I eat tones of leafy greens and one of the main reasons for the chlorophyll. They are also great tasting and usually full of iron, among other nutrients. I found this great article by Laura Dawn. I figured there was no reason to write an article when she has done it so thoroughly. Please read and and check out her page at sacredsourcenutrition.com

The Many Health Benefits of Chlorophyll

One of the best health benefits we gain from following a raw, living foods diet are the numerous health benefits from chlorophyll.

What is Chlorophyll?

Chlorophyll is a naturally occurring molecule that gives plants their green color. Chlorophyll is also the molecule that is responsible for facilitating one of the most incredibly miraculous processes on earth – the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process that converts sunlight energy, water and carbon dioxide into our primary source of fuel – glucose. All animals and humans obtain their life-sustaining energy supply form plants, making photosynthesis to be (one of) the sources of all life. Without plants there would be no life.

Chlorophyll – The Green Blood of Plants

One of the most interesting aspects of chlorophyll is how closely it resembles our red blood cells, known as hemoglobin, the pigment that gives our blood its red color as well as oxygen-carrying capacity. The hemoglobin of the red blood cell and the chlorophyll of the plant are virtually identical in molecular structure, with the only difference being the center atom. In hemoglobin it’s iron and in chlorophyll it’s magnesium. Chlorophyll is even often referred to as ‘the green blood of plants’ – obviously for good reason.

Chlorophyll Benefits

Blood Cleanser, Blood Builder and Oxygen Booster

This extreme similarity is what makes chlorophyll so beneficial to our health because it’s such a powerful blood cleanser and blood builder. Chlorophyll delivers a continuous energy transfusion into our bloodstream, replenishing and increasing red blood cell count. And since hemoglobin carries oxygen to our cells, increasing hemoglobin thereby increases the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen and delivers us increased levels of oxygen – and this is a very good thing.

Disease-promoting anaerobic bacteria cannot live and thrive in the presence of oxygen. It’s also known that disease can’t thrive in an alkaline environment either. Lucky for us, chlorophyll is both a potent oxygenator and helps alkalize our blood, it thus helps our bodies fight off disease. All these benefits direct effects on strengthening our immune system and enhancing overall energy levels and wellbeing.

Detoxification

Healthy blood flow and an abundance of oxygen also help the body to cleanse itself of toxic impurities, lending to chlorophylls detoxification properties. Chlorophyll has also been shown to improve the detrimental effects of radiation, and has also been linked to cancer prevention. Chlorophyll binds with toxins like heavy metals and helps remove them from the body. Chlorophyll can also stimulate bowel movements and is a great aid in colon cleansing.

Overall Benefits of Chlorophyll:

The range of health benefits to gain from chlorophyll is nothing short of miraculous. Chlorophyll is known to improve the health of the circulatory, digestive, immune and detoxification systems of the body – leading to many different and overlapping health benefits.

The numerous health benefits of chlorophyll:

Cleanses and oxygenates and builds the blood
A powerful detoxification effect on the body
Rich in enzymes that promote quick rejuvenation of our cells
High in Amino acids
Extracts toxins form the liver and improves liver function
Regulator of calcium
Helps break addiction
Alkalizes the body
Anti-inflammatory
Wound-healing properties
Fight infection
Anti-oxidant – neutralize free radicals
Promotes healthy intestinal flora
Helps reverse protein-deficient anemia
Protection from cancer
Helps skin disorders
Highest Sources of Chlorophyll

Essentially, any green plant that you consume contains some level of chlorophyll as this is what gives it its green color. But some foods are higher in chlorophyll than others. Generally speaking, the darker the green color, the more chlorophyll, so dark leafy greens are a great source, especially dino kale and other kale varieties, swiss chard and darker greens like arugula. Adding herbs like parsley and cilantro are also great ways to spruce up your salads and increase chlorophyll content in your diet. Blue-green algae such as spirulina and chlorella are also especially high in chlorophyll, as are all sprouts. Wheatgrass has one of the highest sources of chlorophyll available. Juicing it on a regular basis can have powerful detoxification effects.

Before you ask me if I recommend liquid chlorophyll as a supplement, let me just say – I don’t. Like I always say, fresh is best. There’s no way you can get the full potential health benefits from a bottle that’s been sitting on a shelf for who know many months. However, I do recommend juicing, increasing your intake of organic green vegetables, sprouting and get absolutely daring and grow and juice trays of wheatgrass. I absolutely love my morning dose of wheatgrass, and my health is a top priority in my life – so I make it happen.

What’s stopping you from making it happen too?

Aloha from the Big Island of Hawaii,

Written by Laura Dawn

Taken from sacredsourcenutrition.com