Did You Get Your Chlorophyll Today?

Surveys show that 80% of North Americans fail to get optimal amounts of fruits and vegetables in their daily diets, as recommended by the USDA and the National Cancer Institute. Consuming “green foods” (nutrient-dense, minimally processed, whole foods) is an important way to achieve a healthy diet. But what makes green foods so great? 

Chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, is essential in the photosynthesis reactions that convert radiant energy from the sun into chemical energy for life processes. Inside the cells of green plants, chlorophyll combines with carbon dioxide and sunlight to form simple sugars. Without chlorophyll, plants would be unable to perform essential metabolic functions such as respiration and growth.

In 1913 Dr. Richard Willstätter, a German chemist, discovered the role of chlorophyll in plant functions, and noted the structural similarity between chlorophyll and heme, the red pigment in blood responsible for transporting oxygen to all parts of the body. Both molecules have complex structures, called porphyrin rings, consisting of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Heme (the oxygen-carrying part of the hemoglobin molecule) differs from chlorophyll primarily by the central atom; iron (Fe) in heme and magnesium (Mg) in chlorophyll.

Given the similarity between chlorophyll and heme, could the body directly convert chlorophyll into heme by replacing the central atom? As attractive an idea as that might be, there is no direct evidence that the human body can do this. There is, however, considerable research and anecdotal evidence that chlorophyll is effective in rebuilding the blood, through metabolic processes that are not yet completely understood.

Due to its natural deodorizing ability, chlorophyll has traditionally been used as a mouthwash and gargle. Chlorophyll has been shown to stimulate liver function and excretion of bile, strengthen immunity, and detoxify chemical pollutants. Numerous recent studies have also indicated that chlorophyll has anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic properties.

Chlorophyll is found in highest concentrations in green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, and in cereal grasses like wheat grass and barley grass, but the highest concentration is found in SBGA. Given all the potential benefits of adding chlorophyll, why not consider adding more “green” to your diet?

Research Affirms the Efficacy of Super Blue-Green Algae

Impressive research documenting the health benefits of micro-algae (including Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, or Super Blue Green® Algae) has been published, much of it in peer-reviewed journals. According to clinical psychologist Jeffrey Bruno, Ph.D., in his book Edible Microalgae: A Review of the Health Research, the efficacy and safety of this super-food can be summarized under several headings, including:

· Enhanced brain function, behavior, and learning*
· Immune system support*
· Cellular health*
· Antioxidant effects
· Cardiovascular health*

Each of these areas has either a substantial amount of research already compiled or enough to merit further investigation. For more information on these and other algae-related studies, simply hit reply and request them.

In Nandaime, Nicaragua, a carefully designed study of first, second, and third graders was conducted at the Monseñor Velez School. The results of this study were published in The Nicaragua Report in 1995. The 111 children, who each received one gram (four capsules) of Alpha Sun® for at least five days a week for six months, exhibited significant improvements in behavior, attendance, academic performance, nutritional status, and condition of skin, hair, eyes, and mouth.

Joint Study Explores Favorable Effects of Blue-Green Algae on Cholesterol Levels

Research on blue-green algae conducted jointly at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School was reported in the January 2000 issue of The Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (JANA). Blue-green algae was shown to serve as an excellent source of desirable dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

In this study on rats, blood cholesterol and triglycerides were more significantly lowered by a diet fortified with blue-green algae than by a standard diet containing soybean oil or coconut oil. High bioavailability and the presence of chlorophyll appeared to contribute to the beneficial effect of fatty acids in the algae.

Project researcher Dr. Raphael Kushak comments that North American diets are deficient in PUFAs, a fact which "has been linked to immunosuppression, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and mental and dermatological problems." Dietary n-3 PUFAs have been shown to support many important aspects of health.

Blue-Green Algae Has Many Unique Benefits for Humans

Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (Aph. flos-aquae) contains many micronutrients that have been shown to be beneficial to humans. Chlorophyll appears to promote healthy skin and immune response.* Beta-carotene and other carotenoids such as lutein and lycopene have cardiovascular and immune benefits.* Phycocyanin (blue pigment) has been proven to have strong antioxidant properties.

Furthermore, incorporating this algae into the diet is safe. In 1998 Dr. Gitte Jensen, a researcher at McGill University, conducted important double-blind research on Aph. flos-aquae. She concluded that the algae appeared to support the immune system, and also commented: "Even at extreme concentrations--the equivalent of a human ingesting 15,000 capsules of Aph. flos-aquae per day--I found no toxic effects on human blood cells."

Publications by Health Professionals Feature Blue-Green Algae

In The Miracle Superfood: Wild Blue-Green Algae, Gillian McKeith, Ph.D., presents research on how Upper Klamath Lake algae stimulates immune response, supports digestion, helps the body to cleanse, enhances tissue repair, supports healing, protects the body from environmental dangers, and promotes healthier life.*

In her book Living Food for Health, Dr. McKeith summarizes the benefits she sees in clients: "Wild blue-green algae helps you to think better, improves memory. It strengthens immunity, and provides a feeling of well-being, vigor, and vitality."* She also points out that "the source of the algae is crucial...According to scientists, these blue-green algae from Klamath Lake in Oregon are completely safe, incapable of producing toxins."

Dr. John Apsley II wrote in The Genesis Effect that "blue-green algae is best grown under ideal natural and wild conditions. For example, unpolluted mineral-rich seas or lake beds would be the ultimate source of food-grade blue-green algae."

Professor of chemistry Karl Abrams wrote a comprehensive review of nutritional blue-green algae entitled Algae to the Rescue! In the book's introduction, award-winning physician Kathleen DeRemer, M.D., echoes Abrams' enthusiastic support of blue-green algae, describing how she came to "truly appreciate the natural biological wonders of this simple algae." In the book's foreword, Dr. Paul Swanson, who practices emergency medicine, states, "One of the greatest changes in the conditions in which humans live has been in what we eat. Humans no longer eat much raw wild food." Dr. Swanson feels that those who eat this algae "gain understanding of a higher human health-the sharp edge of human health that has been lost..."

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.