AFP Health Reviews

Chlorella is a single-celled, blue-green algae noted for its nutrient-richness, its ability to support detoxification and its role as a complete food. It is in fact one of the worlds greatest superfoods, making available much of the nutrition we require to maintain good health. Its broad spectrum of protein, carbohydrate and vitamin content makes it a highly useful supplement for people following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Chlorella is also a popular aid to detoxification and the subsequent maintenance of an optimised system.

Rainforest Foods Chlorella is a variant known as Chlorella vulgaris. It has several major virtues, notably its ability to assist detoxification of the body. It appears to bind to the toxic chemicals we absorb through eating, drinking and respiration, ushering them away through excretion. Conversely, it seems able to recognise nutrients valuable to the system and leave them in place.

Within the cell wall is Chlorella growth factor (CGF), a powerful immune system stimulator that aids the bodys natural defences against viruses and cancer and helps damaged tissue heal. CGF is primarily composed of nucleic acid derivatives such as RNA and DNA, which help govern cell growth, reproduction and repair.

In addition to assisting toxin removal, Chlorella carries a multitude of valuable nutrients into the body. It delivers vitamins A, C, E and the vitamin K complex. It also provides most of the B vitamins, including folic acid. This latter is well known as a desirable supplement for pregnant women as it supports healthy foetal development. Chlorella is a useful source of slow-release proteins, as well as essential minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and chlorophyl.

The role of Chlorella as a digestion aid is less celebrated, but no less important. Thanks to the presence of enzymes such as pepsin and chlorophyllase it fosters healthy gut flora to optimize the digestion of food and removal of waste. This ability to promote healthy food processing while providing valuable food elements boosts the immune system in its own right. As an optimiser of the human system, Chlorella has few peers.

Health benefits of Chlorella

It helps optimise the gastro-intestinal system, protecting against and aiding recovery from ulcers, colitis, Chrohns disease and diverticulosis
It boosts the immune system, and promotes the bodys production of infection-preventing interferons
It aids cholesterol control
It helps optimise heart function
It helps normalise blood sugar
It aids the maintenance of healthy muscle and bone structure

Chlorella has a tough cell wall. This helps with detoxification, binding a variety of toxins to it and helping the body eliminate them. However, the cell wall also acts as a barrier, reducing the amount of nutrients within the cell that are available to the body. In Rainforest Foods chlorella the cell wall is broken using a high impact jet spraying process that maintains the nutritional integrity of the cell contents. This means that the nutrients within the cell are both accessible and undamaged.

Antioxidant is a broad term used to describe a group of minerals, vitamins, carotenoids and polyphenols. They protect the body from cell-damaging free radicals. Vitamins A, E, C and the mineral selenium are well known antioxidants. Lutein, lycopene and beta-carotene are carotenoids that have high antioxidant nutrition and give many vegetables and fruits their color.

Beta-carotene is found in carrots and pumpkins and is what gives them their vibrant orange color. You can find lutein in leafy green vegetables. It is important in eyesight. Red fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, contain lycopene. Eating a colorful diet gives you the variety and nutritional value you need.

So why are they called antioxidants? The name represents the mechanism by which they help prevent disease. In humans, a small but significant percentage of oxygen molecules in the body will become electrically charged due to natural cellular activity and/or exposure to environmental factors like tobacco smoke and radiation.

The oxygen molecule becomes a “free radical” as it undergoes this process of oxidation. Free radicals are highly reactive as they try to steal electrons from other molecules, including DNA and cellular membranes. This chain reaction of free radicals can damage cells, which may play a role in the development of certain conditions like heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants, however, stop the chain-reaction by giving up electrons and neutralizing free radicals so that they cannot induce any more oxidative damage.

Many studies have shown the link between free radicals and several degenerative diseases associated with aging. Thus, it is possible that antioxidant nutrition can be beneficial in reducing the incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, immune dysfunction, cataracts, stroke, and macular degeneration.

There is an abundance of Vitamin A in liver, dairy and fish. Vitamin C is found in bell peppers and citrus fruits while Vitamin E is plentiful in oils, fortified cereals, seeds and nuts. The mineral selenium can be found in Brazil nuts, meats, tuna and plant foods. You will find lutein in green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peas and kale.

Tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and papaya are all good sources of lycopene. Beta-carotene is abundant in sweet potatoes, carrots and squash. If you are not getting enough in your diet, the next step you may want to consider is nutritional supplements.

To find more information regarding antioxidant nutrition, you can use a search engine on the web, or do some research at your local library. Getting solid nutritional information regarding supplements is the first step in creating your knowledge base.