Freshwater Detoxifier: The Nutritional Reputation and Benefits of Chlorella

Chlorella is a single-celled, nutrient-dense freshwater alga loaded with health benefits. In its original state, however, it has a hard cell wall that humans cannot digest so it's often taken as a supplement. The algae are usually packaged in a capsule, tablet, powder, and extract form

Interestingly, Chlorella can also be used as biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel serves as a renewable, biodegradable fuel and is made domestically from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease.

Here are some of its main health benefits as noted by research:

Nutritionally Rich

Chlorella has regularly received the label as "superfood" and for good reason. While its exact nutrient content varies on how it's grown, its species, and how the supplements are processed, by default it contains a plethora of vitamins and minerals.

Supplements from Chlorella typically contain 50-60% of complete protein (all nine essential amino acids), Vitamin B12, Iron, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Chlorella also provides small amounts of magnesium, zinc, copper, potassium, calcium, folic acid, and other B vitamins. Being algae, 3 grams of chlorella offers 100mg of omega-3s. 

Aids Detox

Chlorella is said to assist the body in "detox" as well. Several animal studies indicate that it's effective at helping remove heavy metals and other harmful compounds from the body. Heavy metals like cadmium and lead can potentially be toxic in large amounts. 

The freshwater algae have moreover been shown to assist in lowering the amount of other harmful chemicals sometimes found in food. Dioxin is one of those chemicals, a hormone disruptor that can contaminate animals in the food supply.

Enhance the Immune System

Although the evidence is limited, Chlorella has demonstrated an ability to enhance the immune response in both animal and human studies. In a small study, men produced more antibodies when taking chlorella than when they took a placebo. Antibodies aid the body in fighting foreign invaders

Additionally, an eight-week study noted that healthy adults who took chlorella showed markers of increased immune activity Findings are varied so far, and Chlorella might boost the immunity of some populations and age groups, but not all.

Summary

Chlorella is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and its content depends largely on how it is grown and processed into a supplement. Extra research is necessary to further support the benefits discovered from this freshwater algae. If you want to try out this superfood yourself, KPTown also offers the supplement with Kiseido Chlorella. The natural immunity enhancer extracted from clean waters is now at 12% off.