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Chlorophyll is a natural substance in plants that allows them to absorb light from the sun and convert it into energy. It provides the green color of grasses, leaves and vegetables. In human blood cells, hemoglobin carries oxygen to tissues. Hemoglobin and chlorophyll are similar structures except that the center of hemoglobin is iron and the center of chlorophyll is magnesium. When we take in chlorophyll from plants or from supplements, we not only increase the oxygen in our blood, we increase magnesium as well – a critical nutrient for overall health and wellbeing.

The reason chlorophyll has been made into a supplement is because chlorophyll (and its magnesium center) is destroyed by heating and is hard to access from raw foods. Quick blanching is the best way to make the chlorophyll more accessible for absorption into the body without breaking it down completely. You will notice with quick blanching that the green becomes brighter in vegetables, and boiling until soft makes the green look gray and lifeless. The food with the highest amount of chlorophyll is wheat grass as it is concentrated when made into a juice.

As a physician, my absolute favorite way to prescribe chlorophyll for vitality, energy, longevity and disease prevention is not in a capsule, but as a liquid form.

My favorite brand is ChlorOxygen (Herbs Etc.). This is a tincture made from Stinging Nettle leaves (often used to treat allergies). The one that is mint flavored tastes like tea when placed in water, and tastes like sweet tea when liquid Lemon drop Stevia (Sweetleaf Company) is added to it. One full dropper, 18 drops, is equivalent to 50 mg of chlorophyll. If you use 6 droppers daily, it is equal to the amount of chlorophyll in ½ cup of broccoli.

The benefits of chlorophyll are:

• Increase in energy
• Alkalinizes the body, thereby preventing damage to DNA
• Increases oxygenation of cells and tissues
• Prevents altitude sickness (shortness of breath, headaches, nausea)
• Natural deodorizer at high dosages
• Provides oxygen singlets that quench free radicals

Due to the benefits, chlorophyll acts as an:

• Anti-oxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Deodorizer
• Chelator
• Anti-Carcionogen
• Anti-Atherogenic

The side effects of chlorophyll are:

• Green stools (that stop once you stop using the product)

The benefits are many, and the taste is great (but it will stain anything it touches when undiluted).

Many patients say that they drink more water because it makes it taste so good.

The energy it gives is immediately noticed and if you are traveling to high altitudes, don’t forget it as you will not suffer altitude sickness at all if used at high enough dosages.

I suggest putting 3 full droppers to at least 3 glasses/bottles of water daily, more if in higher altitudes.

Adding Lemon Drop Stevia made by Sweet Leaf to make it taste like a sweet iced tea.

Kids love it and, if they are at all like my boys, they have contests to see who’s “poop” gets the greenest.