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Chlorophyll Rich Diet for Good health – Reality or…
There is a piece of scientific evidence to support the claim that chlorophyll improves hemoglobin. Chlorophyll has a very similar structure to hemoglobin, which is an essential functional part of red blood cells that carries oxygen. Because of this similarity, chlorophyll is thought to contribute to hemoglobin production and increases RBC count in the blood. There are many different ways to get chlorophyll into the body, i.e. through nutritional supplements, vegetable juice, and eating green leafy vegetables.
The research behind chlorophyll improving hemoglobin dates back to the 1930s. Dr. Ann Wigmore, from Boston, was one of the first to suggest that chlorophyll could help improve hemoglobin levels. She noticed that people who ate a lot of dark green leafy vegetables had higher hemoglobin levels. Some laboratory experiments and animal trials also suggest the same. Many other researchers all over the world are trying to find out exactly what triggers hemoglobin production on the consumption of a chlorophyll-rich diet.
source: PharmaTutor.org
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants that is essential to the process of photosynthesis. It absorbs light from the sun and uses it to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. Plants use glucose for energy and release oxygen as a by-product. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color. It is also found in algae and cyanobacteria for the same function as that of plants. Apart from photosynthesis chlorophyll also helps to protect plant cells from damage by ultraviolet light called photoinhibition of the cells.
Molecular Structure: The chlorophyll molecule is a large, complex molecule composed of a porphyrin ring. The porphyrin ring of chlorophyll is what gives the molecule its distinctive green color. Its structure includes a long carbon-based “tail” and a large “head” group. The head group contains a magnesium atom at its center.
How Chlorophyll is similar to hemoglobin?
- Chlorophyll and hemoglobin both have four pyrrole rings.
- Both chlorophyll and hemoglobin have a central metal ion (Mg2+ for chlorophyll, Fe2+ for hemoglobin) that is essential for their function.
- The structure of chlorophyll is very similar to that of hemoglobin, with the only major difference being the type of atom that is bonded to the central metal ion.
- The chlorophyll molecule is distinctly planar, while hemoglobin is more three–dimensional in structure.
- Due to these significant structural similarities, it is considered that chlorophyll must be having a direct contribution to hemoglobin synthesis.
- But there are iron-rich plastids (chloroplast) that must be helpful in providing the required iron to the human body on the consumption of green leafy vegetables. Iron is the essential metal ion that actively contributes to hemoglobin production by supplying hemoglobin’s structural component.
Apart from these important health contribution by chlorophyll it also has many other health benefits
Health Benefits of Chlorophyll
ROS (reactive oxygen species) in the human body: Chlorophyll is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize the damaging effects of ROS. ROS (reactive oxygen species) are a group of chemically reactive molecules that contain oxygen. They have been shown to play a role in a number of human diseases, including cancer and heart disease. They can damage cells and contribute to the development of chronic inflammation.
Cancer Treatment: Chlorophyll has been shown to have some cancer-fighting properties. Researchers found that Chlorophyll can form a close bond to carcinogenic chemicals called Aflatoxins. When they bind, the Chlorophyll helps to block the absorption of the Aflatoxins (cancer-causing agents) in the intestines.
It is not yet known if chlorophyll can help treat cancer in people. More research is needed to learn more about this possible treatment. Chlorophyll may also help to protect healthy cells from damage caused by radiation therapy.
Improved digestion: Chlorophyll can help stimulate the production of enzymes that aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Detoxification: Chlorophyll may help to remove toxins and heavy metals from the body. It is often used as a natural detoxifier in supplements and juices.
Boosted immunity: Chlorophyll may help to fight infection and diseases, and boost the immune system. It can also help to reduce inflammation.
Industrial Application of Chlorophyll
In Pharmaceutical
- Chlorophyll along with many other medicinal components from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and silkworm excrement are typically used in medicines.
- Application of chlorophyll in foul odor removal: When chlorophyll is applied to foul odors, it acts as a natural deodorizer. This magnesium atom is surrounded by four nitrogen atoms. These nitrogen atoms have a strong affinity for sulfur-containing compounds, which are the main cause of foul odors. When the chlorophyll molecule comes in contact with these sulfur-containing compounds, the nitrogen atoms bind to the sulfur atoms, effectively neutralizing the odor.
- Also, Chlorophyll can be used as a natural dye in the pharmaceutical industry. It can be used in color capsules, tablets, and other pharmaceutical products.
Food and Cosmetics
- Chlorophyll is a natural colorant that also can be used to add color to food and cosmetics. It is safe and non-toxic and it can be used to create a wide range of colors.
- Anti-aging remedy: A gel containing chlorophyll to the skin reduced signs of photoaging, which is aging that results from sun exposure.
- Acne treatment: A gel containing chlorophyll helped reduce facial acne and large, visible pores.
In the end, we learned that chlorophyll is basically a photosynthetic color pigment that has some structural similarities with hemoglobin. But, it may not be directly contributing to producing hemoglobin after dietary consumption. Rather, the chloroplast which is a photosynthetic plastid contains a high amount of iron, magnesium, zinc, etc. that must be having a significant role in providing metal ions to animals. Chloroplast is the essential iron-rich plant cell organelle and is important for treating iron deficiency and increasing hemoglobin production. Chlorophyll has always been thought to be the essential component of plants that might have a role in hemoglobin production due to its structural similarities, but scientific evidence is not enough to prove it. Therefore, it can be concluded that not chlorophyll as such but chloroplast whole along with chlorophyll, which helps to treat iron deficiency and improves the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
