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chlorella powder
What is Chlorella?
Chlorella is a unicellular green algae, and is thought to be one
of the planet’s earliest living organisms. In the Far East chlorella is
known as a traditional food and has been used as an alternative
medicine since ancient times.1
This high-protein microalgae, which grows in fresh water, has a complete chain of essential amino acids
and is a good source of vitamins and minerals.2 Naturya Organic Chlorella Powder has a broken cell wall,
to allow maximum absorption of chlorella’s nutrients.
Processing
Naturya’s Organic Chlorella Powder is cultivated in the
tropical Hainan province, a cluster of islands just south
of mainland China. The chlorella is grown in a rural area
free from pollution, in specially constructed freshwater
ponds. The cultivation pools are filled with clean
groundwater, which is filtered before use.
Exposed to long hours of Hainan sunshine and stirred
in the ponds, the chlorella is first harvested when it
reaches optical density after 1-2 months. Once the first harvest is completed, the chlorella can continue to
be harvested every 7-10 days.
After harvesting, the chlorella is hand-washed then dried in a process that preserves as much of the
chlorella’s nutrition as possible. Finally, the chlorella is milled to break down its sturdy cell wall, before being
carefully packaged and sent to Naturya.3
The Science
The human body lacks the requisite enzymes to fully break down chlorella’s tough cellulose cell wall,
thereby preventing the nutrients within from being fully absorbed.4 To prevent such wastage, Naturya
chlorella has a broken cell wall, which makes all of chlorella’s nutrients readily available for digestion.3
Chlorella has extraordinarily high protein content. Naturya’s chlorella powder contains over 60% protein
and all of the essential amino acids. These amino acids are called ‘essential’ because they cannot be
created or stored by the body and therefore must be obtained through daily diet.
Chlorella is high in vitamins, including generous portions of vitamin B12, B2 (Riboflavin) and vitamin E.
Vitamin B12 is an important compound, which helps to produce the red blood cells that keep our nervous
systems healthy.5As vitamin B12 is not present in fruit,
vegetables or grains, vegans need to be vigilant to
ensure they consume enough of this vitamin.5,6 Chlorella
is also a fine source of minerals, with large quantities
of iron and zinc. Iron forms part of haemoglobin, which
absorbs oxygen from the lungs and transports it around
the body; zinc is a trace element that helps to build
new cells and enzymes, and assists with the healing of
wounds.5
In a test with mildly hypertensive subjects, it was
demonstrated that taking chlorella may lead to reduced
blood pressure. A further test suggested that chlorella may be able to help reduce blood cholesterol levels.7
Chlorella is rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which some studies have shown may help the
body fight cardiovascular diseases, cancer and arthritis.8
Chlorella contains a number of phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and chlorophyll. It is thought
consuming a wide range of phytochemicals may have beneficial effects on health due to their antioxidant
qualities. The vitamin E in chlorella also acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative stress.9
How to enjoy Chlorella
Chlorella is generally enjoyed in drink form, perhaps most commonly stirred into a glass of fruit juice. It can
also be taken with water or mixed into a smoothie. Chlorella is a flexible ingredient and a great addition
to salad dressings or pasta sauces. A popular option is to include chlorella in a home-made soup (or, if
you’re feeling lazy, simply stir it into a ready-made soup!). The options for chlorella as an ingredient really
are boundless; include it in dips, mashed potatoes, casseroles or anything else that takes your fancy. If in
doubt, just throw some chlorella into your next stir fry!
As ever, feel free to experiment. If you come up with a great recipe then why not send it to us
along with some pictures? The best recipes stand a chance of winning some free Naturya
products and being uploaded to our site for everyone to try!
1 L. Gouveia, A.P. Batista, I. Sousa, A. Raymuno & N.M. Bandarra,
2008. Microalgae in Novel Food Products. Food Chemistry Research
Developments
2 S. Nakano, H, Takekoshi & M. Nakano, 2009. Chlorella pyrenoidosa
Supplementation Reduces the Risk of Anemia, Proteinuria and Edema in
Pregnant Women. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.
3 Supplier pers. comms.
4 H.J Morris, O.V. Carrillo, A. Almarales, R.C. Bermúdez, M.E. Alonso,
L. Borges, M.M. Quintana, R. Fontaine, G. Llauradó & M. Hernández,
2009. Protein hydrolysates from the alga Chlorella vulgaris 87/1 with
potentialities in immunonutrition. Biotecnología Aplicada.
5 NHS, 2011. Vitamins and Minerals. www.nhs.uk
6 NHS, 2011. The vegan diet. www. nhs.uk
7 J.H. Kwak, S.H. Baek, Y. Woo, J.K. Han, B.G. Kim, O.Y. Kim & J.H.
Lee, 2012. Beneficial immunostimulatory effect of short-term Chlorella
supplementation: enhancement of Natural Killer cell activity and early
inflammatory response (Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled
trial). Nutrition Journal.
8 M. Xue, Y. Ge, J. Zhang, Q. Wang & L. Hou, 2012. Gene transfer
of Chlorella vulgaris n-3 fatty acid desturase optimizes the fatty acid
composition of human breast cancer cells. Brazilian Journal of Medical
and Biological Research.
9 S. Makpol, N. Yaacob, A. Zainuddin, Y.A.M. Yusof & W.Z.W. Ngah,
2009. Chlorella Vulgaris Modulates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced DNA
Damage and Telomere Shortening of Human Fibroblasts Derived
from Different Aged Individuals. African Journal of Traditional,
Complementary, and Alternative Medicines. 6[4].
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