Health and Wellness

If you are an extremely busy person looking for a stupidly simple way to incorporate high-quality greens into your diet, then you must try chlorella algae. I’ve been consuming chlorella tablets daily since December 2020 to detoxify my heavy metal load, boost my immune system, and fill my body with essential nutrients. It’s been life-changing.

Read on to find out if chlorella is right for you, too. You’ll also learn some of its amazing benefits and what to look for in a quality product.

A note to parents: If you want to have insanely smart children, give them chlorella. I give 5 tablets daily to my 21-month-old, who sweetly hunts for them in the pantry. The chlorella turns his mouth green, which means his T-shirt collars also turn green… but hey, he’s eating a vegetable, not to mention one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables on the planet. And everyone thinks he’s two because he is so freaking smart. He said “toothpaste” this week. How many 21-month-olds can say “toothpaste”?

Quickly—What is Chlorella?

You might’ve heard of chlorella as being a “superfood,” and in my opinion, it is a superfood on steroids. Chlorella is single-celled, freshwater algae. We can only consume it in supplement form, since its natural form has a very hard cell wall that needs to be cracked. Chlorella contains complete protein (5 g per serving), vitamins, antioxidants, dietary fiber, and some of the most important minerals that your body needs, including iron and magnesium. Chlorella also has the highest concentration of chlorophyll, a cleansing antioxidant that promotes the health of the cell wall and balances your blood pH.

Do I Need Chlorella?

Ask yourself the following questions: Do I…

• Have mercury dental fillings?
• Eat a lot of fish?
• Eat a lot of meat?
• Drink alcohol?
• Drink unfiltered water?
• Lack green vegetables in my diet?
• Frequently go out to eat?
• Get sick often?
• Live in a highly polluted area?
• Have constipation?

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these, then you would likely see excellent results from using chlorella. Here are 5 of my favorite chlorella health benefits:

1. 1. Detoxifies your body of heavy metals and other toxicants.  Chlorella has strong chelation properties, meaning it binds to metals like lead, mercury, and aluminum, and then pulls them out through your stool. Chlorella also absorbs carcinogens and is the only thing that removes radiation from your body!
   2. Strengthens your immune system. Chlorella stimulates the production of several cell types that are important for immune system function. For breast-feeding moms, chlorella helps to prevent toxic compounds from being transferred through breast milk.
   3. Reduces hangovers. Chlorella promotes the metabolism of alcohol, reducing acetaldehyde (a toxic compound) in the blood. I come from a fun-loving, wine-drinking family, so bags of chlorella made perfect Christmas gifts for mom and dad.
   4. Develops healthy bones. Chlorella is one of the only food sources of Vitamin K2, which helps your bones absorb calcium and prevents it from moving into your soft tissue, including the blood vessels, brain, and skin. Too much calcium in your soft tissue can cause wrinkles and worse conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and osteoporosis.
   5. Speeds up recovery time. Whether you’re healing from a wound or trying to bounce back from a difficult workout, chlorella can help! Chlorella has a high amount of protein, essential fatty acids (EFAs), and the highest concentration of iron in the world (48x more than spinach). Iron carries oxygen in your blood, which prevents fatigue and speeds healing.

How Do I Find the Best Quality Chlorella?

There are a few things you want to look for when purchasing the right brand of chlorella algae:

1. Buy USDA Organic. If you want any food that is higher in quality, buy organic. Organic food has less pesticide exposure and no genetic modifications.
2. Prioritize chlorella pyrenoidosa. There are two strains of chlorella sold for health—chlorella pyrenoidosa and chlorella vulgaris. Chlorella vulgaris is more common and can grow well in less-than-desirable conditions. While there are some companies that grow high-quality chlorella vulgaris, chlorella pyrenoidosa is a safer option. Chlorella pyrenoidosa grows in pristine water with proper nutrients and sunlight, which are key for optimizing chlorella’s nutritional benefits.
3. Know how the cell wall is cracked. To make chlorella’s nutrients bioavailable, its hard cell wall must be opened. Many producers use chemicals, high heat, or milling to crack the cell wall, all of which harm chlorella’s nutrient content and digestibility. I recommend finding a producer that cracks its cell wall through sound vibrations or a pressure-release chamber. Both prevent oxidation and keep the nutrients intact.

Of all the brands I’ve researched and tried, RECOVERYbits® from the ENERGYBits® company is the best from both a taste and quality standpoint. Plus, they are incredibly transparent about their algae sourcing and processing on their website.  They’re expensive, but you get what you pay for. I have no affiliation with them, but I do know that you can get a 20% discount with code MISSINGBITS, or you can get free shipping when ordering 4+ bags.