Chlorella, antioxidant activity, detoxifying activity, anti-inflammatory activity and nutraceutical activity
Description : Chlorella is a nutrient dense algae. It has been traditionally used as an important source of
Article Details :
Chlorella is a nutrient dense algae. It has been traditionally used as an important source of protein for global population. It is considered as ‘health boosting super food’ for its numerous therapeutic advantages.
Nutritional profile
- It contains lesser amounts of carbohydrates
- It contains dietary fibre as well
- It is considered as a complete source of protein as it contains all the essential amino acids
- It contains healthy fat especially contains omega-3-fatty acid
- It is packed with various imperative micronutrients, which include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, B2, B9, B12, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, phosphorus and calcium
- It contains chlorophyll too
Chlorella Vs spirulina
Chlorella is recognized as a close cousin to spirulina and they both are nutrient dense algae but chlorella contains comparatively higher amount of omega-3-fatty acid, zinc, magnesium, iron Vitamin A and Vitamin B2 than spirulina.
Biological activity
Antioxidant activity
- Chlorella is consisting of several important compounds like Vitamin C, beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, chlorophyll, which exert strong antioxidant activity
- It helps to decrease the concentration of free radicals in body hence reduces the prevalence of oxidative damages
- It also helps to protect various important biological substances like nucleoprotein, lipid, from oxidation thus helps to sustain their functionality
- It helps to prevent lipid peroxidation, which ultimately helps to reduce the risk of developing various diseases especially cardio vascular diseases
- It helps to prevent cellular damages as well
Detoxifying activity
- Environmental factors, life style and dietary patterns are responsible for exposing our body to various toxins, which can cause severe damage to the body thus it should be eliminated from body
- Chlorella plays significant role in detoxification. It has seen that chlorella is extremely effective for enhancing the body’s ability to clear toxins
- It also helps to reduce the consequences of heavy metals toxicity as it helps to bind with heavy metals and flushing them out from the body before the body absorbs them
Anti-inflammatory activity
- Violaxanthin is an important substance found in chlorella that exhibits strong anti-inflammatory effects and helps to protect the body from inflammatory damages
- Inflammation is responsible for developing various diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis gastrointestinal disorders etc and thus recognized as the leading cause of death throughout the world
- An individual should consume a diet, which contains anti-inflammatory substances thus it helps to prevent inflammation and chlorella is not an exception
- It has seen that chlorella is closely related with decreasing the level of pro-inflammatory mediators in body thus delays the onset of inflammatory events hence decreases the risk of developing chronic inflammatory diseases
Health benefits
Role on immunity
- Immune system is one of the most complex systems of the body, which is composed of several cells as well as mechanisms that ultimately help to enhance the body’s ability for fighting against infections
- Consumption of chlorella is very effective for strengthening the immune system of the body by regulating the immunological responses hence helps to keep an individual healthy
- It helps to increase the synthesis of antibodies in body
- It is also associated with improving the activity of immune cells
Role on endurance
- Chlorella plays significant role in enhancing the endurance level especially aerobic endurance level
- It has seen that it is associated with increasing the oxygen saturation to lungs thus athletes who consume chlorella significantly improve their performance
- Branched chain amino acid components of chlorella are considered as the principal components accountable for improving aerobic performance
Role on maternal health
- Pregnancy is a special physiological condition of female body and in this condition the requirement of iron and folic acid get increased in many folds for supporting the expansion of maternal blood volume
- It has seen that iron as well as folic acid play imperative role in promoting the synthesis of hemoglobin and also help in the maturation of RBC thus they should be provided to the pregnant women and chlorella is an important option for them as it contains significant amount of iron, folic acid as well as Vitamin B12
- Its consumption is also related with inhibiting the prevalence of pregnancy induced hypertension
Role on nervous system
- Its Read more
