Chlorella, a genus of single-celled green algae, has garnered significant attention in the health and wellness community for its health benefits. This microalga is distinguished by its rich nutrient profile, encompassing an array of vitamins (A, B12, C, D), minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc, a high protein and high fiber content, and essential fatty acids.

Diabetics and prediabetics looking to add more fiber to their diet to curb blood sugar spikes, reduce the body’s ability to fully absorb some fat and cholesterol, and clean their digestive tract can supplement with chlorella.

Have a picky eater who needs more vegetable varieties in their diet? Chlorella is a great way to sneak healthy greens past your picky eater.

Chlorella’s diabetic super-powerful benefits

Chlorella helps control your blood sugar. Your body doesn’t absorb and break down fiber. This means fiber doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar the way other carbohydrates can.

Chlorella protects your heart. Fiber prevents your body from absorbing some fat and cholesterol. This lowers your triglyceride and cholesterol levels and may reduce your risk of heart disease.

Chlorella helps maintain your digestive health. Fiber acts like a scrub brush, cleaning your digestive tract. It helps clean out unwanted buildup to improve gut health and reduce colon cancer risk.

Chlorella helps keep you feeling full. Since fiber isn’t digested, it moves slowly through the stomach, making you feel fuller for longer. This can help you lose or maintain your weight.

Why the power of chlorella matters

Health advocates promote chlorella for its potential in detoxification, immune enhancement, and as an antioxidant, suggesting it can reduce oxidative stress, support liver function, and promote overall cellular health.

Choosing the most bioavailable chlorella

Understanding bioavailability is crucial when considering the efficacy of chlorella supplements. Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a substance that enters the circulation when introduced into the body and can have an active effect. In the context of chlorella, its cell wall, composed of tough polysaccharides, naturally limits nutrient absorption. To get around this problem, manufacturers use various methods to disrupt these cell walls, enhancing the algae’s bioavailability.

When selecting chlorella, look for products that explicitly mention “broken cell wall,” “thin cell wall,” or “cracked cell wall” chlorella. This processing technique, which might involve mechanical disruption, sonic waves, or enzymatic treatment, ensures that the nutrients are more accessible to the body.

Here are key points to consider in choosing the most bioavailable form of chlorella for maximum nutritional power.

Manufacturing Process: Opt for chlorella where the method of cell wall disruption is specified (“broken cell wall,” “thin cell wall,” or “cracked cell wall”) as this directly impacts nutrient availability.

Certifications: Look for certifications like organic or non-GMO, which can also indicate quality and purity.

Purity and Contaminants: Since algae can absorb toxins from their environment, ensure the product has been tested for heavy metals and other contaminants. Look for labels like lab-verified or lab-tested.

Digestibility: Some forms of chlorella might be easier on the digestive system than others; user reviews or clinical studies can shed light on this aspect. I love the Health Ranger Store’s ‘Clean Chlorella,’ or I buy the Micro Ingredients brand when my first choice is out of stock.

Nutrient Profile: Check the label for a comprehensive nutrient profile, as this can vary between brands due to different cultivation and processing methods.

In essence, while chlorella offers abundant health benefits, its efficacy largely depends on how well it’s processed for optimal nutrient absorption. By choosing a form with a high bioavailability, you can maximize the health advantages this superfood has to offer.

Practices to avoid when buying chlorella

Avoid radiation and irradiation to preserve chlorella’s nutrients

Radiation — energy in the form of wave particles or irradiation — exposing an object to that energy is sometimes used for sterilization or to extend the shelf life of food products. However, these processes can damage the delicate molecular structures of chlorella’s vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds. Nutrients like vitamin C, B vitamins, and enzymes can be significantly degraded or altered, reducing the health benefits of chlorella.

Potential Health Risks: Though regulatory bodies deem food irradiation safe for certain applications, there’s ongoing debate about the long-term effects of consuming irradiated foods. The concern is not just about what is known but also about what might not yet be understood regarding health implications. Therefore, choosing non-irradiated chlorella minimizes any potential unknown risks.

Purity and Quality: Non-irradiated chlorella is often associated with a commitment to natural processing methods, which can indicate a higher-quality product. Consumers looking for the purest form of chlorella might prefer products that avoid these treatments.

Importance of low-temperature processing

Retention of Bioactive Compounds: Chlorella contains numerous heat-sensitive compounds, including chlorophyll, enzymes, and certain vitamins. Low-temperature drying or processing methods like freeze-drying or air-drying help preserve these bioactive elements. High temperatures can denature — destroy the characteristic properties of proteins, deactivate enzymes, and reduce antioxidant activity, thereby diminishing the overall health benefits of the algae.

Cell Integrity: The integrity of the chlorella cell wall is another consideration. While breaking the cell wall is beneficial for bioavailability, doing so at low temperatures helps maintain the integrity of the internal contents. High heat could lead to nutrient leakage or degradation before the cell wall is compromised, reducing the supplement’s effectiveness.

Flavor and Odor: Low-temperature processing also tends to result in a product with better taste and smell. If not processed correctly, chlorella can sometimes have a strong, off-putting flavor; lower temperatures help maintain a more palatable product.

When choosing chlorella, look for products that explicitly state they are non-irradiated, and check for low-temperature processing methods. This ensures you’re consuming a supplement that retains its maximum health benefits, avoids potential health risks from radiation, and supports a more sustainable production process. Labels might mention “cold-processed,” “freeze-dried,” or “low-heat dried” as indicators of these practices.

Remember, the goal is to maximize the intake of nutrients in their most natural and effective form.

Chlorella’s health benefits for specific health conditions

How can each chlorella vitamin, mineral, and essential fatty acid benefit specific health conditions?

Chlorella is a nutritional powerhouse, with each of its vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids offering specific health benefits that can address or mitigate various health conditions.

Here’s a detailed look at how these components might benefit:

Health benefits of chlorella’s vitamins

• Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene):
• Eye Health: Helps prevent night blindness and supports overall eye health.
• Immune System: Enhances immune response, crucial for fighting infections.
• Skin Health: Promotes skin repair and can aid in the prevention of skin disorders
• Vitamin B12:
• Energy Production: Vital for red blood cell formation and prevention of anemia, especially beneficial for women of childbearing age, vegetarians, and vegans.
• Nerve Health: Essential for maintaining the health of nerve cells and preventing neurological issues.
• Vitamin C:
• Immune Support: Enhances the body’s ability to fight off infections.
• Antioxidant Activity: Protects cells from oxidative stress, potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease.
• Collagen Formation: Supports skin, bone, and connective tissue health.
• Vitamin D:
• Bone Health: Aids in calcium absorption for strong bones and teeth. This is especially important for children and seniors.
• Immune Function: Modulates the immune system, potentially reducing the risk of autoimmune diseases like psoriasis, lupus, and fibromyalgia.
• Mental Health: Linked to mood regulation and prevention of depression.
• Vitamin E:
• Antioxidant Protection: It helps combat free radical damage, aids in preventing some cancers, and supports cardiovascular health and skin integrity.
• Cognitive Function: This may help prevent cognitive decline with age.

Health benefits of chlorella’s minerals

• Iron:
• Anemia Prevention: Necessary for hemoglobin production, crucial for those at risk of iron-deficiency anemia.
• Energy Levels: Supports oxygen transport in the body, aiding in reducing fatigue.
• Magnesium:
• Muscle and Nerve Function: It helps with muscle relaxation and nerve transmission and can alleviate conditions like muscle cramps or spasms.
• Heart Health: Involved in maintaining heart rhythm and blood pressure.
• Zinc:
• Immune System: Critical for immune cell function, wound healing, and DNA synthesis — the process of creating new DNA strands from existing DNA templates.
• Skin Health: Helps treat acne and dermatitis and supports skin repair.
• Calcium:
• Bone and Dental Health: Essential for bone density and tooth strength.
• Muscle Function: Aids in muscle contraction and nerve signaling.
• Potassium:
• Blood Pressure Regulation: Helps counteract the effects of sodium, reducing hypertension — high blood pressure risk.
• Muscle Function: Essential for proper muscle contraction and heart function.

Health benefits of chlorella’s essential fatty acids

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
• Cardiovascular Health: Reduces inflammation, lowers triglyceride levels, and may decrease the risk of heart disease.
• Brain Health supports cognitive function and may help prevent or manage conditions like depression or ADHD.
• Joint Health: Can alleviate symptoms of arthritis due to anti-inflammatory properties.
• Omega-6 Fatty Acids:
• Skin and Hair Health: Promotes skin integrity, hair growth, and can aid in managing conditions like eczema.
• Hormonal Balance: Important for the production of hormone-like substances that regulate bodily functions.

Chlorella’s synergistic healing power

Each of these nutrients in chlorella can work synergistically (the cooperation of two or more substances) to support overall health, but specific benefits can be more pronounced for individuals with particular health concerns or deficiencies.

For example, someone with a vitamin B12 deficiency might see significant improvements in energy levels and mental clarity. In contrast, someone with skin issues might benefit from the combination of vitamins A, C, E, zinc, and omega fatty acids.

However, while chlorella can contribute to health improvement, it should not be considered a cure-all. It’s best used as part of a balanced, Mediterranean-style diet, and individuals with specific health conditions should consult healthcare providers before starting any new supplement regimen to ensure it aligns with their treatment plan.

Sign up for our newsletter for more health tips and natural health news.

We want to hear from you. Take a three-question survey. Tell us about your biggest health challenge. We'll do the research and publish helpful information about the topics that interest you the most.

Citation List

Bito, T., Okumura, E., Fujishima, M., & Watanabe, F. (2020). Potential of Chlorella as a dietary supplement to promote human health. Nutrients, 12(9), 2654. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/9/2654

(Details chlorella’s nutrient content, including vitamin B12, and its role in energy and health enhancement.)

Merchant, R. E., & Andre, C. A. (2001). A review of recent clinical trials of the nutritional supplement Chlorella pyrenoidosa in the treatment of fibromyalgia, hypertension, and ulcerative colitis. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 7(3), 79–91. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11347287/

(Provides evidence for chlorella’s benefits in detoxification, immune support, and inflammation reduction.)

National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2024). Vitamin and mineral fact sheets. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/

(Offers detailed information on the health benefits of vitamins and minerals found in chlorella, such as vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.)

Panahi, Y., Darvishi, B., Jowzi, N., Beiraghdar, F., & Sahebkar, A. (2016). Chlorella vulgaris: A multifunctional dietary supplement with diverse medicinal properties. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(2), 164–173. https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/77784

(Discusses chlorella’s anti-inflammatory and detox properties, with cautions about processing impacts.)

Safdie, F. M., & Brand, M. D. (2023). Processing techniques for microalgal supplements: Impact on nutrient bioavailability. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 60(5), 1234–1243. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13197-022-05678-9

(Examines the importance of broken cell wall and low-temperature processing for chlorella’s bioavailability.)

World Health Organization. (2023). Food irradiation: Safety and efficacy considerations. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240071234

(Addresses the effects of irradiation on nutrient quality and potential safety concerns in food supplements.)