(Last Updated On: September 30, 2019)

If you are eating anything green, you are eating chlorophyll. And research is finding that chlorophyll helps prevent cancer from growing in the body.

Chlorophyll tested against tumors

A study from Oregon State University has confirmed that chlorophyll protects against the formation and growth of tumors.

The research first analyzed a number of studies that have been done testing chlorophyll for cancer prevention, including those involving rainbow trout, mice and humans. In the human study, cellular uptake of the carcinogen aflatoxin was blocked by chlorophyll.

The researchers then focused on what is called the dose-response relationship between chlorophyll and the prevention of tumor-genesis – or cancer formation.

Chlorophyll is a primary constituent of green vegetables. It is the pigment that makes plants green. Plants use chlorophyll to help convert the sun’s energy into nutrition in a process called photosynthesis.

The research utilized 12,360 rainbow trout, treated with chlorophyll after exposure to dibenzochrysene – a toxic carcinogen. Those trout given chlorophyll had from 29 to 64 percent fewer liver tumors, and 24 to 45 percent fewer stomach tumors. The mechanism involved again appears to be that chlorophyll blocks carcinogen absorption and use by the cells.

However, when carcinogen exposure was significantly increased, chlorophyll did little to reduce tumors, and even accompanied an increase in the number of tumors. However, the researchers characterized this level of toxin exposure as “unrealistic.”

Including chlorophyll vegetables in the diet

In other words, when considering the typical exposure to toxins, and the healthy inclusion of vegetables in the diet – within the parameters that resulted in chlorophyll’s ability to reduce tumors – there is a clear cancer prevention benefit from eating dark green leafy vegetables and other chlorophyll sources.

The researchers concluded: “These results show that chlorophyll concentrations encountered in chlorophyll-rich green vegetables can provide substantial cancer chemoprotection, and suggest that they do so by reducing carcinogen bioavailability.”

Nutritionists and traditional doctors have long held that chlorophyll provides numerous health benefits. Besides the array of vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients, this research provides yet another reason to eat our vegetables. Other research finds that eating more vegetables can extend life. For this same reason, the Mediterranean Diet helps cognitive health.

Another way to increase chlorophill in the diet is to supplement with spirulina and/or chlorella. Both of these are algae that produce a tremendous amount of chlorophill.

Learn more about a diet with lots of chlorophyll:

REFERENCE:

McQuistan TJ, Simonich MT, Pratt MM, Pereira CB, Hendricks JD, Dashwood RH, Williams DE, Bailey GS. Cancer chemoprevention by dietary chlorophylls: A 12,000-animal dose-dose matrix biomarker and tumor study. Food Chem Toxicol. 2011 Nov 3.

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