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Chlorophyll
William T. Jarvis, Ph.D.
Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that occurs chiefly in the
chloroplasts (specialized cytoplasmic bodies). It is involved in photosynthesis
(the manufacture of carbohydrate from carbon dioxide and water, utilizing
light energy and releasing oxygen). Because life could not continue without
chlorophyll, its importance cannot be minimized. However, the value of chlorophyll
in human health and disease is exaggerated by promoters of wheat grass,
barley green, blue-green algae, chlorella, cereal grass, and other products.
The fact that grass-eating animals are not spared from infectious or degenerative
diseases despite their large intake of fresh chlorophyll attests to its
limitations. Furthermore:
- Chlorophyll is not a catalyst.
- Chlorophyll has no deodorant action.
- It is not identical to blood in structure or parallel function in plants
- Chlorophyll cannot affect the human body internally because it is not
absorbed.
- There is no reason why products containing chlorophyll should be considered
"natural." Chlorophyl is extracted by exposing plant materials
to chemicals such as acetone, hexane gas and copper. Thus there is no reason
why chlorophyll products should be considered "natural."
- Chlorophyll' antibacterial activity is vastly inferior to inferior
to that antibiotics.
Additional Resources
- Lowell J. Amazing claims for chlorophyll. Nutrition Forum, July, 1987.
- Lowell JA. Chlorophyll: you won't believe where they'll tell you to
put "Nature's Green Magic."The Thinking Person's Guide to
Nutritional and Medical Quackery, 1981 (lists 23 references; many from
technical literature).
- Renner J. Pigment claims not valid. The Kansas City Star, 1/13/91
Copyright Notice
© 2000 National Council Against Health Fraud. With proper citation,
this article may be reproduced for noncommercial purposes
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This article was posted on December 1, 2000.