The medicinal properties and nutritional value of Chlorella can help shield the heart, brain, liver, and more. Asian traditions have used this microalga for centuries, and modern science now brings it to the west. Read on to learn about Chlorella health benefits, potential side effects, and user reviews.

What is Chlorella?

Chlorella is a type of single-celled green alga (microalga) that is usually found in freshwater environments. Some species of this microalga have myriad health benefits while being packed with essential nutrients [1, 2].

The interest in Chlorella production began in the 1960s when a Japanese company started to culture it on a massive scale, and by 1980 the production spread in Asia, reaching more than 1,000 kg of produced microalga (mainly Chlorella) per month [3].

Today, Chlorella is being used in Japan, the USA, Europe, and other countries. In East Asia, it is ingested with rice, tea, and pancakes. Furthermore, Chlorella is sold extensively as a supplement or nutraceutical product [4, 5].

Due to its high concentration of protein (50%), Chlorella is a good source of the essential amino acids required for our nutrition [6].

Snapshot

Proponents:

• Reduced blood sugar and cholesterol
• Protects the heart and liver
• Prevents anemia
• Supports detox
• Combats oxidative stress
• May improve mental health
• May enhance physical performance

Skeptics:

• Many benefits lack clinical evidence
• May cause digestive upset and dizziness
• Interacts with blood thinners

Components

Although the most frequently studied types of Chlorella are quite similar (Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorella pyrenoidosa), the composition may vary among different species [7, 6].

Chlorella’s main constituent is the Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), an extract composed of diverse substances including essential amino acids, peptides, proteins, vitamins, sugars, and nucleic acids [2].

Chlorella’s principal components are [8, 5, 9]:

• Protein (Chlorella is 50% protein, and a great source of amino acids, including alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine)