What Is Chlorella? Health Benefits Of The Green Algae (Including Why It's The Ultimate Hangover Cure) | HuffPost Life

This Japanese Super Food Is The Ultimate Hangover Weapon

Natasha Hinde— The Huffington Post UK

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You might be surprised to hear that chlorella is not some distant relative of Cinderella.

In fact, it's a type of algae which promotes detoxification and helps the liver deal with excess toxins - making it a great little number to knock back after a heavy night on the tiles.

We've got the low-down on the Incredible Hulk of the super food world...

What Is It?

Chlorella is a single-celled, fresh water algae which is cultivated mostly in Asia. It has a very tough, indigestible cellulose wall, so it is milled after harvesting into powder or tablet form to enable it to be absorbed by the body.

Tipper Lewis, head herbalist at Neal's Yard Remedies, tells HuffPost UK Lifestyle that chlorella has the highest chlorophyll levels of the plant world at 3-5%. That'll explain why it's so green.

"It's also packed with a substance called Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF) which allows chlorella to go through its reproductive cycle in one day."

In Japan, it's one of the top super foods. Lewis says that seven million people consume it daily.

"Research after nuclear disasters showed it helps eliminate uranium, cadmium and lead. It’s used to eliminate mercury from amalgam fillings" and is also great to take after a boozy bender - "another Japanese study showed taking 4-6g of chlorella before drinking reduced hangovers by 96%".

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What Are Goji Berries?: Health Benefits, Tips And Recipes

Health Benefits

According to Lewis, chlorella is the "number one algae for liver detoxification" as it removes alcohol, heavy metals and environmental pollutants from your system.

Jam-packed of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, chlorella is great for the body - inside and out.

Katya Igumentseva, co-founder of Organic Burst, says: "It's great if you live in a city, drink alcohol and coffee, eat non-organic food, or do a job where you’re exposed to chemicals.

"Chlorella is full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that have fantastic effects on your body, including radiant skin with Vitamin B2 and healthy hair with biotin and copper.

"If you’re tired of catching colds, Vitamins B6, B12 and iron from chlorella give the immune system support."

How To Eat (Or Drink) It

To drink chlorella (who doesn't love a tasty algae-filled beverage?) stir the powder into water and add a good squeeze of lemon to tone down the taste.

Additionally, blend into your favourite smoothies (try this Hemsley and Hemsley number) or juices.

Failing that, you can purchase easy-to-swallow tablets or granules that can be sprinkled onto salads and dips. Or try this vegetable sushi bowl recipe for size.

Brain Superfoods

Walnuts(01 of12)

Walnuts are chock-full of heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and are the only good nut source of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), HuffPost Healthy Living earlier reported. That means they help promote blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient delivery of oxygen to the brain. And research presented at the 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's found that mice with the disease who were regularly fed walnuts had improved memory, learning and motor skill coordination, according to MyHealthNewsDaily. (credit:Alamy)

Olive Oil(02 of12)

Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to actually slow brain aging. (credit:Getty Images)

Berries(03 of12)

Animal studies have long indicated a link between berry consumption and brain health. But a recent study published in the Annals of Neurology found that a diet high in blueberries, strawberries and others were linked to a slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus in a large sample of middle-aged women, reported TIME's Alice Park. (credit: FLICKR: GEISHABOY500)

Sardines(04 of12)

Fatty fish like sardines (and salmon!) are a well-known brain booster, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which have been linked to lower risk of dementia, improved focus and memory. (credit:Alamy)

Coffee(05 of12)

Caffeine, the mild stimulant found in coffee, improves mental acuity, though the drink's enthusiasts -- who guzzle 120,000 tons of the stuff each year -- likely already know that. Aside from caffeine's brain boosting effects, coffee's antioxidant richness helps maintain brain health. And some research suggests that drinking coffee can actually stave off depression in women. (credit:Alamy)

Spinach(06 of12)

Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is thought to help protect against cognitive decline, according to researchers from Tufts University. And a longitudinal study at Harvard Medical School found that women who reported eating the most leafy green and cruciferous vegetables had a markedly lower rate of cognitive decline, compared to those who ate the least. (credit:Alamy)

Dark chocolate(07 of12)

Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate is healthy for your whole body, but its caffeine content is thought to play a role in maintaining mental acuity. What's more, chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a class of antioxidant that helps to improve blood flow (and thus brain health) by regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. (credit:Getty Images)

Avocados (08 of12)

Avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that improve vascular health and blood flow, making them another brain food. (credit:Alamy)

Water(09 of12)

When a person becomes dehydrated, their brain tissue actually shrinks. And several studies have shown that dehydration can affect cognitive function. Dehydration can impair short-term memory, focus and decision making, according to Psychology Today.

Wheat Germ(10 of12)

Wheat germ is a rich vegetarian source of choline -- a nutrient that is involved in the body's production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that boosts memory, according to Shape. Eggs are another good choline source. (credit:Alamy)

Beets(11 of12)

Beets are a good source of naturally-occurring nitrates, which help improve blood flow to the brain, according to Shape. (credit:Alamy)

Garlic(12 of12)

Garlic may help stave off some forms of brain cancer, according to research published in Cancer, the medical journal of the American Cancer Society. Investigators found that the organo-sulfur compounds in garlic actually worked to kill glioblastoma cells -- a type of malignant tumor cell. (credit:Alamy)

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