Japanese chlorella is a type of freshwater green algae that is processed into a food and health supplement. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, but requires extensive processing to be digestible by humans. Japanese chlorella is grown and harvested on the small island of Ishigaki, and is carefully monitored for heavy metal content. However, it can have side effects and should not be consumed by pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.
Japanese chlorella is a form of freshwater green algae often known as Yaeyama chlorella, named for the company that makes it into dry powder or tablets as a food and health supplement on the small island of Ishigaki off the coast of Japan. southwestern Japan. There are several different species of algae, although all are single-celled organisms that, as of 2011, contain the highest known concentrations of chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b of any plant species, around 3% to 5% by volume. Although the organism goes by many names such as Bulgarian Green Algae, Freshwater Marine Algae, and Algue Verte d’Eau Douce, processed forms of all of them are considered useful in preventing cancer and lowering cholesterol levels, as well as healing wounds and generally be beneficial for many digestive ailments and other health conditions.
Officially, Japanese Chlorella is a form of microalgae, as it is a single-celled organism where each cell can be up to 2,000 nanometers in diameter. It is so rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates that it has been considered a superfood that could alleviate global food shortages, but growing it can be an energy-intensive process. The benefits of Chlorella in the human diet only manifest after extensive processing, as it was discovered in the 1960s that it is indigestible to humans and animals in its natural form due to the fact that the cell wall of the plant cannot be broken down by mammalian digestive systems.
On the island of Ishigaki, Japanese chlorella is fermented or germinated in indoor laboratories, then transferred to outdoor culture pools to grow, after which it is harvested and sterilized. In a high-intensity bleaching and drying process, the cell walls are broken down so that people can digest them. It is then ground into powder and tablets for sale, while undergoing careful monitoring for heavy metal content.
Since algae tend to absorb heavy metals during their life cycle, it is important to minimize this as much as possible when using it as a food source. Japanese chlorella has a worldwide reputation for being the purest form of the algae, with levels of arsenic, cadmium, and mercury allowed at no more than 20 parts per million in the final product. The Japanese government monitors these levels for safety reasons, as types of algae like Japanese Chlorella can also have other side effects. These include diarrhea and nausea, as well as allergic reactions and abnormal skin sensitivity when exposed to the sun after taking chlorella supplements. Women who are pregnant and anyone with a compromised immune system are cautioned not to consume even organic Chlorella, and taking Japanese Chlorella can also have unpredictable effects on anyone using prescription medications.
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