We all love our superheroes. They perform amazing feats with their superhuman abilities. Superheroes reveal their many hidden gifts and talents and always fight on the side of justice, goodness, and protection of the innocent. When we are in the world of superheroes, we feel safer knowing that they will come to our rescue in time of need.

While superheroes exist in the human world, there are also superheroes that exist in the plant world that will also come to our rescue in time of need. One of the greatest superheroes is a humble, single-cell algae organism called Chlorella (C. vulgaris). Don't be deceived by its very small size. In fact, Chlorella performs Herculean tasks that support our health and wellbeing as well as the health and wellbeing of our animals.

To begin with, Chlorella is nature's own power-packed multivitamin, containing all the essential nutrients required to sustain life. Chlorella is rich in vitamins A (beta carotene), C, E, and vitamin K, containing all the B-complex vitamins (including B12), zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, iodine, omega-3 essential fatty acid, and the enzyme pepsin. Chlorella also contains 58 to 70 percent of bio-available protein and all the essential amino acids. It is one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D. The iron content of chlorella is particularly impressive and can provide up to 40 percent of our daily requirements. Chlorella is also a rich source of the eye nutrients; carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

But, perhaps, its greatest super hero feat is Chlorella's unique ability to safely absorb and eliminate all the environmental toxins that we are exposed to every day. Very modest estimates have suggested that we are exposed to more than 700,000 different toxic chemicals daily. In addition, other nasty toxins such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and radiation find their way into our bodies through the air, food and water. It definitely takes a superhero to safely and efficiently detoxify so many toxic exposures every single day!

Glyphosate: A Super Villain to the Health of Humans, Animals and Nature

Glyphosate is the main ingredient in many weed-killer products. It is considered the most widely used broad-spectrum systemic herbicide in history. In the U.S., farmers use more than 200 million pounds of glyphosate annually. The chemical is also an active ingredient in more than 750 products approved for use, many of which can be found on supermarket and hardware store shelves and used by backyard gardeners.

Exposure to glyphosate occurs either through environmental contamination or through genetically modified foods. Over 80 percent of genetically modified (GM) crops grown worldwide are engineered to tolerate being sprayed with high amounts of glyphosate herbicides. All non-organic cereals and grains, which are harvested with glyphosate, include wheat, barley, buckwheat, millet, rice, oats, rye, sorghum, wild rice, popcorn, and teff.

The Environmental Working Group found glyphosate in every sample of popular oat-based cereal and other oat-based food marketed to children. Glyphosate was also found in baby food. Even some organic foods have tested positive for glyphosate.

There is also a dirty little secret when it comes to the off-label use of glyphosate. It is used as a pre-harvest drying agent (desiccant) on non-GMO as well as organic crops. Glyphosate is regularly sprayed as a desiccant on more than 70 crops, including almonds, apples, dry edible beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, grapes, rice, and sunflowers.

Many farmers also use it on fields before the growing season, including spinach growers and almond producers.

Exposure to glyphosate is everywhere. It is even found in tap water. People and animals that eat GM glyphosate-tolerant crops are eating potentially high levels of glyphosate residues. A recent report released by a unit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that more than 80 percent of urine samples drawn from children and adults in the U.S. contained glyphosate.

While consumers have been repeatedly told that glyphosate is totally safe by the company and government regulators, the facts say otherwise. One of the big problems with glyphosate is that it impairs the physiology of humans. It is also interesting to note that glyphosate has been patented for use as an antibiotic. No wonder glyphosate has been a disaster to the human microbiome which contains trillions of bacteria playing crucial roles in maintaining our inner ecology.

Exposure to glyphosate presents many serious health risks including altered gastrointestinal function, immune disorders, infertility, accelerated aging, and insulin dysregulation. Since GMOs were introduced in 1996, the percentage of Americans with three or more chronic illnesses went from 7 percent to 13 percent and there has been an unprecedented rise in autism, food allergies, digestive disorders, and reproductive issues. In addition, GM foods are believed to be contributory to the epidemic of diabetes and obesity.

There is another serious concern from glyphosate exposure. It has been recognized as a carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and considered the foremost authority on cancer research, has classified glyphosate in Group 2A 'probably carcinogenic to humans' category.

• Damages the mitochondria, the energy producers of the cells
• Promotes oxidative stress
• Disrupts hormone signaling
• Acts as an endocrine disruptor
• Chelates minerals, contributing to nutrient deficiencies
• Inhibits detoxification
• Adds to the total body burden of chemicals
• Destroy the tight junction of cells

Unfortunately, glyphosate exposure and GM ingredients and foods are ubiquitous in our daily life. It is safe to assume that most people have consumed glyphosate tainted foods or water. Finding a safe solution to eliminate this dangerous chemical from our body is essential for insuring our health and the health of future generations. This is when we are really in need of help from a superhero!

The Superhero Chlorella Can Save the Day

While studies have demonstrated that Chlorella can successful detoxify heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, cadmium, titanium, lead and arsenic, we are shining the spotlight specifically on glyphosate since it so pervasive in our environment, food sources and our bodies. It is interesting to note that Chlorella is so intelligent that it only detoxifies the toxic metals from the body but not the beneficial minerals.

Chlorella has multiple mechanisms for doing its amazing job of cleansing and detoxifying the body. Biosorption is the ability to attach harmful chemicals to its surface and remove them out the body. Chlorella can bind or attach to herbicides and pesticides found in the gastrointestinal tract and assist in their elimination from the body instead of letting them linger in the body and cause damage to our health.

Bioaccumulation is another way involved in the detoxification of toxic chemicals using Chlorella. It is also almost like a biosorption mechanism. The good fat content of Chlorella accumulates toxic compounds such as pesticides as waste molecules and then removes them from the body.

Chlorella can bio-convert pesticides. This process converts harmful pesticides into less toxic, soluble, degradable, and hydrophilic compounds. This conversion prevents pesticides from causing harm to the body during their transient stay in the body before their elimination with Chlorella.

Chlorella also enhances liver function which is necessary to assist in detoxification. Chlorella can enhance phase 2 enzyme activation in the liver which is essential for eliminating toxic chemicals. Chlorella can also increase blood antioxidant levels and reduce oxidative damage in the body. The increase in antioxidant levels is essential to control the oxidative damage caused by glyphosate and other pesticides.

Chlorella enhances the natural detoxification process of pesticides and herbicides and protects our bodies from the harmful effects of these chemicals. Many foods are effective for giving the body its required nutrients but only a few are equally successful at removing the toxins as well. Chlorella is one of them. As a super hero, Chlorella is one of the best known biological detoxifiers found in nature.

The Secret to the Superpower of Chlorella
Now that you know the power of Chlorella to detoxify the body from all forms of toxins, especially glyphosate, it is essential to be sure to use only the best Chlorella product. Knowing the source of your products is always critical, especially with Chlorella. Only when Chlorella is grown in a pristine outdoor environment of clean air, soil, and water, is it able to ensure all of its powerful health benefits.

When choosing a Chlorella product be sure to source the Chlorella that is farmed in the purest environment, especially organic Chlorella that is free from herbicides, pesticides, and environmental contaminants. Research shows one of the best Chlorella products grown, is harvested and processed in Australia's great barrier reef region in North Queensland. It is a FDA certified Bio-Secure region.

There is no doubt, Chlorella should be a part of everyone's diet to support our wellbeing, detoxification, and healing. Modern technology has been able to unlock Chlorella's phenomenal potential not only as a superfood but as super detoxifier We need such superheroes in our toxic and polluted world. Thank goodness that Chlorella has come to our rescue!

References:

1. Gillezeau C, van Gerwen M, Shaffer RM, Rana I, Zhang L, Sheppard L, Taioli E. The evidence of human exposure to glyphosate: a review. Environ Health. 2019 Jan 7;18(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s12940-018-0435-5. PMID: 30612564; PMCID: PMC6322310.
2. Australian Diet Study
3. CDC - National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
4. Science in Society Archive - Glyphosate is Carcinogenic
5. Stur E, Aristizabal-Pachon AF, Peronni KC, Agostini LP, Waigel S, Chariker J, et al. (2019) Glyphosate-based herbicides at low doses affect canonical pathways in estrogen positive and negative breast cancer cell lines. PLoS ONE 14(7): e0219610.
6. Bill's Organics - 10 Most Common GMO Foods
7. Ferruzzi MG Digestion, absorption, and cancer preventative activity of dietary chlorophyll derivatives. Nutrition Research 2007
8. Fahey JW, Stephenson KK, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Egner PA, Kensler TW, Talalay P. Chlorophyll, chlorophyllin and related tetrapyrroles are significant inducers of mammalian phase 2 cytoprotective genes. Carcinogenesis 2005;26:1247 - 55.

You may have heard that 'going organic' is a healthy choice for the farmers, the environment, and your own health. But do you really understand why it's such a positive choice?

This article series explores the benefits of choosing organic.

Some of my previous articles have highlighted health benefits that can be obtained from choosing organic. These range from helping to protect the body from cancer¹ to explaining the profound benefits of nurturing healthy soil² to sharing some of the potentially toxic processes³ and chemicals4 that conventional food can be subjected to.

In some ways I was reluctant to straight out claim that organic food is more nutritious because this is not always true. There are organic food products on the market that have been highly processed into something that is quite far removed from the crop they started from. Throughout this process valuable nutrients are lost and the end result becomes less nutritious for our bodies.

It is also worth mentioning that nutrient levels in the soil can vary a lot within both conventional and organic crops depending on how the farmer or grower approaches soil health.

Additionally, it is important to compare nutrient levels between the same types of crops because nutrient levels vary between types of plants and specific varieties in both conventional and organic growing.

As I mentioned in an earlier article5 soil health is of the utmost importance in organic farming. This is a crucial factor in successful organic growing because quick fix solutions such as synthetic chemical fertilizers are not allowed to be used. Nurturing the soil creates a healthy soil microbiome, which grows healthy plants, which in turn help people to be healthy.

Plants need to use their own inbuilt protection mechanisms to ward off pests because these same protection mechanisms are what provide us with antioxidants for our bodies. If plants are routinely being sprayed with synthetic pesticides the plant loses the requirement to use these amazing natural protection mechanisms. Along with that, the antioxidants that have been linked to optimal health in humans are severely depleted.

There are always going to be studies that show no difference in antioxidant levels between conventional and organic crops. Some studies are repeated over again until beneficial results are found to support whatever corporate giant is funding the study. However there certainly is evidence out there that organically grown crops have higher nutritional content.

A large study carried out meta-analyses based on 343 peerreviewed publications that indicate statistically significant and meaningful differences in composition between organic and non-organic crops/crop-based foods. The concentrations of a range of antioxidants such as polyphenolics were found to be substantially higher in organic crops/crop-based foods.⁶

The 'look' of some organic produce can sometimes put people off eating it because it doesn't seem as appealing. In my experience, I have often found that our customers are pleasantly surprised by how wonderful their 'ugly' looking fruit tastes, and there is also evidence to suggest that it could contain superior nutritional qualities.

Studies have found that apples with 'scabs' on the skin or leaves contained higher antioxidants (phenolic compounds) than scab-free apples and apple leaves.^7,8 Similarly, higher concentrations of resveratrol (an antioxidant) have been found in grape leaves following fungal infection or exposure to ultraviolet light.⁹

These results all connect back to the plant needing to work hard to fight for its survival. The inbuilt protective mechanisms kick in and these same protection mechanisms are what provide us with antioxidants. To remind you once more, a plant that has been sprayed with synthetic pesticides does not require these mechanisms for protection from pests, and therefore is unlikely to have antioxidants in the same concentrations that a plant which has not been subjected to synthetic pesticides will have.

With this in mind, give that 'ugly' looking fruit a bit of a chance—you might be pleasantly surprised by the taste and it's highly likely that it's better for you too.

1. https://www.justorganic.co.nz/why-go-organic-reason-7-help-protect-againstcancer/
2. https://www.justorganic.co.nz/why-go-organic-reason-2-healthy-soil-healthybody/
3. https://www.justorganic.co.nz/why-choose-organic-reason-4-irradiation/
4. https://www.justorganic.co.nz/why-go-organic-reason-1-glyphosate/
5. https://www.justorganic.co.nz/why-go-organic-reason-2-healthy-soil-healthybody/
6. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/higher-antioxidant-and-lower-cadmium-concentrations-and-lower-incidenceof-pesticide-residues-in-organically-grown-crops-a-systematic-literature-review-and-meta-analyses/33F09637EAE6C4ED119E0C4BFFE2D5B1/corereader#
7. http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/PubDat_194363.pdf
8. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10535-011-0176-6#/page-1
9. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0048405976900771

You may have heard that ‘going organic’ is a healthy choice for the farmers, the environment, and your own health. But do you really understand why it’s such a positive choice? This article series explores the benefits of choosing organic.

Reason 1: Glyphosate
You may be aware that organic food and products are produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or chemicals. Advocates of conventional farming (the type that does allow use of these artificial substances) argue that recommended levels of these chemicals are not exceeded.

This statement may be true for one chemical in one product but it does not consider the sheer number of potentially toxic chemicals that we are subjected to in modern society—in our food, our water, in the materials we use to make products and clothing, and in the air we breathe.

A chemical may be tested and found to be safe at a certain level, but it is unlikely that the full cocktail of chemicals contained in a product have been tested. Molecular biologist Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini has demonstrated that the full formulations of pesticides are much stronger than the declared active ingredient. Additionally, the ‘active’ ingredient may not be the most toxic ingredient in pesticide formulations.¹

Coupled with these issues, there is little consideration for variations in sensitivity between individuals, nor for the consequences of being exposed to so many different chemicals over the course of a day, or a lifetime.

Glyphosate is a chemical under hot discussion in the farming world. Being on the market in the form of the active ingredient in the widely used herbicide Roundup, virtually all conventional produce and food products contain traces of this chemical. As with all subjects of debate, there are many studies that claim Roundup herbicide poses no risk to humans.²

However, in March 2015 the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic in humans” (category 2A) based on epidemiological studies, animal studies, and in vitro studies.^3,4,5

Advocates for organic farming believe it is wise to err on the side of caution—who wants to risk a build-up of toxic residue that could lead to serious health problems? It is much safer to ban ‘questionable’ chemical ingredients and to find a proven safe alternative than to live by the mantra of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’

The links between glyphosate and a wide range of health concerns and conditions are becoming increasingly evident. Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a senior research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has found strong links between glyphosate use, and the rise in celiac disease. She explains that the villi in the gut are destroyed by glyphosate, which reduces the person’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals and can result in gut problems.⁶

Glyphosate has been highlighted as a potential endocrine disruptor⁷ and has shown a strong correlation with the increased incidence of many diseases, from cancer to dementia, to autism.^8,9,10 The World Health organization lists the adverse health effects caused by glyphosate as airway, skin, and mucous membrane irritation, abdominal, pain, nausea, vomiting, shock, dyspnea, respiratory failure.¹¹

For consumers who are not convinced about the safety of food production methods using synthetic chemicals such as glyphosate, the only ways to currently drastically reduce exposure are by choosing certified organic produce and products, growing your own, or by getting food from a local farmer who you know is not using these chemicals.^12,13,14

For those who are not sure how to start shifting from a conventional to an organic diet, or who have concerns around personal budgeting restraints, a good place to start making changes is by focusing on the ‘dirty dozen’— a list of the twelve foods in New Zealand that have been identified as having the highest pesticide residues.

Reason 2: Healthy soil, healthy body
Many people are now choosing organic as one way to help optimize their health and wellbeing. The vitamin and mineral content of fresh produce and other foods will vary based on how the soil is cared for, the environment they are grown in, and how they are processed, among other things.

In organic farming, caring for the soil is of the utmost importance, because it forms the basis for health, for all life forms. As Sophie Grigson and William Black explain, “Healthy soil encourages healthy plants, plants which are strong and disease resistant, which means there is less need for artificial pesticides in organic production.” Their book “Organic—a new way of eating” highlights the fact that if we feed the soil, the plants will look after themselves.¹⁵

Sally Fallon reiterates this in her book “Nourishing Traditions,” when she explains that nitrogen fertilizers used in conventional (non-organic) farming produce high yields, in part by pulling minerals from the soil. In turn, the food suffers because the vitamin and mineral contents are depleted. She explains that vitamin and mineral content between conventional and organic crops can vary hugely, and that some commercially raised oranges have been found to contain NO vitamin C!¹⁶

The old saying ‘you are what you eat’ really does ring true. If you are consuming food that was once a sickly animal who was fed routine courses of antibiotics and a genetically engineered diet of pesticide sprayed grains that it is unable to digest, how healthy do you think you will be?

If you are eating food that has been sprayed copious times with a herbicide that has been engineered to kill EVERYTHING around it, except that particular crop, how do you think this affects the health of the soil, and the subsequent health of your body? Similarly, with the skin being the largest organ in the body, and readily absorbing anything you rub on it, have you considered what is entering your system via this method (by way of creams and lotions)?

Yes, our bodies are amazing, and yes they can process and eliminate a certain degree of ‘rubbish.’ But, when they become overloaded they are unable to summon the resources required to neutralize the onslaught of poisons entering them. Therefore it makes sense to limit our intake of toxins wherever we are able to do so; for example by making organic choices.

Organic farming helps ensure you are receiving the best quality for your body, allowing your cells to be as healthy and strong as possible. Growth hormones, protein rich feeds and the routine use of antibiotics are not allowed, nor are synthetic chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides or pesticides.

If you consider health as a holistic word encompassing people, animals, and the planet, then choosing organic is a positive step in this direction.

Endnotes:

1. “Food Matters – Life matters!” article. Organic NZ magazine. May/June 2015.
2. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/10408444.2013.770820.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyphosate.
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Agency_for_Research_on_Cancer#IARC_categories.
5. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/widely-used-herbicide-linked-to-cancer/.
6. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/14/glyphosate-celiacdisease-connection.aspx.
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257596/.
8. http://www.organic-systems.org/journal/92/JOS_Volume-9_Number-2_Nov_2014-Swanson-et-al.pdf.
9. https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/monsantos-roundup-enough-make-yousick.
10. https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/monsantos-sealed-documentsreveal-truth-behind-roundups-toxicological-dangers.
11. http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/86/3/07-041814-table-T1.html.
12. https://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/120.
13. “Organic – a new way of eating.” Sophie Grigson and William Black. Headline Book Publishing 2001.
14. “Nourishing Traditions." The Cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats. Revised second edition. Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig. Ph.D. 1999, 2001 New trends Publishing Inc.
15. http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/policy-law/food-monitoring-programmes/foodact-1981/frsp/documents.htm.
16. http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/elibrary/industry/2003_04-Analyses_Environmental.pdf