When chlorophyll is removed from plants, it breaks down quickly. The ingredient in most over-the-counter chlorophyll products, however, is not a natural compound. The therapeutic potential of chlorophyll has intrigued scientists for much of the past century. A phytochemical, chlorophyll puts the green in dark leafy greens. It’s the primary molecule essential for photosynthesis, absorbing the sunlight and turning it into energy for plants and blue-green algae (a type of bacteria). “We noticed this in waves tied to the first viral TikTok in January and again in March.”Ĭhlorophyll is all around us: in the verdant trees, in the spinach at the salad bar, in the philodendrons by our windowsills. In an email, a spokeswoman from Whole Foods Market said that chlorophyll supplement sales in their stores increased, too, with some selling out. Sales of water with chlorophyll also jumped 356 percent in the same time period. In the past year, consumers in the United States spent $6.7 million on supplements of chlorophyll and chlorella (a type of algae), a 17 percent increase from the year before, according to the market research company SPINS. Yet the messaging is as powerful as ever. The claims about the seemingly endless powers of chlorophyll are not new, only the social media platforms for making them are.
After adding a few drops of liquid chlorophyll to glasses of water, they drink, and poof! Their complexions clear, their tummies become less bloated, their body odor improves, all typically within a week.
On TikTok, young people with glowing skin can be seen sipping magic green potions. It has been updated to reflect the latest developments.
This story was originally published on Nov.