Chlorophyll
Wellness Profiles — Plant Pigments
Chlorophyll is the natural green pigment that allows plants to capture light energy for photosynthesis. It is responsible for much of the green colour found in leaves, herbs, grasses, and many vegetables.
The two principal forms found in edible green plants are chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Together, they make up most of the chlorophyll naturally present in foods.
Although chlorophyll is often discussed alongside carotenoids because both are important plant pigments found in chloroplasts, chlorophyll is not itself a carotenoid. Carotenoids are primarily yellow, orange, and red pigments, while chlorophylls are chemically distinct green pigments.
For health and wellness, chlorophyll is best viewed as one of the many naturally occurring compounds obtained by eating green plant foods rather than as an essential nutrient on its own.
Potential Health & Wellness Benefits
Research into chlorophyll and chlorophyll-derived compounds has explored several possible biological activities.
Antioxidant Activity
Chlorophyll and some of its derivatives have demonstrated antioxidant activity in laboratory studies. Antioxidants help limit oxidative reactions that can damage cells and other biological molecules.
However, laboratory antioxidant activity does not necessarily translate directly into a demonstrated health benefit in humans, and more human research is needed.
Interaction With Certain Unwanted Compounds
One particularly interesting area of chlorophyll research involves its ability to bind with certain compounds in the digestive tract.
Laboratory and limited human research suggests chlorophyll and chlorophyllin can form molecular complexes with substances such as aflatoxin B1 and some compounds produced during high-temperature cooking. This interaction may reduce the amount of some of these compounds absorbed by the body.
This research is promising but should not be interpreted as evidence that chlorophyll prevents cancer or treats disease.
Supporting a Plant-Rich Diet
One of the most practical wellness benefits of chlorophyll-rich foods may come from what their green colour represents.
Foods rich in chlorophyll are frequently also sources of:
- vitamins
- minerals
- carotenoids
- polyphenols
- fibre
- other naturally occurring phytochemicals
Dark-green leafy vegetables are among the richest dietary sources of natural chlorophyll.
Eating a variety of green plants therefore provides chlorophyll as part of a much broader mixture of nutrients and phytochemicals rather than as an isolated compound.
Chlorophyll A and Chlorophyll B
Plants primarily contain two forms:
Chlorophyll a is the major photosynthetic pigment responsible for capturing light energy.
Chlorophyll b acts as an accessory pigment, helping plants capture additional wavelengths of light and transferring that energy into the photosynthetic system.
Both occur naturally in green leaves and other photosynthetically active plant tissues.
Native Ontario Plants Containing Chlorophyll
Because chlorophyll occurs throughout photosynthetically active green plant tissue, Ontario's native green plants provide many examples.
Sweetgrass (Hierochloë odorata)
Sweetgrass is a perennial aromatic grass native to parts of Ontario and other regions of North America. Its green blades contain chlorophyll while actively growing.
Sweetgrass has important cultural and traditional uses, particularly among Indigenous peoples. It should not simply be treated as an ordinary edible green because its significance extends far beyond its chemical composition.
Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum)
Wild leek, also commonly called ramps, is native to Ontario's deciduous forests. Its broad green spring leaves contain chlorophyll along with numerous other plant compounds.
Wild populations should be harvested extremely carefully, if at all, because colonies can be damaged by excessive harvesting.
Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Ostrich fern occurs naturally in Ontario. Its green fronds contain chlorophyll, while the young tightly curled shoots are the familiar fiddleheads.
Only correctly identified edible fiddleheads should be used as food, and fiddleheads require proper cleaning and cooking before eating.
Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum)
Nodding onion is a native North American Allium found in Ontario. Its green leaves contain chlorophyll and, like other members of the onion family, it also contains a variety of sulfur-containing plant compounds.
Plants That Can Be Grown Indoors Year-Round
Growing green plants indoors provides a practical way of maintaining access to fresh plant material throughout Ontario's winter.
The following plants all contain chlorophyll in their green photosynthetically active tissues.
Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Sweet basil is particularly well suited to indoor growing. Its green leaves contain chlorophyll and numerous aromatic and phenolic compounds. Regular harvesting can encourage continued leafy growth under adequate indoor lighting.
Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Holy basil, or tulsi, produces chlorophyll-containing green leaves and can be maintained indoors with sufficient warmth and light.
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
Peppermint's green leaves contain chlorophyll along with the aromatic compounds responsible for its characteristic flavour and scent. It can grow very successfully in containers indoors.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Dandelion leaves contain both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Research measuring fresh dandelion leaves has directly confirmed substantial amounts of both pigments.
Dandelion can also be grown indoors in relatively small containers, providing continually harvestable young greens.
Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)
Broadleaf plantain contains measurable chlorophyll in its leaves. Studies examining Plantago major have directly measured chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b.
Young leaves can be grown and harvested in relatively small indoor spaces.
Narrowleaf Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
Narrowleaf plantain also contains chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Research directly measuring its leaves confirms the presence of both pigments.
Its relatively narrow growth habit makes it another possible plant for small-space cultivation.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
The large grey-green leaves of mullein contain chlorophyll despite appearing less intensely green than plants such as basil. The lighter appearance comes partly from the dense covering of hairs on its leaves.
Mullein can become quite large, so young plants are considerably easier to maintain in restricted indoor growing spaces.
Hot Peppers (Capsicum annuum and related species)
The green leaves of pepper plants contain chlorophyll. Developing pepper fruits also contain chlorophyll while green, but much of it breaks down as many varieties ripen and their yellow, orange, or red carotenoid pigments become more visible.
Compact pepper varieties can be productive indoor plants when supplied with strong lighting.
Carolina Reaper (Capsicum chinense)
Carolina Reaper plants contain chlorophyll in their green leaves and immature green peppers. As the fruit ripens toward its characteristic red colour, chlorophyll declines while other pigments become increasingly dominant.
The peppers contain extremely high concentrations of capsaicinoids and require careful handling.
True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
True or English lavender contains chlorophyll in its green-grey foliage. Scientific studies of Lavandula angustifolia directly measure chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b as indicators of plant health and photosynthetic performance.
Lavender 'Dwarf Munstead' (Lavandula angustifolia)
As a compact cultivar of English lavender, Dwarf Munstead also contains chlorophyll in its foliage. Its smaller growth habit can make it particularly practical for indoor container growing when strong lighting and good drainage are provided.
Lavender Hidcote Blue Strain (Lavandula angustifolia)
Hidcote is another English lavender type whose living green-grey leaves contain chlorophyll. Like other lavenders, it generally performs best indoors when given substantial light and conditions that prevent the roots from remaining excessively wet.
French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas)
French lavender contains chlorophyll in its photosynthetic leaves. It can be maintained in containers but generally requires strong light indoors.
French lavender should not automatically be treated as interchangeable with culinary English lavender simply because both belong to Lavandula.
Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
Tobacco leaves contain chlorophyll while they are green and actively growing. Chlorophyll is one of the pigments that changes substantially as tobacco leaves mature, senesce, or are cured.
Tobacco is included here only because it was specifically checked for chlorophyll. It should not be considered a dietary or wellness source of chlorophyll. Tobacco contains nicotine and other potentially harmful compounds.
Your Plants — Chlorophyll Findings
All of the plants checked for this profile contain chlorophyll in their living green photosynthetic tissues:
Lavender Hidcote Blue Strain — Yes
French Lavender — Yes
Lavender 'Dwarf Munstead' — Yes
True Lavender — Yes
Tobacco — Yes
Sweetgrass — Yes
Carolina Reaper — Yes
Hot Peppers — Yes
Peppermint — Yes
Holy Basil — Yes
Sweet Basil — Yes
Mullein — Yes
Broadleaf Plantain — Yes
Narrowleaf Plantain — Yes
Dandelion — Yes
The amount of chlorophyll can vary considerably depending on the plant, leaf age, light exposure, growing conditions, environmental stress, harvesting time, storage, and processing.
Fresh, Dried & Processed Plants
Chlorophyll is not completely stable after harvesting.
Heat, acids, drying conditions, storage, and exposure to light can alter chlorophyll or convert it into related compounds. This is one reason cooked or dried greens can change from bright green to olive-green or brownish colours.
Interestingly, measured chlorophyll concentrations per unit of weight can sometimes appear higher in dried material because removing water concentrates the remaining plant material. This does not necessarily mean drying created additional chlorophyll.
For example, research on dandelion has found measurable chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in both fresh and shade-dried leaves.
Chlorophyll vs. Chlorophyllin
Natural chlorophyll and chlorophyllin should not be considered the same thing.
Natural chlorophyll is the magnesium-containing pigment occurring naturally in plants.
Commercial "liquid chlorophyll" supplements frequently contain sodium copper chlorophyllin, a semi-synthetic, water-soluble derivative in which copper replaces the magnesium found in natural chlorophyll.
Research performed using chlorophyllin therefore cannot automatically be applied to natural chlorophyll obtained from plants.
A Practical Wellness Approach
For everyday health and wellness, there is little reason to depend on highly marketed chlorophyll supplements simply to obtain chlorophyll.
Growing and eating appropriate green plants provides chlorophyll alongside the many other nutrients and phytochemicals naturally present in the plant.
Indoor-growing options such as basil, peppermint, dandelion, plantain, and peppers can make fresh green plant material available throughout the year, even when outdoor growing space is unavailable.
That fits a broader wellness approach: grow what you can, learn what your plants contain, and use that knowledge to create practical options for your own health and wellness.
Disclaimer
This Wellness Profile is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Chlorophyll-containing plants and supplements should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Plant safety, preparation, medications, allergies, pregnancy, and individual health conditions should be considered before using plants or supplements for wellness purposes.
