There's been a wave of claims recently—specifically, on TikTok—that chlorophyll water is the hot, new treatment for solving many health and beauty problems. Celebs like Kourtney Kardashian have hopped on the trend by imbibing the stuff daily, while countless other TikTokers have documented their experiences "drinking their greens" instead of eating them.
Intrigued by the rumors and viral videos about how it can clear up your skin (I've been having some breakouts of my own lately), I decided to try drinking chlorophyll water for seven days to see if it would have any effect on my complexion. Plus, if it could help my body feel good as well, it would be like a two-for-one deal. Here's how it went.
(But first, an important thing to note is that no matter how many people tell you a certain product is the "best" thing to put in your body, or if one person has seen amazing results from a certain diet or food, every single body is different. Following the latest food, diet, or wellness trend you see on social media isn't advisable unless you do your research or clear it with your doctor first.)
I'm glad you asked! Chlorophyll is the pigment in plants that makes them green and helps them turn sunlight into energy via photosynthesis. Of course, you can naturally ingest chlorophyll through a plant-rich diet, but if, like me, you're not a big fan of eating greens like spinach, kale, veggies, etc., some say you may be able to get the same effects by drinking chlorophyll water, which contains chlorophyllin.
Chlorophyllin—the water-soluble form of chlorophyll—is a potent antioxidant that contains vitamins A, C, E, and K. Studies show that chlorophyllin can protect free radical damage from occurring within your mitochondria, which can lead to a host of benefits. According to several different sources, drinking a glass of chlorophyll water a day may:
True, chlorophyll's antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits may sound impressive, but there's no science that shows specifically that chlorophyll water will get rid of acne. Plus, chlorophyll water is not something that's been approved by the FDA, as the below video notes.
Still, doctors and dermatologists have stood behind chlorophyll's acne-fighting powers on TikTok. Plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, M.D., and celebrity dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe both approve of and have touted the benefits of drinking chlorophyll water for your skin.
Some TikTokers who've tried drinking chlorophyll water note that side effects include staining your teeth green, making your stool green, and/or nausea. Nutrition experts also warn to make sure there's no potassium sorbate in the ingredients list of the chlorophyll drops or bottled water you decide to purchase, and to drink it in a glass container in order to get the most benefits.
My 7-Day Experiment: Day 1
Rachel Langrehr
For the product, I bought a 100 mg, 16-ounce bottle of World Organics Chlorophyll Supplement on Amazon.
The instructions on the bottle told me to add 1 tablespoon of chlorophyllin to a tall glass of water. I filled my glass to the brim with ice so it was extra cold… because it tastes absolutely terrible at room temperature. In fact, at first sip, my taste buds were not excited for the next seven days of this madness. Also, it did not smell good, so I don't recommend smelling the bottle.
Some people on TikTok say it tastes minty (turns out, there are peppermint flavors available), but the flavor of mine reminded me more of matcha. It left a gritty aftertaste and just made my glass of filtered water taste like dirty tap water (I quickly learned that a ton of ice helps combat this). It wasn't bitter enough where I couldn't drink it, but it was enough that I had to distract myself in order to get it down quickly.
Case-in-point: I downed my first glass sitting outside in front of my judgy family who couldn't believe I was drinking my greens. And honestly, me neither. I'm one of those people who hates drinking water and thinks two bottles of Vitamin Water a day is enough to keep me hydrated. I get headaches pretty often and it's probably due to the fact that I'm always dehydrated, so forcing myself to drink way more water was definitely a considerable factor in this experiment.
Immediately after finishing the chlorophyll water, I noticed my tongue was stained green, as were my teeth. Cool. Maybe I just needed to brush a little harder that morning?
I woke up feeling refreshed and noticed I had slept more soundly than normal. Perhaps this was because I had more energy during the day to do things (was it the extra water?) and didn't suffer my usual caffeine crash. That said, it was also Sunday, so I didn't have to set an alarm.
Around lunch, I got to my green glass of cold chlorophyll water and was met with another green tongue, gritty aftertaste, but no green teeth. I did a good job brushing. *self-high five*
Weirdly, the chlorophyll water also inspired me to eat better. Although it wasn't a salad, I think drinking something green helped my mind make the switch that I was putting something healthy in my body… sort of like a placebo effect? Usually, I love a good cheeseburger from Wendy's or a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A, but I found I wasn't craving those fast-food meals as much.
The third day is when I really started to feel the benefits of drinking a big glass of water each day. Instead of being hit with a bad case of the Mondays, I got right to work and made myself a clean breakfast (skipped the bacon and had some fruit salad with eggs).
At lunchtime, I made my green drink, which tasted so much worse on day three. I was craving a green smoothie, so being met with bland, gritty, green water instead was not pleasant. However, I noticed no new acne forming on my face, which was a huge self-confidence boost. And yet, I was still skeptical that it was the chlorophyllin working its magic.
Overall, I was proud of myself for really sticking to this routine and starting off my week on a high note.
Day 4:
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Anddddd I siked myself out.
For some reason, being proud of myself the day before only made the next day harder. One small victory seemed to be enough for me, and gosh, was it hard to get myself to drink a full glass of chlorophyll water.
The benefit I noticed the fourth day was my digestion. I had this overwhelming feeling of "cleanliness." My stomach felt good, so I decided to stick to my green drink ritual around lunchtime for consistency's sake. I didn't notice any new colors in my bowel movements (lol), though. Maybe I needed to be drinking more or adding more greens to my diet to really see a difference? In any case, having a green tongue was enough for me.
Day 5:
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The fifth day of chlorophyll water was just as surprising as the fourth day. My skin "seemed" to be clearing up, and I still saw a huge improvement in my digestion. My body was really agreeing with the amount of water I was putting in it, as well as the foods in my diet.
I drank my chlorophyll water without any complaints. Being over the fourth-day hump and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel made me feel motivated.
Ok, the sixth day was my favorite. My skin felt more hydrated, my breakouts became less noticeable, and the redness and irritation went down all over my face. I was a big fan of chlorophyll water this day.
My body was starting to completely reset and it felt like it and was rewarding me for my five days of awesomeness in the clean eating department. I was just waiting for karma to hit me at this point.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Day 7:
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The last day really reminded me of that final lap of the mile you had to run in eighth grade. I kid you not when I tell you it took everything in me to finish that last glass of chlorophyll water… but VICTORY! I did it. And now I can finally put this stuff away.
My Final Verdict:
Although I appreciated the struggle of drinking chlorophyll water every day alongside my fellow daring TikTokers, it's not something that I'm going to be adding to my diet full-time. Drinking it was rough—it felt like doing an unwanted cleanse.
Yes, I noticed an improvement in my skin. It did look more clear to me. And who knows what it could have done after more than seven days. But, while I appreciated that benefit, I don't agree that chlorophyll water is a one-size-fits-all product if you're looking for a quick fix for your breakouts.
More importantly, what this week really taught me was to continue to feed myself clean foods and drink. More. Water. Period. My body needs it! I felt cleaner the whole time I was consistently drinking more water, even if it had chlorophyll in it, and it inspired me to eat healthier all week. I think those two things were the key to the benefits I saw.
Again, it's important to remember that what works for one person doesn't always work for another. Always do your research and don't get your medical advice from social media. Thanks for following along only my journey!
