Wheatgrass is, as its name states, part of the wheat family. Although it is a wheat product, it is actually gluten-free. This is because the grass has already emerged from the seed grains into tender, green shoots. Sprouted wheatgrass no longer contains allergen agents such as gluten and is therefore safe for those with gluten sensitivities and celiac disease to consume. Wheatgrass is generally consumed fresh, often pressed into juice, allowing the energy-boosting vital nutrients to be absorbed immediately by your body. This fresh green grass is packed with nutrients and beneficial benefits for your body, especially for detoxification.
Detox and purify
Wheatgrass is considered a superfood – loaded with vitamins and minerals; it can help purify the body, removing toxins, heavy metals and cancer-causing agents from the liver and bloodstream. The chlorophyll and other nutrients found in wheatgrass help reduce cell-damaging free radicals in the body. The damaging free radical molecules make it difficult for your body to repair itself and can cause organ degeneration and signs of aging. Wheatgrass also works with your kidneys and liver to cleanse toxins from your body. Sometimes, your food can actually contaminate your body – and that’s why you need to detox. The vitamins and nutrients it contains assist with the extraction of toxins and boosts your gut’s ability to extract nutrients from the food you eat.
Facilitate digestion
The natural ability of wheatgrass to purify the body helps your digestive system function at a more efficient level. It aids the gut in fully extracting macro and micronutrients from your food. For those with IBS or other gastric issues, wheatgrass can reduce the symptoms. Wheatgrass is one of the better options for a colonic. It’s fresh, vitamin-packed nature lends itself to easy absorption. Ingested in this manner, your body is very easily able to extract all the vitamins and nutrients found in the plant. It’s also packed with necessary amino acids, the building blocks of your body.
Increase your metabolism
Wheatgrass contains nutrients that stimulate your thyroid gland – the part of your brain that controls your metabolism. As you age, your metabolism slows, thus reducing the amount of energy your body expends. This can lead to weight gain and reduced energy. Adding wheatgrass to your diet can help improve your thyroid function – boosting its efficiency and helping raise your metabolism. For those with thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism, adding wheatgrass to a daily juice or smoothie may benefit you.
Lower cholesterol
High cholesterol in the body leads to poor blood flow and heart disease. By introducing wheatgrass to a high-fat diet, you could experience a significant reduction in bad cholesterol as well as a positive improvement in good cholesterol (HDL). Wheatgrass can help reduce your risk of heart disease caused by high cholesterol in a natural, organic way. The detoxifying properties of wheatgrass stimulate the production of a compound called glutathione in the liver, helping reduce the amount of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood.
Boost your immune system
Cold and flu season can wreak havoc on your body’s immune system. Incorporating wheatgrass into a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of contracting a cold or the flu. With its naturally high levels of Vitamins A and C – more vitamin C than two oranges and twice the amount of vitamin A per serving than carrots, wheatgrass can help ward off illness. A single 2 ounce serving of wheatgrass per day can give your body the extra vitamin boost you need to keep colds and the flu at bay. You may even see a reduction in your chances of contracting a more serious respiratory condition such as bronchitis.
Lower blood pressure
High blood pressure can lead to heart disease or stroke, and may often by symptomless. Adding wheatgrass to your diet may help reduce the strain on your heart by opening up your blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow. Reducing your cholesterol, both through dietary choices and by including wheatgrass to a healthy fruit and vegetable juice, can aid in preventing hypertension or high blood pressure. By dilating your arteries, wheatgrass helps the blood pass more smoothly, reducing the effort your heart has to make to pump.
Increase your energy
If you find yourself in an afternoon slump, a 2 ounce shot of wheatgrass – either alone or as part of a tasty juice – can give you the pick-me-up you need to finish a work project or important deadline. Wheatgrass can help open up your blood vessels, allowing more oxygen-rich blood flow to the brain and body. For those who enjoy working out, choosing wheatgrass as a pre-workout supplement versus one created from artificial chemicals may result in an extra boost of energy and stamina to achieve their fitness goals. This is because of wheatgrass’s ability to supply red blood cells to the whole body, which in turn brings more oxygen to every cell within your body.
Balances hormones
Many women experience side effects of fluctuations in their hormone levels. These can include PMS or PMDD symptoms as part of their monthly cycle or can be part or menopausal experience. Consuming wheatgrass can help regulate your thyroid function and adrenal system, thereby balancing the release of hormones in the body. Not only women benefit from the hormone regulation. Men, too, can have fluctuating hormone levels, including high levels of cortisol, adrenal fatigue, or low testosterone. When your adrenal system is working properly, you tend to feel more fully in balance.
Nutrients found in wheatgrass
Verdant wheatgrass is an excellent dietary source of chlorophyll, which contains plenty of Vitamin C. It also contains iron, needed for oxygen-rich blood, and electrolytes including magnesium and calcium. Low in calories, natural sugar, and fat-free, wheatgrass gives you plenty of nutrients without adding a bunch of extra calories to your diet. Powerful anti-oxidants, useful to encourage healthy cell regeneration and prevent free radical damage, are also potent in wheatgrass.
Adding wheatgrass to your diet
Wheatgrass is versatile and can be added to a healthy diet in several different ways. For those who desire the vitamin power of wheatgrass but don’t care for the taste, dried wheatgrass capsules or powder are a good alternative. Wheatgrass is also a popular ingredient in combination juices, or alone as a shot. A local juice bar or organic foods store generally carries both freshly pressed wheatgrass and bottled wheatgrass juice for consumption at home. If you own a juicer, you can even purchase wheatgrass plants and make your own shots.