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Benefits of Fresh Wheatgrass

Mar 7, 2011 | By Caleb McAllister

Wheatgrass can be eaten raw, blended into smoothies, consumed as juice or taken in pill, tablet or capsule form. It is simply a young, early stage version of the wheat plant that produces the grain that is used to make flour. Just like most fruits and vegetables, wheatgrass can be beneficial nutritionally. There is too little evidence available at this point, however, to state definitively that it can provide more significant healing qualities.

History

The consumption of wheatgrass was primarily popularized in the 1960s. The face of the wheatgrass advocacy movement was Ann Wigmore, a woman who believed that she had recovered from ulcerative colitis by regularly using wheatgrass juice. Use of wheatgrass has been advocated since the 1930s, however. The promotion was based around the idea that 15 lbs. of wheatgrass contained the nutritional value of 350 lbs. of vegetables.

Nutrition

Wheatgrass is only 10 calories for a 3,500 mg serving. That serving size contains about 800 mg protein, which is used in muscle creation and repair, and 600 mg fiber, which is important for a healthy digestion. Wheatgrass also contains significant levels of a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, including vitamin A, B-12, C, E, K, calcium, potassium, folic acid and riboflavin, among others.

Disease-Fighting Claims

Wheatgrass advocates have claimed for years that it can be used to treat many different conditions and diseases, including cancer and diabetes. Most of these claims are based on the high chlorophyll content of the wheatgrass, which some believe can help the body to produce more ATP, which is used for energy, as well as to produce more red blood cells. Similar to the debate over wheatgrass itself, there is still significant debate over the exact benefit or effect of chlorophyll on the human body.

Research

Claims abound regarding the health benefits and curative properties of wheatgrass. While the nutritional value of wheatgrass cannot be disputed, according to MayoClinic.com, no "significant" studies have validated the claims. Since wheatgrass is high in protein and fiber, low in fat, and packed with many different nutrients, it is certainly beneficial to your overall health, at least in most cases. So far, however, evidence has not supported claims that it is a miracle cure or that it provides more benefits than a balanced diet of other fruits and vegetables would provide.

References

Article reviewed by Helen Covington Last updated on: Mar 7, 2011

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