Wheatgrass is the latest trend in healthy eating that has people scratching their heads.
Wheatgrass isn’t the same kind of grass that grows on your lawn. Instead, it’s the young sprouts of the wheat plant.
Surprisingly, these blades of grass contain an incredible amount of nutrients and antioxidants.
Wheatgrass Is Rich In Nutrients
Wheatgrass is full of protein, dietary fiber and antioxidants.
It also contains, Vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, Potassium, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium (1).
Wheatgrass is also high in chlorophyll, which has an almost identical chemical structure to hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells that helps them carry oxygen.
Because of its close resemblance to hemoglobin, it’s believed that chlorophyll helps increase oxygen concentration in the blood (2). A 2004 study even found that patients with a blood disorder called thalassaemia required fewer blood transfusions when given wheatgrass daily (3).
Wheatgrass Fights Cancer
Wheatgrass can be used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and colon and liver cancer (4,5,6).
It’s also an important component of the alkaline diet, which is meant to fight both inflammation and cancer, which thrive in acidic bodies (7).
How To Take Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass can be purchased as fresh juice or easy to use powder and capsules.
To use, it’s recommended that your drink 1-2 fluid ounces of fresh-squeezed juice daily or take 1 tablespoon wheatgrass powder (1-3 times a day); or 7 to 10 wheatgrass tablets (500 mg) a day (8).
Is Wheatgrass Gluten-Free?
Wheatgrass does not contain gluten because these cereal grasses are harvested prior to jointing, before the grain forms and any gluten is present.
Gluten is found only in the seed kernel (endosperm) and not in the stem and grass leaves. (9)
However, due to processing, many pre-packaged foods that contain “wheatgrass” may be contaminated by gluten when they are manufactured.
The only way to make sure that it’s not contaminated would be to grow it yourself and harvest it before the plant starts producing gluten.
How To Grow Wheatgrass At Home (Starts at 1:50)
You’ll Need:
- Organic winter wheat seeds or wheat berries.
- A fine mesh strainer
- A clean cotton towel
- A large glass bowl
- A medium sprouting tray
*Everything can be found in most health food stores or online.
Instructions:
- Rinse seeds under cold water using your strainer. The quantity of seeds needed for this process depends on the tray you’ll be using.
- In the morning, place them in a bowl, cover with filtered water and soak them, covered, for 8-12 hours.
- At night, rinse well and let them drain by placing the strainer in your empty glass bowl and cover with a towel.
- Repeat the rinsing process every morning and night, being careful not to soak them, for 3 days. You’ll see the seeds gradually begin to sprout.
- On the third evening, prepare your sprouting tray according to instructions and spread the sprouts evenly along the elevate tier.
- Combine two tablespoons of baking soda into a standard spray bottle filled with warm water.
- Spray your sprouts generously to avoid mold.
- Cover your tray with a thick towel or lid until the second or third day of sprouting. The tray should be kept in indirect sunlight to get healthier and sweeter grass.
- Spray once a day (or twice if using a towel) to keep your sprouts healthy.
- Within a few days your grass will be long enough to harvest and enjoy. You can also grow your grass in potting soil to increase nutritional value. Find out how here.