Health Benefits of Wheatgrass

By Irina Bright.

This article is part of our Health & Foods section

wheatgrass powder Wheatgrass powder.

Wheatgrass powder is a popular green whole food which bursts with a whole array of essential nutrients including vitamins, minerals, enzymes and numerous other compounds. (Ref. 1)

We believe that one of its most powerful compounds is chlorophyll which gives wheatgrass its green colour. Chlorophyll is essential for waste removal and detoxification of our bodies. It also supports the production of red blood cells and thus contributes to the efficient oxygenation of tissues and cells deep inside the body. (Ref. 1)

Apart from that, wheatgrass is a great food for re-vitaminizing the body - especially if the body has been starved of healthy nutrition over a long period of time.

Thanks to its health-boosting properties, wheatgrass may contribute positively to treating many chronic conditions - specifically the ones which have vitamin deficiency as their root cause.

By bringing the body back into its natural balance, wheatgrass - consumed alongside other superfoods - makes a good natural source of energy and a contributor to general well-being.

Health Benefits of Wheatgrass

Much of wheatgrass's healing potential comes from its anti-oxidant capacity.

A study shows that wheatgrass supplementation may be able to fight oxidative stress by increasing the levels of powerful anti-oxidants: glutathione and vitamin C, and to improve lipid levels. (Ref. 2)

Wheatgrass may have a good potential for dealing with cancer. It may possibly reduce tumour growth, improve anti-oxidant status and elevate the levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase, and reduce lipid peroxidation, as was shown in an experiment with mice. (Ref. 3)

One remarkable study demonstrated that wheatgrass, in fact, may protect the blood against a highly toxic conventional treatment for cancer - chemotherapy. (Ref. 4)

Healthy intestinal function is very important for the long-term health of our entire body. Wheatgrass may have beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract - and for this reason it is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat related disorders.

In one study, 1-month supplementation with wheatgrass juice resulted in a clinical improvement in 78% of patients with ulcerative colitis. No side effects were reported. (Ref. 5)

Always consult a nutritional therapist if you are planning to take wheatgrass for a medical condition.


Written by:     Irina Bright
Original publication date:     2013
Updates:     2020
Republication date:     2020


References.

1. Satyavati Rana, Jaspreet Kaur Kamboj, and Vandana Gandhi (2011). Living life the natural way - Wheatgrass and Health. Published by The Journal of Functional Foods in Health and Disease. Retrieved February 17, 2013 from: https://functionalfoodscenter.net/files/49461571.pdf

2. Sethi J, Yadav M, Dahiya K, Sood S, Singh V, Bhattacharya SB (May 2010). Antioxidant effect of Triticum aestivium (wheat grass) in high-fat diet-induced oxidative stress in rabbits. Published in Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology. Retrieved July 12, 2013 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20508870

3. Arya P, Kumar M (2011). Chemoprevention by Triticum Aestivum of mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by DMBA and croton oil - association with oxidative status. Published by Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention. Retrieved July 12, 2013 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21517247

4. Bar-Sela G, Tsalic M, Fried G, Goldberg H (2007). Wheat grass juice may improve hematological toxicity related to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: a pilot study. Published in Nutrition and cancer. Retrieved July 12, 2013 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17571966

5. Fei Ke, Praveen Kumar Yadav, and Liu Zhan Ju (2012). Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis. Published in The Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology. Retrieved July 12, 2013 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3271691/