Glossary of Foods: Wheatgrass

If you've already jumped on the green smoothie bandwagon, a venture into wheatgrass juice may be the next healthful step in your green beverage education. Wheatgrass is trending as the latest and greatest food for a blast of health and wellness. From detoxing the body to improving skin texture to healing the body inside and out, wheatgrass has a slew of benefits that have wellness gurus buzzing.

Wheatgrass looks more like lawn trimmings than the latest superfood! The young blades of grass of the common wheat plant are harvested before the wheat seed begins to form. The fresh wheatgrass is usually juiced with a manual juicer and consumed as a beverage. The flavor is described as unmistakably green, but also mild and slightly sweet. A small shot of juice is all it takes to reap the benefits of these unassuming little plants.

But what makes a shot of this green juice so powerful? Chlorophyll. All plant life absorbs sunlight and converts it to chlorophyll. Chlorophyll closely resembles our own blood and exhibits powerful cleansing and healing effects in the body. Wheatgrass contains almost 70 pecent chlorophyll, so you get a lot of green power in a small shot! Plus, wheatgrass is rich in essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals.

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While no studies have proven the positive health benefits of wheatgrass, many who try wheatgrass tout its numerous health benefits and swear by the "one-a-day" practice. Wheatgrass can help with the daily detoxification of the body. Taken on an empty stomach for maximum absorption, wheatgrass is highly alkalizing and can help cleanse the body. Wheatgrass drinkers also profess its healing benefits for the skin, anti-bacterial properties, and gastrointestinal support. From the boost in healthy red blood cells, many enthusiasts also report feeling a boost of energy after consuming their daily wheatgrass.

The fresher the wheatgrass, the better. If you're pondering getting some to juice at home, be warned. It takes a lot (we mean a LOT!) of fresh wheatgrass to make a single green shot. Make it easy on yourself and eliminate the toil and mess required to have a shot at home! Some juice and smoothie bars now offer shots of wheatgrass to drink or add to your beverage. Natural markets or grocers may carry frozen wheatgrass juice for you to have at home. It's also possible to purchase wheatgrass in powdered form to mix into a drink or smoothie. Specialty wheatgrass retailers exist online, as well.

Try wheatgrass as a healthy addition to your lean, green lifestyle!

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