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What are the health benefits of wheatgrass? Not only can wheatgrass help balance the body’s acidity and lower cholesterol, this plant is a rich source of a of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Bonus! It’s also easy to incorporate into your diet. As a pill, powder or homemade shot, wheatgrass has the power to help keep your body healthy. Here’s how.
If you haven’t tried wheatgrass, you will want to after you’ve read this article! Wheatgrass, otherwise known as Triticum aestivum is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E, amino acids, iron and more, making it a healthy addition to any diet. Wheatgrass has an earthy flavor and has become popular as a health drink, both as a shot or in juice. Wheatgrass can also be consumed in a variety of other ways including tablets, powders or pills.
The Benefits of Wheatgrass: 6 Reasons Why This is No Ordinary Plant
The benefits of wheatgrass really all boil down to its massive amount of chlorophyll. This nutrient rich substance is the part of a plant cell that takes in sunlight and causes green pigmentation. Here are 6 wheatgrass health benefits that will make you want to add this into superfood your daily diet.
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Wheatgrass is loaded with antioxidants which help fight free radicals
Antioxidants restore, restore, restore. And wheatgrass, like matcha, is loaded with these powerful nutrients! Some of the powerhouse antioxidants in wheatgrass include alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, vitamin C and glutathione. These antioxidants can help reduce and prevent free radical damage, which occurs when highly reactive cells damage healthy cell structure. This damage can include signs of aging and lead to the initial development of some diseases. Thanks to the high amounts of antioxidants in wheatgrass, consuming wheatgrass is a great antidote to fight free radicals and the damage they can cause on the body. Check out this matcha and wheatgrass blend here.
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The antioxidants in wheatgrass can help boost the immune system
Another benefit of the abundant antioxidants in wheatgrass is they can help strengthen the immune system. Specifically, wheatgrass has high amounts of the antioxidants glutathione and vitamin C, which are particularly important for maintaining and supporting the body’s immune system. Supplementing with wheatgrass can help prevent illness and protect your body from infection and chronic disease.
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Wheatgrass may keep your blood sugar in check
High blood sugar can lead to a lot of unwanted symptoms and other chronic health conditions. Luckily, there are natural ways to keep your blood pressure under control. And wheatgrass just might help do the trick! Wheatgrass has been found to have properties that may help in blood sugar regulation. One study of diabetic rats found that the rats had lower blood sugar levels after consuming wheatgrass. The study found that the wheatgrass helped to adjust the levels of a specific enzyme that actually helped in blood sugar level reduction (1). Another study of diabetic rats also revealed a dramatic decrease in blood sugar levels after 30 days of consuming wheatgrass extract (2). These studies have shown promising results on animals, but more studies on humans are needed to verify the connection between wheatgrass and blood sugar regulation.
4. Wheatgrass can help lower your cholesterol
Over 90 million American adults have cholesterol numbers that are above healthy levels. Most of us know by now that high cholesterol can put you at a higher risk for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the Western world. Supplementing with wheatgrass can help! Wheatgrass helps stabilize lipid levels, making it an incredible asset in cholesterol management. A study performed on rabbits on high-fat diets found that after 10 weeks of taking wheatgrass supplements, the rabbits overall had a lower total cholesterol level and a higher level of HDL cholesterol, otherwise known as “good” cholesterol (4). This means wheatgrass could potentially help those who have heart disease or at-risk for heart conditions.
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Wheatgrass may help relieve inflammation
While inflammation in general is rather normal and is simply your body’s attempt to protect itself against infections or injuries, chronic inflammation is harmful and can lead to serious health conditions including heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. Luckily, some studies have shown that the chlorophyll in wheatgrass may help alleviate chronic inflammation. One test-tube study revealed that compounds found in chlorophyll (which is abundant in wheatgrass) reduced the inflammation in extracted artery cells (5). Another test-tube study showed chlorophyll hindering the activity of a particular inflammation-triggering protein (6). There was even a small human study looking at the effects of wheatgrass juice on 23 people with active ulcerative colitis. After a month of taking wheatgrass juice, these patients had reduced inflammation and reduced rectal bleeding (7).
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Wheatgrass can be the key to the perfect morning detox
It’s clear that wheatgrass is packed with antioxidants. And antioxidants are linked to detoxification benefits, which help keep all the cells in your body healthy. Wheatgrass’ combination of nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants helps restore the liver and even provide some protection to the liver from alcohol damage. It’s a perfect supplement to add to your smoothie or juice!
Ways to Incorporate Wheatgrass Into Your Diet
From pills to powders, there are a number of ways to consume wheatgrass. And if those aren’t your jam, consider making your own wheatgrass shot. Cut the wheatgrass right above the roots and put it into a juicer to make a delicious nutrient filled shot! It’s also possible to use a blender to make a wheatgrass shot by combining the greens with water and letting the mixture settle and liquefy! And hey—If you fall in love with wheatgrass, consider growing your own!
Interested in a wheatgrass smoothie? Look no further!
SUPERFOOD GREEN WHEATGRASS SMOOTHIE
OR sneak wheatgrass into your diet with Mindful Matcha, a green tea blend boosted with superfoods and adaptogens. Try these matcha/wheatgrass recipes:
MATCHA CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM
SUMMARY:
- Wheatgrass is a young grass derived from the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum. It comes fresh from the leaves of the plant and is most efficient when taken in juice form.
- A serving of wheatgrass is rich in vitamins A, C and E, amino acids, iron and more.
- Wheatgrass is an antioxidant with a higher ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) score than many other vegetables and organic extracts, which makes it an antidote to fight free radicals and the body damage they can cause.
- Wheatgrass’ combination of nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants can help restore the liver and even provide some protection to it from alcohol damage.
- Wheatgrass can be consumed in a variety of forms, including pills, powder or juiced.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25116122
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3876669/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20508870
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24066944
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22038065
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11989836
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