Until about 5 or more years ago, I had never heard of wheatgrass. Then it seemed to pop up everywhere (if you’ll excuse the pun). It took another two years before I started looking into it and I found some interesting information.

First of all, what is wheatgrass? It is simply sprouted or sprouted wheat, preferably organic. Once germination takes place, valuable enzymes are activated in the grain. The sprouts can be eaten and enzymes work in the body to aid digestion, provide energy, neutralize toxins, and cleanse the blood. Wheatgrass can also be squeezed and consumed to provide water, oxygen, enzymes, proteins, phytochemicals, chlorophyll, carotenoids, fatty acids, and trace elements.

Wheatgrass has a history that goes back more than 5000 years, but it was really in the 1930s that it became popular in the West. An American agricultural chemist, Dr. Charles F. Schnabel, noted that sick chickens fed fresh young wheatgrass recovered quickly. They also grew faster and had twice the fertility of healthy chickens fed standard diets. This discovery became the impetus for a lifetime of research into the reason for this surprising result. Others have investigated wheatgrass and published studies to demonstrate its tremendous benefit in maintaining health and vitality.

Wheatgrass juice is very rich in fresh chlorophyll, which has been shown to support liver function, eliminate toxins, and boost the immune system. One of the benefits of chlorophyll is that it is similar to hemin, which is a component of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the human protein that carries oxygen to cells. The main difference between chlorophyll and hemin is that while hemin is based on iron, chlorophyll is based on magnesium. Experiments carried out in severely anemic rabbits showed that when chlorophyll was administered they quickly returned to a normal blood count.

In addition to anemia, chlorophyll has been shown to benefit the heart, lymphatic systems, vascular system, intestines, lungs, and glands. It can also help lower blood pressure and blood sugar, reduce heartburn, and help treat and prevent cancer. And chlorophyll is just one of the components of wheatgrass.

Because it contains 8 essential amino acids, 80 identified enzymes, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, wheatgrass is often referred to as a complete food. Research studies have shown that it contains powerful anticancer agents: chlorophyll, antioxidants, abscisic acid, and 80 enzymes. Its alkalizing action helps balance the body’s pH and remove it from the cancer-inducing acid state caused by our consumption of so many processed, sugary and fatty foods.

While the best is fresh, most of us probably don’t have the time to grow and squeeze wheatgrass, which is why it is available in injections, powders, and tablets from a variety of suppliers. Wheatgrass is certainly a valuable addition to your diet.