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Health Benefits of Wheatgrass Juice
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Nutrient Value of wheat grass
Compared to most vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, wheat grass has been found to be at par with them in terms of nutrient content. The wheat grass is loaded with lots of nutrients that hold the key to its numerous health benefits.
In the 1940s, a scientist by the name Schnabel brought to light the nutritional value and health benefits of the wheat grass According to his research, he claimed that 15 pounds of the wheat grass can offer nutrients that are comparable to 350 pounds of other common garden vegetables.
Wheat grass is a great substitute for meat as a source of the vitamin B12. This should be great news for vegans since this Vitamin B12 is very rare in vegetables It is found on the plant as a result of microorganism activity on the plant.
The table above is a comparison of the nutrient value of wheat grass and two common and nutrient vegetables, spinach and broccoli.
Health benefits of wheat grass
Wheat grass is full of health benefits due to its nutrient content. Listed below are some of these health benefits.
1. Wheat grass prevents cancer
Wheat grass contains a variety of antioxidants that help in the prevention and cure of cancer. In addition to 13 vitamins, it also contains Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Cytochrome oxidase, chlorophyll and all the amino acids.
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) is vital in the cure and prevention of cancer, It is an antioxidant enzyme which converts free radicals to give hydrogen peroxide and oxygen. The hydrogen peroxide in turn has an extra oxygen atom which can be used to further kill the cancer cells.
Cytochrome oxidase is also an enzyme responsible for respiration. The destruction of cytochrome oxidase increases the chances of cancer developing. Wheat grass can prevent this from happening since it contains the cytochrome oxidase enzyme which replenishes any that may be damaged in the body.
The high chlorophyll content is also a plus since chlorophyll is a strong anti-mutagen. Mutagens alter the DNA in a cell and this leads to the formation of cancer. Chlorophyll can prevent this since it is an anti-mutagen. In addition, chlorophyll is quite similar to hemoglobin. The only difference is in their structure whereby chlorophyll has magnesium at the center of its structure while hemoglobin has iron at the center of its structure.
Wheat grass also contains a host of other antioxidants such as vitamins B12 and anticancer minerals such as selenium and laetrile.
2. Wheat grass is good for Detoxification
The cleansing properties of wheat grass can be heavily attributed to chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps in detoxification in various ways. For instance, once absorbed into the body via digestion, the chlorophyll finds its way to the liver where it tends to increase the activity of the various detoxification enzymes.
Chlorophyll also prevents the absorption of various toxins into the body for example dioxins. These are carcinogens found as pollutants in various processed foods.
3. Wheat Grass is Good For Digestion
Wheat grass contains various enzymes, amino acids and vitamin B that support digestion in one way or another. These substances help in the break down of food into its respective nutrients and also in the absorption of these nutrients making the digestive process to run smoothly.This in turn makes it possible for wheat grass to control various conditions such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and stomach ulcers.
4. Wheat Grass Reduces Need for Blood Transfusion
The consumption of wheat grass juice reduces the frequency of blood transfusion in conditions such as Thalassemia and Myelodysplastic syndrome. These two conditions are common in anemic persons.
Thalassemia is a condition that is caused by the weakening of red blood cells and also their destruction (Wikipedia.com). These conditions arise when the genes that affect the production of hemoglobin are missing. Persons suffering from thalessemia require frequent blood transfusions because they have a deficiency of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MS) on the other hand is a condition that is characterized by the low production of a class of blood cells known as myeloids i.e blood cells that are produced in the marrow. MS is also commonly referred as pre-leukemia and persons with this condition require frequent blood transfusions.
Wheat grass can help reduce the need for blood transfusions in the two conditions above. This is because the chlorophyll present in wheat grass is almost similar to hemoglobin in terms of chemical structure.The only difference being that chlorophyll has magnesium at the center of its structure while hemoglobin has iron.
5. Wheat Grass is good for blood
Wheat grass increases blood flow and also increases the production of red blood cells. This leads to a blood count that is healthy.
In addition, the alkaline property of wheat grass juice helps to prevent the over-acidity of blood. A stable pH is essential for the normal functioning of blood.
6. Wheat Grass is good for patients undergoing chemotherapy
Patients undergoing chemotherapy are prone to nasty side effects. Some of these side effects can be made more tolerable by making a dietary plan that is inclusive of wheat grass juice.
As earlier stated, wheat grass is rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins all of which are essential for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy tends to weaken the immune system and the use of wheat grass helps to reestablish the immune system.
7. Wheat grass lowers blood pressure
Wheat grass helps lower blood pressure in various ways.
It enhances blood capillaries thereby improving blood circulation.
In addition, wheat grass provides the body with iron which is essential in blood flow since it is a vital component in the formation of hemoglobin.
And last but not least, wheat grass detoxifies the blood, ridding it of toxins which might affect blood circulation. the elimination of these toxins from blood clears the pathway for blood and enhances circulation.
8. Wheat grass helps control diabetes
Wheat grass is a great way too control diabetes. It lowers the GI (Glycemic Index) of various foods. GI is a measure of how a certain food tends to affect the levels of blood glucose. Foods that have a low GI are advised for diabetics. Thus the use of wheat grass to lower the GI of foods goes a long way in the fight against diabetes. In addition wheat grass has been found to improve the levels of lipids and glucose in the body.
9. Wheat grass helps to stimulate the thyroid gland
Wheat grass has been found to stimulate the thyroid gland and also to stabilize the thyroid gland. This in turn helps in maintaining hormonal balance especially for persons having a hypothyroid (a thyroid which does not produce enough thyroid hormones). Prevention of hypothyroidism helps in maintaining hormonal balance and it also prevents conditions such as diabetes and also indigestion.
10. Wheat grass can control inflammations and tumors
Wheat grass is rich in antioxidants and other compounds that have the ability to digest toxins in cells and thus neutralize their activity. This can help in controlling inflammations and tumors.
11. Wheat grass is a good remedy for respiratory tract complaints
A variety of respiratory complaints can be corrected by taking wheat grass juice. These include: coughing, fever, common cold, bronchitis, and also sore throat.
How to Make Wheatgrass juice sweet
To make wheatgrass juice sweet, you can mix it with honey or blend it with other fruits to make a sweet smootie. Consider the video below which is a recipe for Wheat grass whip which is a delicious smoothie. Try it out.
Conclusion
Wheat grass juice is a great way to improve your health. Its immense health benefits are uncountable. From time to time researches discover new benefits of wheat grass making the list endless. It is my hope that the you will use the information in this hub and try out the wheat grass juice.
NOTE:
When consuming wheatgrass do not cook, warm or boil it as you risk destroying the enzymes and other nutrients in the wheat grass juice.
Disclaimer
It is important to note that this article is only meant for the purpose of information. By no means should wheat grass be used as a substitute for medication without advice of a qualified physician or medical expert. Before the commencement of any herbal remedies, consult your doctor first.
Otherwise, have a healthy life and thank you for reading.
References
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Wheatgrass.html
John J. Fike. "Wheatgrass chlorophyll and detoxification." n.p. 20 Feb 2010. Web. 6 Jan 2013.
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