The Evidence-Based Health Benefits Of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is a superstar at OHI — it is a superfood that can fuel your body as well as help improve a wide range of health conditions. So, let’s take a deep dive and learn what it is, why it is considered a superfood, and its many health benefits.

What Is Wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is the green leaves of a young wheat plant that look like the grass in your yard. While there are many wheat species, the most common is known as Triticum aestivum. This plant eventually grows and forms seeds, which make up the grain we know as wheat.

Wheatgrass is harvested at a very early stage in the plant’s growth because this is the peak phase where there are the most phytonutrients in the plant. The wheatgrass is cut, and then turned into a juice or dried and made into a powdered form. When consumed, it has an earthy taste.

What Makes Wheatgrass a Superfood?
Wheatgrass is considered a superfood because it is compound-rich in the following ways:

• Contains all minerals known to man (iron, magnesium, calcium, etc.), plus vitamins A, B Complex, C, E, and K.
• It’s extremely rich in protein, and contains 17 amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Of its 17 amino acids, eight are considered essential, meaning your body cannot produce them and you must obtain them from food sources.
• Contains several important antioxidants, including glutathione and vitamins C and E. Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals to prevent cell damage and reduce oxidative stress.
• Packed with phytonutrients like flavonoids and alkaloids (helps with liver function), active enzymes (helps with digestion), and polysaccharides (helps store energy) that can be easily absorbed. Many phytochemicals work as antioxidants by counteracting the damage to cells from natural cell processes and some additional damage that occurs from lifestyle, like smoking or a poor diet heavy in sugar and animal fats.
• It’s highly alkalizing (reduces inflammation).
• It is a nutritionally complete food. 1oz of wheatgrass juice is the nutritional equal of 2lbs of produce. Scientists have never found wheatgrass to be toxic in any amount when given to either animals or humans.

The big reason wheatgrass is such a healthy powerhouse is because it is made up of 70% chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the hero of this story for so many reasons:

• Chlorophyll is an antibacterial and can be used inside and outside the body as a natural healer. (Chlorophyll ointments can treat various skin diseases like weeping and dry eczema, poison ivy infections, insect bite itching, etc.)
• It is an important blood builder, increasing hemoglobin production, and may be helpful in treating hemoglobin deficiency disorders such as anemia.
• It has the ability to get into the tissue, where it can actually refine and renew them.
• Chlorophyll has been linked with increased energy, hormonal balance, arthritis relief, and cancer treatment.

Wheatgrass is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available. It can be taken orally and as a colon implant without side effects.

Keep in mind, wheatgrass must be juiced before being consumed because it is full of a type of fiber that the human digestive tract cannot break down. When you juice the wheatgrass, you release the nutrients from the fiber.

Health Benefits of Wheatgrass
Studies have shown wheatgrass juice is helpful for a long list of conditions:

• Lowers cholesterol
• Reduces blood pressure and enhances the capillaries
• Modulates the immune system to minimize chronic inflammation which is believed to contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders
• Helps cleanse the liver and regenerate liver tissue
• Detoxes the body and removes heavy metals from the bloodstream
• Stimulates tissue growth and regeneration
• Helps with diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels and lowering the body’s sensitivity to glucose
• Supports joint health (anti-inflammatory) and alleviates gout
• Helps with constipation (high in magnesium)
• Supports skin healing (eczema and psoriasis) and fights acne
• Prevents tooth decay and combats toothaches (pulls poisons from gums)

Wheatgrass is high in oxygen, helping the brain and body tissue to function at their optimal levels.

The antioxidants in wheatgrass may help protect against certain conditions such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and neurodegenerative diseases. Some research indicates that, when combined with traditional cancer treatment like radiation and chemotherapy, wheatgrass juice may also help minimize adverse effects like nausea while also decreasing the chance of infection. One study found that wheatgrass juice decreased the risk of impaired bone marrow function, another common complication of chemotherapy.

Wheatgrass implants are great for healing and detoxifying the colon walls. The healing properties may also be an effective option for ulcerative colitis, which is characterized by inflammation in the large intestine. After an enema is evacuated, implant 4 oz of wheatgrass juice and retain for 20 minutes. The implant replenishes the electrolytes and the healthy flora necessary for proper digestion and elimination.

Wheatgrass juice has been shown to stabilize red blood cells. Scientists theorize that the antioxidant content of wheatgrass juice may help extend the life span of red blood cells.

Wheatgrass contains enzymes and super-oxide dismutase (SOD), a copper-containing protein found in mature red blood cells. This enzyme decomposes superoxide radicals in the body into a more manageable form, helping to slow down the aging process.

Wheatgrass at OHI
Wheatgrass is one of the main features in the OHI cleanse. Cleansing has been practiced for many centuries around the world to promote healing and longevity. To help your body cleanse, detox, and restore itself, OHI provides:

• Wheatgrass juice to cleanse cells and purify blood
• Enemas and wheatgrass implants to cleanse the colon
• Gentle exercise to cleanse the lymphatic system

So, whether you are at OHI or at home, we hope you’ll strive to make wheatgrass juice part of your regular diet. The immediate infusion of vitamins and minerals will completely nourish your body and restore it to its natural balance. And the preventative health benefits — from boosting your immune system to improving the condition of your vascular system — are beyond compare. There are so many reasons why wheatgrass is considered a superstar superfood, so take a shot every day!

Optimum Health Institute is here for you! We will motivate you to stick with your commitment to health and discover new ways to empower yourself. Explore the holistic healing program offered at OHI. This program offers three week-long sessions, where you will learn to cleanse the body, quiet the mind, and awaken the spirit.

To learn more about the benefits of wheatgrass and OHI’s cleansing diet, call us at (800) 588-0809 today!