Health Benefits of Wheatgrass

Botanically known as Triticum aestivum, Wheatgrass is one the most potent source of living chlorophyll.Read more to know about Wheatgrass.

They may look like something that belongs on your lawn, but don’t judge a book by its cover. These little leaves are nothing short of a miracle superfood. Containing 98 of 102 earth elements, they might even bring the non-health conscious over to the green side.

Here are the reasons why wheatgrass is a superfood that you should add regularly to your diet:

• Helps to control blood pressure: Regular intake of wheatgrass increases red blood cell count in the blood. It also cleans the blood, other organs and the gastrointestinal tract of debris. It dilates the blood pathways hence reducing blood pressure.
• Helps build immunity: The enzymes and amino acids found in wheatgrass can protect from carcinogens like no other food or medicine. It strengthens the cells in the body, detoxifies the liver and chemically neutralizes the environmental pollutants found in the blood.
• Helps fight various diseases: Though there isn’t much scientific evidence but there are unpublished studies that show wheatgrass juice can fight tumours without the usual toxicity of the drugs. It also aids in the treatment of cancer, arthritis, insomnia, asthma, menstrual problems etc.
• Helps in detoxification: Wheatgrass juice acts as a detoxifier by protecting the liver and also aids blood purification. It restores the alkalinity of the blood and can effectively be used for treating peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, constipation, diarrhoea and other problems of the gastrointestinal tract. It also helps to relieve symptoms of constipation.

• Helps to combat obesity: It stimulates the thyroid gland and hence helps to deal with obesity, indigestion and a host of other complaints of the endocrine system.
• Helps in weight management: Surprisingly wheatgrass can help in both weight loss and weight gain when used with a proper diet plan.
• Helps in skin rejuvenation: A paste of wheatgrass powder made with milk and a pinch of turmeric when applied on face can act as a powerful face pack to deal with troubles of acne, white and blackheads, skin tan, burn etc.
• Can be used as an antiseptic: Wheatgrass has certain healing properties. It works wonders for cuts, burns, scrapes, rashes, poison ivy, athlete’s foot, insect bites, boils, sores, open ulcers, tumours, and so on. Make a paste and apply it. Replace every two to four hours for best results.
• Helps improve reproductive health: Continuous use of wheatgrass helps in increasing vigour, vitality and helps conceive.
• Good for dental problems:Improve your dental health by massaging your gums with wheatgrass powder. It will heal gum problems.
• Great for hair:Mix some wheatgrass powder along with normal shampoo, to repair damaged hair. Rinsing the scalp with the powder is another remedy for dandruff. Also, you can get rid of greying hair by regularly consuming the plant juice.

To gain optimum benefit from wheatgrass, you can either make a juice out of its raw plant or opt to use wheatgrass powder. If you use wheatgrass powder, add one spoonful of the powder in a glass of water stir well and have it every day. To ensure better result also follow a healthy diet consisting of green veggies, salads, soups, rice, sprouts, rotis, fruits and dry fruits. Avoid excessive intake of bakery products, fried foods, spicy foods, non-vegetarian stuff, alcohol, tobacco, etc.

 Before you begin to use wheatgrass, make sure you have researched well about its possible side effects. You can find the information easily on the net. Though, not enough is known about the safety and long term use of wheatgrass, it is observed that wheatgrass can cause nausea, appetite loss or even constipation in some people. It’s advisable for pregnant woman and breastfeeding mothers to stay off its consumption unless advised by the practitioner.