Many people nowadays are shifting to healthy living and healthy eating. People are slowly drifting away from eating fast food and processed food and are looking toward what’s organic and natural. They are turning to superfood to address their nutritional needs. And one of the most popular and beneficial superfoods is wheatgrass.
Wheatgrass is the young grass of a common wheat plant. It comes in either liquid form (as a juice) or in solid form (as a powder concentrate). The most popular form in the market is the powder form. This superfood has been around for quite some time. It was highly promoted by Ann Wigmore in the 1970s. Wigmore was a raw food advocate and was always very vocal about the health benefits of raw food, specifically wheatgrass.
Just like most plants, Wheatgrass is packed with plenty of nutrients the body needs to attain optimum health. It is a powerful source of over a hundred nutrients, making it one of the go-to ingredients for supplementary drinks. Wheatgrass contains amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and essential minerals. It has vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, I, and K. It also contains a high level of chlorophyll, which is an important blood builder.
For such a tiny plant, wheatgrass sure has a lot of benefits. Here are a few of them.
Healthy Skin
Drinking wheatgrass is great in body detoxification so the skin is not as prone to breakouts. The antioxidants it contains neutralizes free radicals, which prevents premature skin aging and cellular damage.
It can be used topically as well. When applied directly to the skin, wheatgrass juice calms down histamine that causes itching and soothes inflammation, which is associated with rashes and sunburn. It can also treat skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema.
Weight Loss
Wheatgrass can also help you lose weight. It is rich in selenium, which is important for the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland. Selenium improves irregular thyroid function. Take note that the thyroid is one of the body’s built-in weight loss tools.
Its chlorophyll content is also a big help as it increases your overall energy, which helps you work out longer and harder. This leads to you burning more calories.
Wheatgrass itself is low in calories and contains no sugar, cholesterol, or fat.
Proper Digestion
Wheatgrass juice gets rid of digestive issues, such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis. The high amount of helpful enzymes it contains aids the body in properly breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. Chlorophyll plays a part as well as it supports good liver function and helps in cleansing your bowels. Clean bowels mean they work better, and the effect is less gas, bloating, and discomfort after eating.
Healthy Immune System
Wheatgrass has the ability to increase the production of red blood cells (RBCs). These RBCs are both mechanical and biochemical barriers against blood parasites, bacteria, and infections. This means they play a huge part in the body’s defensive mechanism.
It also restores the electrical charge between the capillaries and the cell walls. This leads to a boost in the immune system. In addition, it also improves your body’s ability to prevent, fight, and recover from a disease.
Cancer-Free Living
This superfood induces apoptosis, which is the self-destruction of cancerous cells. It also regulates immunological activity and fights against oxidative stress, which contributes to cell mutations.
Also, chlorophyll once again takes center stage in cancer prevention. It has been known to increase haemoglobin production. This means the body is able to produce more oxygen. Cancer cells thrive in low-oxygen environments, so the more oxygen there is, the more defense against cancer cells.
Better Fertility
Men who get a shot of wheatgrass per day can improve fertility. Wheatgrass has the compound P4D1. This impacts sperm cells as well as DNA, thus increasing fertility. Its high antioxidant content can also protect sperm from free radical damage due to environmental factors.
Author Bio:
Kate B. Forsyth is a writer for BeHealthyToday, who specializes in health and nutrition. Her passion is to help people get an overall transformation of health that lasts a lifetime. In her blog posts, she goes beyond research by providing health-concerned citizens doable and simple tricks to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
