Green Energy

I spy with my little eye two things that are green. They’re not spinach or kale or broccoli. Lately they have swept through natural health stores and juice bars and ended up in your local large-scale shopping mall. You guessed it—they’re your friendly chlorophyll-packed wheat grass and barley grass.

These are some of the most nutritious greens known. The multivitamins of choice in the 1940s and 50s, wheat grass and barley grass were recommended by the natural health movement and doctors alike for diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies.

Wheat grass and barley grass have virtually identical nutritional value. The only major difference is that barley grass tastes sweeter than the more bitter wheat grass. Wheat grass is grown outdoors for at least 200 days and possesses a similar nutritional profile to tray-grown wheat grass. Wheat grass grown in trays is harvested after only 10 days. Many kits are available to grow your own wheat grass at home.

Shop organic

The daily consumption of almost any organic green vegetable has many health benefits (just don’t get the pesticide-laden stuff). Always read the label to make sure the product you’re purchasing is organic.

Nonetheless, if you drink wheat grass and barley juices in particular, their proponents claim that you will experience increased energy and mental focus; reduced incidence of diabetes, cancer, and colds; better weight control; and more. Further clinical studies are required to confirm the extent of the health benefits for humans.

Wheat grass contains 10 to 15 calories per teaspoon. Each teaspoon contains nearly a gram of protein with no fat or cholesterol and eight of the essential amino acids; as well as vitamin A; many of the B vitamins; vitamins C, E, and K; plus calcium, iodine, selenium, iron, and zinc.

Barley grass contains many of the B vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.

A fine balance

Both wheat and barley grass help to maintain the body in an alkaline pH balance. This accounts for much of their positive impact on health. While they are both high in chlorophyll, ingesting these grasses may help to fight infection, heal wounds, and promote the health of the circulatory and digestive systems.

Chlorophyll is known to increase the number of red blood cells in circulation and the body’s own ability to use oxygen. Of interest is the similarity in the structures of chlorophyll and hemoglobin. While this similarity has been studied for over 60 years, the biological relationship between the two is still not clear.

Researchers have isolated the flavonoid antioxidants, lutonarin and saponarin, in young barley grass. These antioxidants are effective free radical destroyers.

To receive the benefits of wheat grass, my advice is to start today. Begin every morning by taking either 1 oz of wheat grass and/or barley juice or 1,000 mg in capsule form of each twice daily to achieve an overall improvement in your health.

 Everything you want to know about wheat grass

Wheat grass is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available. Drinking wheat grass can help reduce body odour.

• A small amount of wheat grass juice in the diet may help to prevent tooth decay.
• You can gargle with wheat grass juice for a sore throat. It is recommended to combine wheat grass with echinacea and salt when gargling.
• It can help skin problems such as eczema or psoriasis if taken orally on a regular basis.
• Because it is high in magnesium, wheat grass can alleviate constipation.
• It may help to reduce high blood pressure.
• It may help to chelate (remove) heavy metals from the body.

Green healer

Wheat grass creme can be used on the skin to soothe and heal:

• Cuts
• Scrapes
• Burns
• Bruises
• Eczema
• Sprains
• Insect bites

Consumer availability
Wheat grass
It’s available from health food stores and mail-order supplement companies in the form of:

• 350 mg tablets
• 500 mg tablets
• Loose powder

Barley grass
It’s an ingredient in many “green foods” formulas (for example, in combination with spirulina and/or wheat grass). But on its own, barley grass supplements are available from health food stores and mail-order supplement companies in the form of:

• Barley grass powder
• 350 mg tablets
• 500 mg tablets
• 475 mg capsules
• 500 mg capsules