The Wonders of Wheatgrass

Have you ever tried wheatgrass juice?  If not, I am going to be honest with you right up front…it tastes like you’re drinking the clippings from your lawn mower.  Seriously, it tastes like cut grass, not only on the way down, but as you burp it up for the rest of the day too. Intrigued and excited to learn more about why you need to start up your own wheatgrass habit?? I thought you might be!  In fact, who wouldn’t after reading that ringing endorsement for it’s delicious flavor?? 😉

Despite its ‘less than desirable’ flavor, wheatgrass is some pretty powerful stuff, and is totally worth putting up with the grassy flavor and aroma you’re sure to experience.  Why should you be gagging this stuff down? Because it is AMAZING for you, and loaded with powerful cancer-killing compounds. I don’t know about you, but I am totally the kind of person who can gag down just about anything, if I know it’s good for me, and wheatgrass is no exception.

So, now I’ve set myself up for the monumental task of convincing you to make wheatgrass a daily habit.  Don’t worry though…I’ve got lots of ammo to help convince you!

In general, wheatgrass is suuuuuper healthy.  Here are just a few of the benefits:

• High in chlorophyll – chlorophyll is a powerful natural compound found in green veggies and algae that has been shown to prevent cancer, detoxify the liver, improve digestion.
  
  
• High in vitamins and nutrients – wheatgrass is high in vitamins A, C and E as well as iron, magnesium, calcium and amino acids.
  
  
• Alkalizing – we all know that an alkaline body is a healthy body, and wheatgrass is a powerhouse when it comes to alkalinity, and its ability to alkalize the body.
  
  
• Detoxifying – the chlorophyll in wheatgrass can bind to potential carcinogens and heavy metals and help eliminate these toxins from the body.
  
  
• Antioxidant Rich – vitamins C and E are both powerful antioxidants present in wheatgrass, along with glutathione.  These antioxidants fight free radicals, prevent cell damage (great to take during chemo to protect the good cells!), and prevent many diseases, including cancer.
  
  
• Purifying – wheatgrass is amazing for purifying and detoxifying the liver, allowing it to better remove toxins from our bodies.
  
  
• Immune Boosting – thanks to the high vitamin content and chlorophyll, wheatgrass can help to boost your immune system and give you energy.
  
  
• Reduces Inflammation – wheatgrass (more specifically the chlorophyll it contains), has been shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
  
  
• Cancer Protection – although there aren’t any specific studies showing that wheatgrass can cure cancer in humans, there is a lot of “test tube” evidence that it can slow the spread and/or induce cell death in cancer cells.  And, there sure is a heck of a lot of info out there showing how it can help prevent cancer in the first place. And, in my book, anything that can prevent cancer is a good idea to integrate into your diet whether or not you’re fighting a cancer battle.
  

Are you sold yet?  I AM!!

I’ve always known that wheatgrass was healthy and worth drinking, despite its fresh-cut-grass flavor.  But, it wasn’t until my acupuncturist recommended that I make it a daily habit during my cancer treatment that I started to look more closely at this powerful juice.  She mentioned to me that I not only needed to start drinking it, but I needed to drink a LOT of it (up to 10 oz a day!) for its cancer killing benefits. So, while I never quite worked my way all the way up to 10 oz a day, I did jump on her suggestion right away.

Now for the nitty gritty…how can you get this in your diet??

Fresh is best: You can juice your own, or buy fresh wheatgrass juice at your local juice bar or health food store.  Juicing your own will obviously save you money, but it is definitely a hassle! It requires that you grow your own grass, or buy it in flats, and then juice it using a slow masticating juicer like this one.  If you’re anything like me, you might not be ambitious enough to grow a steady supply of wheatgrass, so if you want it fresh, you’ll have to pick it up from your favorite juice bar (and that’s $$$). And, if you’re anything like me, you probably won’t make it there every day, because…life.

The shortcut: Wheatgrass tablets and powders are pretty amazing.  Would the fresh juice be better? Sure, but I figure something is better than nothing, so most days, I opt for these Organic Wheatgrass Tablets by Amazing Grass.  Easy, taste free, and mess free! In addition, I drink this powdered green juice by Organinfi every day, which also contains wheatgrass and wheatgrass powder as the base of the greens blend.  Between the two, I feel like I’m getting a good daily dose of wheatgrass, and the benefits that come along with it. And, if I happen to be near a juice bar, I’ll grab a shot of fresh juice as well.  I’m pretty sure you can’t OD on wheatgrass juice, and since it is SO healthy, I load up whenever I can.

With a list of benefits that long, and some convenient ways to get it into your diet, it’s safe to say that ALL of us can benefit from adding wheatgrass to our routine.  Remember, the best way to fight cancer is to prevent it in the first place, so most of the tips on this blog are things you can start doing RIGHT NOW to ensure a long, healthy life…INCLUDING WHEATGRASS.

Cheers!

Malea

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