WTF is wheat grass?

Question

Idk if its called that for sure

but i work at tropical smoothie, and we serve it

what does it do for you??

Answer 1

Wheat grass refers to the young grass of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, that is freshly juiced or dried into powder for animal and human consumption. Both provide chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Claims about wheat grass' health benefits range from providing supplemental nutrition to having unique curative properties. Some consumers grow and juice wheat grass in their homes. It is often available in juice bars, alone or in mixed fruit and/or vegetable drinks. It is also available in many health food stores as fresh produce, tablets, frozen juice and powder.

Health claims

Proponents of wheat grass claim regular ingestion of the plant can

* improve the digestive system

* prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease

* cure constipation

* detoxify heavy metals from the bloodstream

* help make menopause more manageable

* promote general well-being.

While none of these claims have been substantiated in the scientific literature, there is limited evidence in support of some of these claims.

Wheatgrass Juice vs. Common Vegetables

One of the most popular claims about wheatgrass, and one that is frequently made by both supporters and retailers, is that 1 ounce of wheatgrass juice is as nutritionally valuable as 1 kg (2.2 lb) of green vegetables, a ratio of 1:35. The available vitamin and mineral data of wheat grass juice, broccoli and spinach does not support this claim. In fact, the vitamin and mineral content of 1 ounce of wheat grass juice is roughly equivalent to the vitamin and mineral content of 1 ounce of fresh vegetables. This conclusion does not include phyto-nutrient comparisons of these foods.

Another commonly repeated claim, originally made by Schnabel in the 1940's, is that "fifteen pounds of wheat grass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetables", a ratio of 1:23. Schnabel statement doesn't specify the form of wheat grass, however, Schnabel used dried wheat grass for his own consumption, in his research and later in his nutritional supplements; a comparison of currently available vitamin and mineral data on dried wheat grass and fresh vegetables support Schnabel's claim. The vitamin and mineral content of dried grass is equivalent to roughly 20 times that of fresh vegetables.

One area in which wheat grass is clearly superior to other vegetables is in its content of Vitamin B12, a vital nutrient absent in vegetables.

Detoxification

Another common claim for wheat grass is that it promotes detoxification. The limited data in support of that claim applies to most green vegetables.

Chlorophyll

As the chlorophyll molecule is structurally similar to hemoglobin, it has been argued that wheat grass helps blood flow, digestion and general detoxification of the body. These claims have not been substantiated. Some research however exists that relates diets high in chlorophyll, present in green leafy vegetables, with lower rates of colon cancer.

Hope this helps! =D

Answer 2

Wheatgrass refers to the young grass of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, that is freshly juiced or dried into powder for animal and human consumption. Both provide chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Claims about wheatgrass' health benefits range from providing supplemental nutrition to having unique curative properties. Some consumers grow and juice wheatgrass in their homes. It is often available in juice bars, alone or in mixed fruit and/or vegetable drinks. It is also available in many health food stores as fresh produce, tablets, frozen juice and powder.

History

The factual accuracy of this article is disputed.

Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page. (March 2008)

The consumption of wheatgrass in the Western world began in the 1930s as a result of experiments by Charles F. Schnabel and his attempts to popularize the plant.[1]

Schnabel, an agricultural chemist, conducted his first experiments with young grasses in 1930, when he used fresh cut grass in an attempt to nurse dying hens back to health. The hens not only recovered, but they produced eggs at a higher rate than healthy hens. Encouraged by his results, he began drying and powdering grass for his family and neighbors to supplement their diets. The following year, Schnabel reproduced his experiment and achieved the same results. Hens consuming rations supplemented with grass doubled their egg production. Schnabel started promoting his discovery to feed mills, chemist and the food industry. Two large corporations, Quaker Oats and American Diaries Inc., invested millions of dollars in further research, development and production of products for animals and humans. By 1940, cans of Schnabel's powdered grass were on sale in major drug stores throughout the United States and Canada.[2]

Extracting wheatgrass juice with a manual juicing machine.

Extracting wheatgrass juice with a manual juicing machine.

Ann Wigmore continued to contribute to the popularization of wheatgrass in the 1940s. When Wigmore was a child, she watched her grandmother help WWI soldiers heal their wounds using herbs and weeds.

[edit] Cultivation

Outdoor grown wheat grass grows slowly through the winter in a climate like that of Kansas in the United States.

Outdoor grown wheat grass grows slowly through the winter in a climate like that of Kansas in the United States.

Schnabel's research was conducted with wheatgrass grown outdoors in Kansas. His wheatgrass required 200 days of slow growth, through the winter and early spring, when it was harvested at the jointing or reproductive stage. It was at this stage that the plant reached its peak nutritional potential; after jointing, concentrations of chlorophyll, protein, and vitamin decline sharply. [1] Harvested grass was dehydrated and made into powders and tablets for human and animal consumption. Wheatgrass grown indoors in trays for ten days contains similar nutritional content. Wheatgrass grown outdoors is harvested, dehydrated at a low temperature and sold in tablet and powdered forms. Wheat grass juice powder (fresh squeezed with the water removed) is also available either spray-dried or freeze-dried.

[edit] Usage

The average dosage taken by consumers of wheatgrass is 3.5 grams (powder or tablets). Some also have a fresh-squeezed 30 ml shot once daily or for more therapeutic benefits a higher dose up to 2–4 oz taken 1-3 times per day on an empty stomach and before meals. For detoxification, some users may increase their intake to 3–4 times per day. It should be noted that consumers with a poor diet may experience nausea on high dosages of wheatgrass. Outdoor wheatgrass is harvested for a few days each year from plants grown in the "bread basket" regions of the US and Canada. Winter wheat requires more than 200 days of slow growth in cold temperatures to reach the peak nutritional content. Even after that length of time, the plant is only 7 to 10 inches high.

[edit] Health claims

Table 1. Nutrient comparison of 1 oz (28.35 g)[dubious – discuss] of wheatgrass juice, broccoli and spinach.

Nutrient Wheatgrass Juice Broccoli Spinach

Protein 860 mg 800 mg 810 mg

Beta carotene 120 IU 177 IU 2658 IU

Vitamin E 880 mcg 220 mcg 580 mcg

Vitamin C 1 mg 25.3 mg 8 mg

Vitamin B12 0.30 mcg 0 mcg 0 mcg

Phosphorus 21 mg 19 mg 14 mg

Magnesium 8 mg 6 mg 22 mg

Calcium 7.2 mg 13 mg 28 mg

Iron 0.66 mg 0.21 mg 0.77 mg

Potassium 42 mg 90 mg 158 mg

Data on broccoli and spinach from USDA database.[3] Data on Wheatgrass juice from indoor grown wheatgrass.[2]

Table 2. Nutrient comparison of 15 lbs. of wheatgrass juice, dried wheatgrass and 350 lbs. of broccoli.

Nutrient Wheatgrass

15 lb Broccoli

350 lb

- Juice Powder Raw

Protein 192 g 3,840 g 4,501 g

Beta carotene 28,800 IU 576,000 IU 994,308 IU

Vitamin E 211 g 4,224 g 1,400 g

Vitamin C 240 g 4,800 g 142,450 g

Vitamin B12 192 µg 3,840 µg 0 µg

Phosphorus 5040 g 100,800 g 105,350 g

Magnesium 1,920 g 38,400 g 33,600 g

Calcium 1,728 g 34,560 g 74,900 g

Iron 158 g 3,168 g 1,050 g

Potassium 10,080 mg 201,600 mg 504,350 mg

Data on broccoli from USDA database.[3] Dry wheatgrass data calculated from indoor grown fresh juice.[2]

Proponents of wheatgrass claim regular ingestion of the plant can

        * improve the digestive system

        * prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease

        * cure constipation

        * detoxify heavy metals from the bloodstream

        * help make menopause more manageable

        * promote general well-being.

While none of these claims have been substantiated in the scientific literature,[1] there is limited evidence in support of some of these claims. [4][5][6]

[edit] Wheatgrass Juice vs. Common Vegetables

One of the most popular claims about wheatgrass, and one that is frequently made by both supporters and retailers, is that 1 ounce of wheatgrass juice is as nutritionally valuable as 1 kg (2.2 lb) of green vegetables, a ratio of 1:35. The available vitamin and mineral data of wheatgrass juice, broccoli and spinach does not support this claim (see table 1). In fact, the vitamin and mineral content of 1 ounce of wheatgrass juice is roughly equivalent to the vitamin and mineral content of 1 ounce of fresh vegetables. This conclusion does not include phyto-nutrient comparisons of these foods.[original research?]

Another commonly repeated claim, originally made by Schnabel in the 1940's, is that "fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetables",[2] a ratio of 1:23. Schnabel statement doesn't specify the form of wheatgrass, however, Schnabel used dried wheatgrass for his own consumption, in his research and later in his nutritional supplements;[2] a comparison of currently available vitamin and mineral data on dried wheatgrass and fresh vegetables support Schnabel's claim. (see table 2) The vitamin and mineral content of dried grass is equivalent to roughly 20 times that of fresh vegetables.[citation needed]

One area in which wheatgrass is clearly superior to other vegetables is in its content of Vitamin B12, a vital nutrient absent in vegetables. (see table 2) [2][3]

[edit] Detoxification

Another common claim for wheatgrass is that it promotes detoxification. The limited data in support of that claim applies to most green vegetables. [7]

[edit] Chlorophyll

As the chlorophyll molecule is structurally similar to hemoglobin, it has been argued that wheatgrass helps blood flow, digestion and general detoxification of the body. These claims have not been substantiated. Some research however exists that relates diets high in chlorophyll, present in green leafy vegetables, with lower rates of colon cancer. [5]

Answer 3

Wheat grass is just that. Wheat grass. The first shoots of the wheat plant. It is full of vitamin C. Very good for you.