Now we can get to the juicy details of why wheatgrass is so wonderful for you. The healthy components of wheatgrass juice are almost too numerous to list, there is so much nutrition going on. Here is a run-down of what you’re body is getting with wheatgrass juice.
Vitamins
First, let’s talk about vitamins. Wheatgrass juice will provide a healthy dose of many crucial vitamins like:
- vitamin A – immune system, vision, healthy skin
- vitamin C – immune system, tissue healing
- vitamin E – immune system, antioxidant
- thiamin (B1) – helps digestion and metabolism
- niacin (B3) – heart health, regulates cholesterol
- riboflavin (B2) – boosts metabolism
- pantothenic acid (B5) – aids metabolism
- vitamin K – blood clotting, bone health
Sometimes you hear that wheatgrass also contains B12 (highly sought after by vegans), but unfortunately it’s not true. Plants simply don’t make B12, and that’s that.
Minerals
Next on the nutrient menu comes the minerals. Like vitamins, these compounds are important to keep your body running at optimum performance. Wheatgrass will give you:
- Iron – healthy blood, prevents anemia
- Copper – works with iron
- Zinc – immune system, tissue healing
- Magnesium – heart health, lowers inflammation
- Phosphorus – bone health, improves energy
- Selenium – thyroid health, tissue healing
- Calcium – bone health, strong muscles
As you can see, the nutrients in wheatgrass juice are going to be vital for all parts of your body. Not bad for a single little green shot of juice.
And More
The one other nutrient we haven’t mentioned yet is fiber. It’s very important to gut health and efficient digestion, and it’s often lacking in a diet with too many processed foods. There is more fiber in wheatgrass juice than the same amount of most other vegetables.
What about protein? Well, there is definitely protein in wheatgrass but not a huge amount that it would be a good meat-replacement. Still, it can be a good boost if you are following a vegan diet and are looking for plant-based options for protein.
You’ll also get a hefty dose of chlorophyll, which isn’t one of the usual “mainstream” nutrients we all know and love. It’s been getting loads of attention as a potent antioxidant as well as a good compound to help with blood health (much like iron) and it can be an anti-inflammatory element too. Research is still ongoing, so hopefully we’ll hear more good things about chlorophyll in the near future.
What You Don’t Get
Sometimes good nutrition is about what you’re not getting too. Wheatgrass juice has no fat or cholesterol, sodium or sugar. There are approximately just 10 calories in a shot of juice. So if you’re watching your diet to avoid these things, wheatgrass juice is still on the menu.
Remember to Juice
The key to getting all this nutrition is that you need to really break up the cell walls in wheatgrass, and that means juicing. Blades of wheatgrass can’t be used like sprouts on a salad, for example. A good cold-pressed juicer will crush down the leaves and squeeze out the nutrients so your body can use them.
