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Since the late 1960's, wheatgrass has become frequently discussed in health and medical circles as one of natures greatest gifts. Classified as one of the most abundant superfoods known to man, wheat (and more recently barley) grass has been celebrated for its nutritional content, cleansing and cell regeneration capabilities as well as being in a form that is easily and effortlessly assimilated and digested by our bodies.

The chlorophyll content of wheatgrass alone has been enough to prompt many individuals to consume either fresh or powdered wheatgrass on a daily basis. Being approximately 70% crude chlorophyll, this can have a highly energising effect and a real boost to those looking to alkalise their body.

A discussion on the benefits of wheatgrass juice or powder could be endless - so for the purposes of brevity I have categorised these benefits into four areas. These are the areas that I have found that wheatgrass has benefitted both myself and those around me (family, friends, clients and colleagues).

1. Wheatgrass Builds Blood!

Many health experts including Dr Young (pH Miracle) and Steve Meyerowitz (Nature's Finest Medicine) have highlighted that the chlorophyll molecule in wheatgrass is almost identical to the haemoglobin molecule in human blood. The only difference is that the central element in chlorophyll is magnesium and in haemoglobin it is iron.

Due to this inherent similarity the human body can easily transform chlorophyll into hemoglobin increasing the red blood cell count as well as the blood's capacity to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the body's cells (Hagiwara, 1985).

Chlorophyll has been shown to build red blood cells quickly, normalise blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways though out the body, destroy poisonous carbon dioxide, release free oxygen and promote higher metabolism and stimulated enzyme systems. On top of all of these benefits, consuming chlorophyll from wheatgrass is a highly effective way to alkalise the blood and energise the body!

2. Wheatgrass Cleanses the Body

Wheatgrass is an extremely beneficial food in terms of both its cleansing capabilities. The contents of wheatgrass juice and powder (green drink) are reported to be within the region of approximately 100 separate elements with scientists dubbing it a 'complete food'. According to 'The Wheatgrass Book' (Wigmore, 1985), just 140g of fresh wheatgrass offers the same nutritional value as over 3kg's of fress green vegetables!

Wheatgrass is a great source of vitamins B, C, E and carotene which are hugely effective in destroying and eliminating free radicals and cleansing the body. Wheatgrass is also highly regarded for its ability to cleanse the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract.

Because it is also high in saponin, wheatgrass offers excellent support to the lymphatic system, helping to carry away hundreds and thousands of toxins from the cells of the body. Kulvinskas (Survival into the 21st Century, 1975) wheatgrass helps to 'detoxify the body by increasing the elimination of hardened mucous, crystallised acids and solidified, decaying faecal matter...It is the fastest, surest way to eliminate internal waste and provide an optimum nutritional environment'.

These are just some of the cleansing benefits of wheatgrass, and I have barely scratched the surface with regards to listing its nutritional content. Put most simply, whether you are looking to undertake a formal cleanse, or simply try to add more nutrition to your diet - these reasons alone are enough to consider adding wheatgrass to your daily lifestyle.

3. High Amino Acid Content

You may have heard the expression before that - amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They are absolutely essential to our growth and cell regeneration. It is the astonishingly high amino acid content in wheatgrass that is leading to many bodybuilders and gym-goers incorporating fresh or powdered wheatgrass juice into their daily routine.

Wheatgrass juice is a complete protein and contains, amongst others, the following amino acids: arginine, serine, absenisic, lysine, aspartic acid, glycine, alanine, methionine, leucine, tryptophane, phenylalanine, and valine.

4. Wheatgrass Fights and Protects Against Illness

Organic wheatgrass powders and juices are an extremely effective way of boosting the body's immune system to fight against and recover from illnesses and ailments. Wheatgrass is a great source of beta carotene, contains most of the B vitamins and vitamins C, E, H and K, and also contains over 90 different minerals and 19 amino acids. It also contains several active enzymes which play a major role in breaking down fats, undertaking biological functions and assist hugely in weight loss.Of the 90 minerals found, many of these are very alkalising and include calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.

Many of the health benefits of wheatgrass stem from the faact that it is a living food. Being highly anti-bacterial, consuming wheatgrass will help to alkalise and detoxify the lymph and blood cells, helping the body to rebuild and transport toxins out of the body quickly and effectively.

Again, coming back to the chlorophyll content of wheatgrass - this can protect the body from carcinogens more effectively than any other food. Studies conducted on animals have shown that wheatgrass consumption has reduced the absorption of a number of very serious carcinogens whilst strengthening cells, detoxifying the liver and neutrailsing polluting elements within the blood.

Conclusion - Incorporating Wheatgrass into Your Lifestyle

Wheat and a number of other grasses are clearly very beneficial to the body and there is a very strong case for making them a part of our daily health routines. There are two principle ways to do so:

• buy a growing kit/ freshly grown grass and juice at home
• purchase an organic grass (green drink) supplement

Both have their pro's and con's, however, you do not have to do one to get the benefits of the other. Many juice bars are also now selling wheatgrass shots and are including wheatgrass as an ingredient in their other juices.