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14 Scientific Health Benefit of Wheatgrass Tea – Beauty Treatments – Reproductive Systems

health benefits of wheatgrass teaToday, many people already understand the importance of healthy lifestyle, thus they start consuming healthy foods. One of the healthy foods are wheatgrass, which is known as the young grass of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum). Now, wheatgrass is known as one of superfoods which has high values for health.  Health benefits of wheatgrass has been known since 5000 years ago. Wheatgrass was believed to have positive effect for health and vitality of Ancient Egyptian people. This is supported by various beneficial nutritional compounds in wheatgrass, such as fiber, various vitamins and minerals, amino acids, and enzymes needed by our body to stay healthy.

Wheatgrass is often consumed in the form of salads, juice, tea, or mixed in other beverages. Wheatgrass are often sold in powdered form, which can be dilluted in hot water (thus called wheatgrass tea). Other than consumed as food, wheatgrass extracts are sold commercially as herbal supplement in the form of cream, spray, gel, or skin lotion.

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Nutritional Facts of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass has many health benefits because it is rich in nutrients. It is a good source of kalium, phosphorus, and calcium, which is very good for maintaining healthy bones. It  is high in fiber too, which is very good to maintain healthy digestive system. Wheatgrass also contains two times more proteins than eggs, and 4 times higher vitamin A than spinach.  It is also high in folate, which is very good to prevent anemia and good for pregnant women to support the development and growth of the fetus.

Let us see the nutrient content of wheatgrass compared with other foods in the table below:

Per 100 g Wheatgrass Spinach Broccoli Egg Chicken
Protein 25 % 2,86 % 2,98 % 12,44 % 17,55 %
Vitamin A 2520 mcg 672 mcg 154 mcg 190 mcg 52 mcg
Thiamin 0,350 mg 0,078 mg 0,065 mg 0,049 mg 0,114 mg
Niacin 8,35 mg 0,724 mg 0,638 mg 0,062 mg 6,262 mg
Riboflavin 16,9 mg 0,189 mg 0,119 mg 0,430 mg 0,167 mg
Vitamin C 214,5 mg 28,1mg 93,2 mg 0 mg 2,4 mg
Vitamin B6 1,6 mg 0,195 mg 0,159 mg 0,118 mg 0,330 mg
Folate 1110 mcg 194,9 mcg 71,0 mcg 35 mcg 6 mcg
Vitamin E 9,1 mg 1,89 mg 1,66 mg 1,05 mg –
Selenium 2,5 mcg 1,0 mcg 3,0 mcg 230,8 mcg –
Calcium 321 mg 99 mg 48 mg 49 mg 10 mg
Magnesium 112 mg 79 mg 25 mg 10 mg 20 mg
Iron 24,9 mg 2,7 mg 0,88 mg 1,44 mg 1,04 mg
Zinc 4,87 mg 0,53 mg 0,4 mg 1,1 mg 1,19 mg

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  1. Helps Weight Loss Program

Wheatgrass contains very low calories, only 120 calories/100 grams, so it is good to be consumed during weight loss program. Wheatgrass is also high in selenium, which repairs the functions of thyroid glands, which are known as the glands that manage bogy weight. It is already proven in studies that wheatgrass can help reduce body weight. Moreover, the fiber contained in wheatgrass can reduce the excessive hunger and snacking urges. Wheatgrass is also high in vitamin B complex, which plays important role in metabolism, thus helping reduce weight.

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  1. Helps Detoxification Process

Everyday our bodies are exposed to toxins, and one of the health benefits of wheatgrass tea is to help eliminating toxins from our bodies, which is known as detoxification process. Antioxidants, nutrients and alkaline pH in wheatgrass tea can accelerate detoxification process by the liver.Detoxification process also helps delaying aging process.

See also: Health Benefits of Wild Rice – Health Benefits of Mangosteen Peel

  1. Boosts Immune System

According to many studies, wheatgrass tea can help boost immune system and prevent us from ailments, such as influenza, fever and other ailments caused by exposure to virus or bacteria. This can happen because wheatgrass contains an active substance that promotes white blood cells production and stimulates immune system to work more effectively.

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  1. Maintains Healthy Digestive System

Wheatgrass is high in fiber, which helps normalize peristaltic movements of our intestines, thus preventing constipation. Fibers also can absorb excessive water in the intestines, thus stopping diarrhea.

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  1. Prevents and Treats Arthritis

Arthritis is mainly caused by abnormality of immune system (autoimmune), where our immune system attacks our own body cells. This disease often attacks big joints, such as knees, elbows, and ankles, causing inflammation in surrounding areas. Drinking wheatgrass leaf tea 2-3 times a day can help normalize our immune system, and reducing the inflammation in affected areas. This has been published by International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drugs in 2012, where it stated that wheatgrass is one of the foods that can help prevent and cure arthritis significantly.

See also: Benefits of Green Tea – Health Benefits of Falsa Fruit

  1. Prevents and Helps Treat Cancers

One of health benefits of wheatgrass tea is to prevent cancers, due to its high antioxidants. We already know that antioxidants fight free radicals that causes cancers. Wheatgrass also helps detoxifying the body, and helps kill cancer cells. Drinking wheatgrass tea everyday is very effective in reducing cancer risks, especially cancers in digestive tracts and glands. A study in USA showed that patients with breast cancer who drank wheatgrass tea regularly were soothed from chemotherapy effects. These findings reinforce the probability of using wheatgrass as one of anti-cancer herbs, but it still needs further study to find out about side effects and proper dose as anti-cancer drug.

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  1. Prevents Early Aging

With the high antioxidants and detoxifying effect, wheatgrass tea can helps delaying aging process of our body, from wrinkles to more serious disease like Alzheimer and dementia. It is also known to reduce the number of grey hair and hairloss in menopausing women.

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  1. Prevents Cardiovascular Diseases

The antioxidants and detoxifying substances in wheatgrass tea helps rejuvenating our blood vessels, thus preventing us to get heart disease, hypertension and stroke. The fibers contained in wheatgrass also helps blocking the absorption of LDL (bad cholesterol) in our intestines.

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  1. Reduces Stress and Depression

Wheatgrass contains some amino acids that helps elevate our mood. Drinking wheatgrass tea everyday can reduce stress and depression.

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  1. Prevents Anemia

Wheatgrass is high in iron, a mineral which is very important in production of red blood cells. Drinking wheatgrass tea everyday can prevent us to get anemia.

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11. Maintains Strong Bones and Teeth

Wheatgrass tea is high in calcium, which is the main substances in bones and teeth. Consuming foods and beverages high in calcium will prevent our body to take calcium away from our bones as compensation of low calcium level in the blood and interstitial fluid.

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12. Treatment of Skin Problems

Although it is not proven scientifically, wheatgrass has been believed to cure skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, and sunburn. Just freeze some wheatgrass juice, and put the frozen juice onto the affected area.

See also: Health Benefits of Acai Berry – Health Benefits of Bilimbi Fruit

Wheatgrass Leaf Tea Benefits for Reproduction

13. Soothes Menstrual Cramps

Drinking wheatgrass tea during menstruation can help reduce cramps and excessive bleeding.

See also: Health Benefits of Wormwood Tea

14. Enhances Fertility

Since ancient time, it is widely known that wheatgrass can enhance fertility in both men and women, thus it is useful to drink wheatgrass tea everyday during pregnancy program.

See also: Health Benefits of Eating Sprouted Moong

How to Prepare Wheatgrass Tea

Wheatgrass tea is very easy to prepare. Just put 1-2 teaspoons of wheatgrass powder into a cup, add hot water, and wait 5-10 minutes until it cools down a bit. Add honey if desired.

If we have fresh wheatgrass plant, we can dry the wheatgrass under the sun, or in the oven. To dry wheatgrass in the oven, preheat oven at 800C, put the wheatgrass on baking tray and bake it for 2 -3 hours. Make sure of checking and stir the wehatgrass every 30 minutes, until it is crispy dry. The dried wheatgrass is pounded into powder, and then can be infused in hot water. Make sure that we clean and wash the fresh wheatgrass thoroughly before drying it, since wheatgrass that are planted in wet soil can carry bacteria, fungi, insects and worms.

Wheatgrass tea is better consumed on empty stomach, since it can cause nausea and discomfort in the stomach when consumed with other foods.

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Side Effects of Wheatgrass Tea

Although wheatgrass tea has so many health benefits, it also can cause allergic reaction. Since wheatgrass is the young form of wheat plant, people who are allergic to wheat should not consume wheatgrass tea. If this is the first time we consume wheatgrass tea, we should watch the symptoms of allergy soon after consuming wheatgrass tea until 48 hours after consuming it. The symptoms are varied, from dizziness, headache, ichiness, difficulty in swallowing and shortness in breathing. People who are allergic to gluten also should not consumed wheatgrass tea. If allergic people still want to consume wheatgrass tea, they should consult their doctors first.

See also: Signs of Wheat Allergy

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not consume fresh wheatgrass, therefore wheatgrass tea is much more safe for them.

Wheatgrass is also not a drug, it is only a food supplement. Therefore, when consuming wheatgrass, we still need to take prescription drugs, therapies, and do healthy diet with fruits and vegetables.

Moreover, we should not consume wheatgrass tea continously for more than 18 months, because the side effects (other than allergic reaction) are not studied yet.

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Wheatgrass powder can be purchased easily, both on the store and online. The price is not expensive. Therefore, we should try to consume wheatgrass tea, to get the healthy benefits.