Does Wheatgrass Juice Contain Gluten?


Some people are gluten intolerant, which means they can't eat many foods that contain gluten, including wheat and barley. Does this mean that people who can't eat gluten should not drink wheatgrass juice? Luckily, most of these people can drink wheatgrass juice. The reason why wheatgrass juice is OK is because it is cut when it is still very young -- only at 6-10 inches tall and about 10 days old. In this stage, the grass does not contain any gluten. Even most people who are allergic to wheat can still drink wheatgrass juice, because they are usually allergic to the gluten in the wheat kernel. The gluten is present in the wheat kernel (seed), after the wheat plant has grown for a long time and is ready to be harvested.

It is worth stating here that although every wheatgrass source I have ever come across says that wheatgrass juice is gluten free, wheatgrass does show up on this really, really long list of foods that may contain gluten. It has wheatgrass on the list, but interestingly does not say wheatgrass juice. If you are a celiac (cannot consume gluten), check with your doctor first before drinking wheatgrass juice just in case.

5 comments:

Birthright Knowing said...

I think the digestive challenges some people experience after consuming wheatgrass comes from the potency of wheatgrass. I've been teaching yoga for 10 years and been an avid juicer. Nothing makes me "go" like wheatgrass but over the years of drinking it, my body has built an ability to handle the "shock". I'm terribly gluten intolerant and eat zero gluten and wheatgrass doesn't do to me what gluten does. But it does have a cleansing affect which could be mistaken for a reaction.

Unknown said...

Oops. I think you meant gluten intolerant Mr. Vegan. Anyone who was glucose intolerant would not be living, much less juicing wheatgrass (smile). Thanks for a great blog!

StacyW said...

The beginning sentence of this article states, "Some people are glucose intolerant, which means they can't eat many foods that contain gluten, including wheat and barley." I just want to say that being GLUCOSE INTOLERANT has nothing to do with GLUTEN. Glucose intolerant is associated with Diabetes and how the body reacts to insulin NOT gluten.

StacyW said...

The beginning sentence of this article states, "Some people are glucose intolerant, which means they can't eat many foods that contain gluten, including wheat and barley." I just want to say that being GLUCOSE INTOLERANT has nothing to do with GLUTEN. Glucose intolerant is associated with Diabetes and how the body reacts to insulin NOT gluten.

Mnadeem said...

Hi there, was wondering what is you're source for proving that there is no gluten in wheat grass juice. I am not challenging your expertise, but I am trying to make sure the knowledge I get from reading you're posts are 100%. I plan to start doing this and help my dad who is a diabetic and has had a bypass surgery and is also on blood pressure meds. Thanks!