Can You Eat Wheatgrass Raw?

People have a lot of questions about wheatgrass. One of them that I've been hearing a lot lately is about whether you can eat wheatgrass raw. While most people generally agree that it would pretty much kill the nutrients in wheatgrass if you cooked them, people still ask that question. I think what they really mean is whether or not you can simply eat the wheatgrass straight, without juicing it. The answer is yes, but there are some things you should know. As I have previously stated in this post about eating wheatgrass, it is possible, but there are some things to keep in mind.
First, human stomachs are a lot different than those of cows and horses.  Hoofed animals have stomachs that have evolved to break up and digest grasses.  Our stomachs, on the other hand, just aren't capable of breaking apart the cellulose in wheatgrass, so it just comes out the other end of our bodies looking very similar to how it went in.  You see, wheatgrass is different from other plants that we can digest, such as broccoli and spinach.  Our stomachs can break down the cellulose in those plants and extract the yummy nutrients.  The best way to get the most out of wheatgrass is to juice it with a masticating juicer.  You can get a cheap manual wheatgrass juicer for only $40 or so.
Take a Look at Good Wheatgrass Juicers Here on Amazon

If you don't have one of these juicers yet, here is what you can do:

1. Grab yourself a handful of wheatgrass that has been cut just above the roots.  
2. Insert wheatgrass into your mouth.
3. Chew on the grass in your mouth while sucking out the juice and swallowing it. (this can take quite some time)
4. Spit out the dried wad of wheatgrass and repeat if your jaw is strong enough to handle more!
   

Can you eat wheatgrass? Take two

I just got another comment from someone saying that they are putting straight wheatgrass into the blender with other smoothie ingredients and just blending it and eating it. Will this work? Yes and No. Of course, you can do this, and it will chop the grass into small pieces and you can drink it, but you still have one fundamental problem, which is:

Human stomachs can't break down the fibers in straight wheatgrass. You can eat/drink it, but you will just poop it out later. The extra fiber might be good for you, but you won't be getting very much of the nutritional benefits of the wheatgrass this way.

This is why people juice it. The juicer mechanically separates the juice from the undigestible fiber. I HIGHLY recommend juicing the wheatgrass before consuming it. I think some people just toss the grass into the blender because they don't have a juicer! If you don't have a juicer yet, it is a great investment that will only set you back $45 or so if you want the cheapest manual kind, or $150 + for a fancy electric one. Take a look here at the many juicers available to buy.
After you have juiced the wheatgrass, you can easily mix the juice into the blender with whatever you are juicing, and it will work great. This is wonderful for the many people who just can't stomach straight wheatgrass juice. It can be strong stuff!