Should I Take Wheatgrass Juice or Pills?

I've recently been asked about the little green pills of dried wheatgrass, and how they stand up to freshly squeezed wheatgrass juice. I guess the answer depends on who you ask. According to nearly all wheatgrass aficionados I know, the fresh stuff is always better than frozen, dried, or bottled wheatgrass. Many experts claim that some of the key nutrients present in wheatgrass juice deteriorate rapidly just after juicing, so they claim that it is best to drink it within minutes of juicing.

Yet according to the company that sells the wheatgrass pills, their stuff is nutritionally superior to the fresh pressed juice. This in turn makes it tough to tell who is right. Personally, I prefer the fresh juice. I normally drink about 4 ounces each morning, which would be equivalent to 28 of their pills. Since I grow it myself, the cost is minimal -- only a few cents per shot, but even if you buy this big bottle of 500 wheatgrass pills, this amount works out to $1.79 for the same amount (28 pills), or 45 cents per shot. Yes, this is still much cheaper than buying shots at the juice bar at $2 a pop, but I guess the real question is whether it is as good for your body. The next time I go for a trip I will try chomping down on wheatgrass pills for a week and report back on the results.

My recommendation: If you have the time and enjoy growing and juicing wheatgrass yourself, do that. If you really don't have any time to juice wheatgrass yourself, or are travelling, wheatgrass or barley grass tablets would be make a fine choice.

The Wheatgrass pick-me-up and other energy boosters

Enduring a groggy morning or the mid-afternoon energy sag is a daily occurrence for many people. Many people claim that drinking some wheatgrass juice first thing in the morning enables them to forgo their cup of coffee. Although there seems to be little scientific evidence so far on wheatgrass juice, I have heard countless people say that wheatgrass juice in fact does give them a boost of energy. What causes this energy boost? We all know that coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate contain caffeine, which is known to provide an energy kick, but what does wheatgrass have? Some think that it has to do with the raw, simple way that your body can absorb and put the nutrients present in wheatgrass juice to work right after you drink it. Many foods require your body to work quite hard to get the nutrients out of the food, but wheatgrass juice is one of the simplest things to digest.  In addition, wheatgrass is considered an alkaline food, and consuming an alkaline diet helps to balance the body's pH. By drinking wheatgrass and other green alkaline drinks, you are giving your body to achieve optimum performance.
Wheatgrass juice definitely isn't the only option for that energy booster though. Here are a few more ways to get you through your days:

1. Exercise -- When you exercise and breathe hard, oxygen is sent rushing throughout your body, giving you an energy boost. Even a few minutes will make a big difference. Can't go outside? Walk or run up the stairs.
2. Drink tea -- Tea has a lot less caffeine in it than coffee, and it contains lots of anti-oxidants. Natural tea is a great drink that can boost energy levels.
3. Go outside -- Your body is designed to be alert during the day and sleeping at night. If you are stuck indoors all day, your body will naturally start to feel drowsy because you aren't in the sunlight. Solution: get outside for a short break anytime you can, and lift up the shades in your office. If you can't do any of these, get a "daylight" light bulb which mimics sunlight. This one by philips only costs $3.99 This method also works well for people who need to work at night.
   
4. Eat right -- Your body performs best when it is given the right kinds of food. Human bodies thrive on things that are fresh, so eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. For an afternoon snack, bring some fruit to work.
5. Get enough sleep -- Everyone knows this one, but for lots of people, this is the main reason why they feel drowsy during the day. If you aren't sleeping for 7-9 hours a night, you will naturally feel tired. Do whatever it takes to make sure you can get to bed early enough to get your sleep, and you will enjoy your days a lot more!

A Nutritional Data Analysis of Wheatgrass Juice

I just finished reading a post by one of the wheatgrass skeptics--a person who claims wheatgrass juice is completely bogus. One of his reasons is that by looking at the nutritional data provided by Jamba Juice, it seems as though wheatgrass juice is little more than water with green coloring. But digging a little deeper, it becomes apparent that Jamba Juice didn't bother to spend much time to find the nutritional data at all. Take a look at this website that provides the nutritional data of a 1 oz shot of wheatgrass from Jamba Juice. Notice a lot of missing info? All of those squiggly marks (~~~) show that Jamba Juice didn't provide that information. It does NOT mean that wheatgrass juice doesn't contain any of these nutrients!!! It means that the nutritional DATA is incomplete.
I did a little research (not very intense) and found a more complete source of information. The following nutritional data is for 100g of wheatgrass juice and is provided by Irvine Analytical Laboratories, Inc.

Calories 21.0 Cal
Carbohydrates 2.0 g
Fat 0.06 g
Water 95 g
Sodium 10.3 mg
Iron 0.61 mg
Folic Acid 29 mcg
Dietary Fiber < class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">IU
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.08 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.13 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) 0.11 mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 6.0 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCI) 0.2 mg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) < class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">mcg
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 3.65 mg
Vitamin E 15.2 IU
Chlorophyll 42.2 mg
Choline 92.4 mg

You should also be aware that the nutritional properties of wheatgrass can vary depending on a factors including growing conditions, soil quality, when it is harvested, etc.

The Healing Powers of Wheatgrass

There are many rumors floating around about the benefits of wheatgrass, so I thought I would write a little on this subject. Some claim that drinking wheatgrass can heal all kinds of illnesses and health problems in humans. Others claim that it doesn't really do anything at all. To help answer this question, we can take a look at the one place that has focused on wheatgrass juice: The Hippocrates Health Institute. This place carries on where Ann Wigmore left off, providing guidance for healthy living that focuses on wheatgrass, raw and vegan diets, and a healthy lifestyle. The institute sees many people suffering from all kinds of sicknesses, and many have remarkable turnarounds. Take a look at their testimonials page to read what patients have to say. The ailments that have been healed include cancer, brain tumors, gallstones, weight problems, bone density, arthritis, seizures, and many others health problems.

After reading through some of these, it makes me want to keep drinking wheatgrass juice. I guess my problem is that I am very healthy, so I can't see the effects so well! But I haven't been to the doctor for years, and am in great shape, so I am going to keep drinking the juice to make sure I stay that way!  It is worth mentioning that wheatgrass juice is only one of many of the so called superfoods that can keep your body running at full seed.  These include acai berries, green tea, oregano, himalayan goji juice, and many other natural foods. 

If you are new to wheatgrass, this book gives you all the info you need about what wheatgrass is, what it can do for you, and how to grow it yourself.