Dry Vs. Fresh Wheat Grass
- Many people who like wheat grass juice will grow their own supply and juice it at home. Health food stores often sell wheat grass in dehydrated powders or as fresh-squeezed juice from a juicing machine. There's still some debate in the health foods community over which preparation is best or has the most nutritional value.
- Wheat grass advocates believe that it has health benefits because it's high in amino acids, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and various other nutrients. They generally argue that wheat grass juice ought to be consumed raw, since cooking will denature the proteins in the plant that they believe are important for its effects.
- According to Healthy Heart Info, dried wheat grass is a more concentrated source of nutrients than fresh, since the water stored in the plant has been removed through dehydration. Proponents of the fresh juice argue that dehydrating the wheat grass reduces the potency of the enzymes they believe are essential for the health benefits of the drink. It's important to note, however, that enzymes and proteins in the diet are typically broken down into their constituent amino acids during digestion. Some sources like Dynamic Greens contend that flash-frozen juice is more beneficial than either dried or fresh.
- Some who follow the fresh juice school of thought believe that fresh juice is preferable for other reasons. The Dogwood Gardens Organic Farm website, for example, contends that fresh juice has a "life force" not present in the dried form. Claims like these are difficult to evaluate scientifically because it's not clear what is meant by "life force" or how "life force" would be identified.
- Despite the rising popularity of the juice, there isn't much scientific evidence in the published literature to substantiate most of its purported benefits. A small study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology in 2002 found evidence that suggests wheat grass juice might benefit patients with ulcerative colitis, but more research is needed to confirm these conclusions. Like many other vegetables and plant foods, wheat grass does contain a variety of important nutrients, so it may well form a useful addition to your diet; whether you take it dried or fresh is probably a matter of personal preference. Given the paucity of evidence, however, it would be unwise to assume that taking wheat grass juice will by itself correct illnesses or ailments. You should never use wheat grass juice as a substitute for appropriate medical care or attention.
