Wheatgrass
Scientific names: Triticum aestivum, Triticum sativum, Frumentum triticum E.H.L. Krause
Family: Poaceae/Gramineae
Alternate names: Agropyre, Blé en Herbe, Bread Wheat, Brote del Trigo, Common Wheat, Wheat, Wheat Grass
Actions: Anti-arthritic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Chelation effect, Cholesterol-lowering
Background
Wheatgrass is the freshly sprouted shoot of the wheat plant (Triticum aestivum). It's native to Asia and the Mediterranean, but it's grown worldwide.
Wheatgrass contains large amounts of chlorophyll. High-chlorophyll diets are sometimes promoted to treat certain diseases, such as cancer. Wheatgrass also contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium, and amino acids.
People use wheatgrass for a blood disorder that reduces levels of protein in the blood called hemoglobin (beta-thalassemia), cancer, high cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Wheat is considered a major food allergen in the US. Wheat contents, including wheatgrass, must be labeled on packaged foods and supplement products. Don't confuse wheatgrass with similarly named wheat bran or couch grass. These are not the same.
Wheatgrass contains large amounts of chlorophyll. High-chlorophyll diets are sometimes promoted to treat certain diseases, such as cancer. Wheatgrass also contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium, and amino acids.
People use wheatgrass for a blood disorder that reduces levels of protein in the blood called hemoglobin (beta-thalassemia), cancer, high cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Wheat is considered a major food allergen in the US. Wheat contents, including wheatgrass, must be labeled on packaged foods and supplement products. Don't confuse wheatgrass with similarly named wheat bran or couch grass. These are not the same.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Wheatgrass is commonly consumed in foods. Wheatgrass juice is possibly safe when consumed as medicine in amounts of 60-100 mL daily for up to 18 months. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if it is safe to use longer-term as medicine. It's generally well-tolerated. Side effects might include allergic reactions, anorexia, constipation and nausea.
When applied to the skin: Wheatgrass is possibly safe when used for up to 6 weeks.
Surgery: Wheatgrass might lower blood sugar. This might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop taking wheatgrass as a medicine at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
When applied to the skin: Wheatgrass is possibly safe when used for up to 6 weeks.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if wheatgrass is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Surgery: Wheatgrass might lower blood sugar. This might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop taking wheatgrass as a medicine at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Effectiveness
Effective Effectiveness definitions
There is interest in using wheatgrass for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Dosing & administration
There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of wheatgrass might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates)
Interaction Rating=Minor Be watchful with this combination.
Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Wheatgrass might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Wheatgrass might lower blood sugar levels. Taking wheatgrass along with diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood sugar: Wheatgrass might lower blood sugar. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might lower blood sugar too much. Examples of supplements with this effect include aloe, bitter melon, cassia cinnamon, chromium, and prickly pear cactus.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Products
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Per 8 g:
- Wheatgrass powder 1.12 g
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 1.68 g
- Medicago sativa powder 160 mg
- Hordeum vulgare powder 160 mg
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) 80 mg
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale) 80 mg
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (sprout) powder
- Inulin (Dietary fibre)
- Pea (fibre) sprouted
- Lepidium meyenii (root) powder
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii) (SB) 200 mg
- Tremella fuciformis powder 200 mg
- Pouteria lucuma (fruit) powder
- Oryza sativa (Brown rice protein)
- Lentinula edodes powder 160 mg
- Quinoa (sprout) powder
- Malpighia glabra powder 120 mg
- Grifola frondosa powder 80 mg
- Schisandra chinensis powder 80 mg
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Beta vulgaris (root) powder (Beetroot)
- Daucus carota juice dry
- Davidson plum powder
- Backhousia citriodora (leaf) powder
- Kakadu plum powder 80 mg
- Banana resistant starch powder
- Tasmannia lanceolata powder
- Citrus australasica
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Per 5 g:
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Per 6 g (Green Apple):
- Wheatgrass powder 654 mg
- Green banana starch 654 mg
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder (Barley) 654 mg
- Green lentil
- Mung bean (sprout)
- Spinacia oleracea
- Acacia sp. 1.99 g
- Bacillus subtilis 1 billion CFU
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Cucurbita pepo (seed)
- Linseed
- Chia (seed)
- Cynara scolymus
- Taraxacum officinale (root)
- Petroselinum crispum
- Chlorella vulgaris 450 mg
- Apple flavour
- Citric acid anhydrous
- Siraitia grosvenorii (Monk fruit)
- Agave sp.
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 228 mg
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Per 3 g:
- Wheatgrass powder 450 mg
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 750 mg
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder 750 mg
- Hordeum vulgare powder 750 mg
- Calcified lithothamnion (Red algae) 300 mg
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Per 10 g:
- Wheatgrass powder 333 mg
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 1 g
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder 333 mg
- Inulin (Dietary fibre) 800 mg
- Lactobacillus acidophilus 5 billion CFU
- Bifidobacterium bifidum 3 billion CFU
- Bifidobacterium lactis 5 billion CFU
- Bifidobacterium longum 1 billion CFU
- Cynara scolymus powder 500 mg
- Hordeum vulgare 200 mg
- Malus (Apple) 200 mg
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf & sprout) powder (Kale) 100 mg
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple) 240 mg
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) 67 mg
- Beta glucan 50 mg
- Resveratrol 10 mg
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple oil) 65 mg
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) (Flaxseed) 400 mg
- Oryza sativa (Rice bran) 500 mg
- Pea protein isolate 1 g
- R-alpha lipoic acid 67 mg
- Thiamine hydrochloride (Vitamin B1) 400 µg
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) 5.3 mg
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) 567 µg
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 434 µg
- Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) 1.7 mg
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) 0.8 µg
- Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D) 3.8 µg
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 333 mg
- d-alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate 100 mg
- Ubidecarenone (Coenzyme Q10) 8 mg
- Copper gluconate 225 µg
- Potassium phosphate dibasic 104 mg
- Folic acid 67 µg
- Biotin 10 µg
- Silica - colloidal anhydrous 14 mg
- Magnesium citrate 42 mg
- Zinc amino acid chelate 10 mg
- Chromium picolinate 10 µg
- Calcium citrate 132 mg
- Manganese amino acid chelate 1.4 mg
- Selenomethionine 30 µg
- Beta-carotene carotenoids (Vitamin A) 1.7 mg
- Citrus bioflavonoids extract 500 mg
- Citric acid anhydrous 150 mg
- Rosmarinus officinalis powder 68 mg
- Taraxacum officinale ext. 33 mg
- Vaccinium myrtillus powder 200 mg
- Glycyrrhiza glabra powder 67 mg
- Crataegus monogyna ext. 29 mg
- Astragalus membranaceus ext. 67 mg
- Vitis vinifera ext. 67 mg
- Camellia sinensis ext. 67 mg
- Ganoderma lucidum powder 21 mg
- Lentinula edodes powder 21 mg
- Aloe barbadensis ext. 500 mg
- Zingiber officinale powder 67 mg
- Eleutherococcus senticosus ext. 1 g
- Centella asiatica ext. 67 mg
- Withania somnifera ext. 67 mg
- Silybum marianum ext. 67 mg
- Arctium lappa ext. 21 mg
- Rosa canina powder 168 mg
- Lycium barbarum 33 mg
- Beta vulgaris (root) powder (Beetroot) 167 mg
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot) 83 mg
- Carica papaya (Papain) 250 mg
- Lecithin 725 mg
- Laminaria digitara (Kelp) 8 mg
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Natural pineapple flavour
- Thaumatin
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Luo Han Guo (fruit) ext. (Monk fruit)
- Xanthan gum
- Brassica oleracea var. italica powder 150 mg
- Malpighia glabra ext. 267 mg
- Theobroma cacao powder 100 mg
120 g
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Per capsule:
- Wheatgrass powder 330 mg
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 550 mg
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder 550 mg
- Hordeum vulgare powder 550 mg
- Calcified lithothamnion (Red algae) 220 mg
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Per 10 g:
- Wheatgrass powder
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (Broccoli)
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder
- Plantago ovata (husk) (Psyllium)
- Citrus limon (Lemon)
- Withania somnifera
- Fucus vesiculosus
- Zingiber officinale
- Actaea racemosa
- Rosmarinus officinalis
- Ulmus rubra
- Silybum marianum
- Glycyrrhiza glabra
- Vitex agnus-castus (fruit)
- Eleutherococcus senticosus
- Taraxacum officinale
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus helveticus
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus leichmannii
- Lactobacillus caucasicus
- Lactococcus lactis
- Lactobacillus fermentum
- Lactobacillus brevis
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus delbrueckii
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii) (SB)
- Cinnamon zeylanicum (bark)
- Punica granatum
- Rubus idaeus
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Per 5 g:
- Wheatgrass powder
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder
- Urtica dioica (leaf) powder
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Artichoke inulin
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
- Malus (Apple)
- Citrus limon (Lemon)
- Amaranth powder
- Quinoa (sprout) powder
- Sea mineral complex
- Taraxacum officinale ext.
- Silybum marianum ext.
- Rosmarinus officinalis ext.
- Opuntia ficus indica (cladode) (Prickly pear)
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Stevia rebaubiana (leaf) ext.
- Mint flavour
- Medicago sativa
- Brassica oleracea var. italica (sprout) powder
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Per 5 g:
- Wheatgrass powder
- Inulin (Dietary fibre)
- Marine collagen peptides 250 mg
- Lepidium meyenii (root) powder
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR-32)
- Bifidobacterium longum (BL-05)
- Zinc
- Cannabis sativa powder 520 mg
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) 370 mg
- Linum usitatissimum (seed) flour (Flaxseed) 250 mg
- Sunflower lecithin
- Citrus limon (juice) (Lemon)
- Ananas comosus (Pineapple)
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
- Euterpe oleracea (berry) ext. (Acai)
- Chlorella pyrenoidosa powder
- Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato)
- Apple pectin
- Beta vulgaris (root) powder (Beetroot)
- Citric acid anhydrous
- Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon)
- Fragaria ananassa (juice) powder (Strawberry)
- Garcinia mangostana (fruit) powder
- Punica granatum juice dry
- Carica papaya (fruit) powder
- Vaccinium macrocarpon (fruit) powder
- Natural vanilla flavour
- Lycium barbarum (fruit)
- Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui berry)
- Silybum marianum powder
- Astragalus membranaceus (root) powder
- Equisetum arvense (herb) powder
- Laminaria digitara (Kelp)
- Silica - colloidal anhydrous
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Camellia sinensis powder
- Withania somnifera (root) powder
- Eleutherococcus senticosus (root) powder
- Echinacea purpurea (root) powder
- Melissa officinalis powder
- Taraxacum officinale (leaf) powder
- Zingiber officinale (root) powder
- Rosa canina powder
- Vaccinium myrtillus (fruit) powder
- Ulmus rubra (bark) powder
- Mushroom powder
- Kakadu plum powder
- Calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B5)
- Panax ginseng powder
- Curcuma longa (root) powder
- Backhousia citriodora (leaf)
- Thaumatin
- Ananas comosus (Bromelain)
- Protease
- Phyllanthus emblica (fruit) powder
- Morindae officinalis (fruit) powder
- Marine algae
- Malpighia glabra (fruit) powder
- Medicago sativa 200 mg
- Sambucus nigra (fruit)
- Vaccinium corymbosum (fruit) powder
- Hordeum vulgare powder 200 mg
- Salvia hispanica (seed) powder
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Per 4 g (Pineapple):
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Per 35.5 g (Chocolate):
- Wheatgrass powder
- Pea protein concentrate
- Oryza sativa (Rice protein)
- Hordeum vulgare
- Amaranth powder
- Quinoa powder
- Medicago sativa
- Malus (Apple)
- Vaccinium corymbosum
- Vaccinium macrocarpon
- Daucus carota powder (Carrot)
- Coriandrum sativum
- Petroselinum crispum
- Cynara scolymus
- Raphanus raphanistrum (Wild radish)
- Taraxacum officinale
- Brassica oleracea var. acephala (leaf) powder (Kale)
- Apium graveolens
- Beta vulgaris
- Spinacia oleracea (Spinach)
- Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato)
- Brassica oleracea var. italica
- Armoracia rusticana
- Brassica oleracea var. viridis
- Nasturtium officinale
- Ocimum basilicum
- Piper nigrum
- Mentha spicata
- Theobroma cacao (Cocoa powder)
- Natural flavours
- Malpighia glabra ext. dry
- Cordyceps sinensis
- Ganoderma lucidum
- Lentinula edodes
- Grifola frondosa
- Trametes versicolor
- Cannabis sativa (seed) powder
- Agaricus subrufescens
- Stevia rebaubiana
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Per 5 g:
- Wheatgrass powder
- Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina)
- Lentinula edodes powder
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SB) 125 mg
- Quercetin dihydrate 250 mg
- Grifola frondosa powder
- Medicago sativa powder
- Hordeum vulgare (leaf) powder (Barley)
- Green banana starch
- Inulin (Dietary fibre)
- Pea (fibre) sprouted
- Malpighia glabra powder
- Zinc sulphate
- Oryza sativa (Brown rice protein fermented)
- Stevia rebaubiana
- Chlorella vulgaris powder
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This monograph was last reviewed on 18/11/2024 11:00:00 and last updated on 12/06/2018 01:07:34. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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