The benefits of wheatgrass and how to plant it indoors

Posted at 2:50 pm August 16, 2010

Tags: Family Health Concerns, Physical Wellness

SHARE YOUR STORIES

Got a similar Story? Share it here

See list of businesses related to Family Health Concerns

See list of businesses related to Physical Wellness

By Alexander Villafania

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA – The use of wheatgrass is becoming a health and nutrition phenomenon in the Philippines primarily due to the introduction of processed or powdered brands by pharmaceutical companies.

Some food shops and restaurants have also added wheatgrass in their marketing ploy to bring in health-conscious customers.

Wheatgrass is primarily from the common wheat, Triticum aestivum, which is already used for breads. Based on a variety of articles and claims by pharmaceutical firms that sell them, wheatgrass can help increase blood flow, improve digestion, and detoxification.

There are some studies indicating the health benefits of wheatgrass. One study indicated the effects of consuming wheatgrass for distal ulcerative colitis. A combined study from the Purdue University and Brown University in the US also pointed to cancer preventive properties of several green vegetables, including wheatgrass.

A similar study from the Netherlands was also done to test anti-cancer properties of plants with high concentrations of chlorophyll (the green pigmentation of all plants).

Wheatgrass has a large concentration of chlorophyll. An article from the blog Pinoy Green Academy stressed the benefits of chlorophyll in the body.

Not surprisingly, criticisms abound on the health benefits of wheatgrass. The research does not yet establish the full capabilities of the compounds in wheatgrass, though it is just a general presumption that the plant has health benefits.

The blog Mun Fitness said there is little empirical evidence to make health claims absolutely possible and that consuming wheatgrass is no more beneficial than eating other green, leafy vegetables. As with many plants, wheatgrass is a good source of vitamins A, B, C and E, but there are few nutritionists that recommend it as the be-all and end-all.

But perhaps a marketing strategy for a healthy, organic and readily available source of nutrition does have its benefits to sell a product that helps people.

Wheatgrass is already so popular in the Philippines that some have started growing them in their backyards or even indoors. The Internet has many suggestions on how to build a small wheatgrass farm.

A basic planting methodis from Happy Juicer. There are also some videosto allow for more visual process of planting wheatgrass. Another easy, illustrated wheatgrass growing process is available from Sprout.net.

At the Manila Seedling Bankin Quezon City, a huge store that sells medicinal, gourmet, and ornamental plants has a greenhouse specifically for indoor wheatgrass.

According to one of the staff, wheatgrass seeds, which look like larger versions of rice granule, need to be soaked in water for about 2 hours, drained overnight, and then planted in small trays.

The seeds take about three to four days to grow and can be harvested within a week. Once cut, these can be powdered or chopped. The leaves can also be squeezed to produce juice. The plants also do not need lots of sun; a shaded but well-lit and ventilated location is enough to produce sprouts within days.

One does not need to spend hundreds of pesos to buy processed wheat grass. A little space, some shade, and a little green thumb would be enough to have a little indoor wheatgrass farm.