Wheatgrass is an excellent source of many different vitamins and minerals. It is especially high in vitamins A, C and E, as well as iron, magnesium, calcium and amino acids.
Of its 17 amino acids, eight are considered essential, meaning your body cannot produce them and you must obtain them from food sources (
Like all green plants, wheatgrass also consists of chlorophyll, a type of green plant pigment associated with many health benefits (
It also contains several important antioxidants, including glutathione and vitamins C and E (
Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals to prevent cell damage and reduce oxidative stress.
Some studies have found that antioxidants may help protect against certain conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis and neurodegenerative diseases (
In one study, wheatgrass decreased oxidative stress and improved cholesterol levels in rabbits fed a high-fat diet.
Additionally, supplementing with wheatgrass increased levels of the antioxidants glutathione and vitamin C (
Another test-tube study that evaluated the antioxidant activity of wheatgrass found it reduced oxidative damage to cells (
Given that the research on wheatgrass is limited to test-tube and animal studies, more studies are needed to determine how its antioxidants may affect humans.
Summary Wheatgrass is high in chlorophyll and many vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Test-tube and animal studies have found that its antioxidant content may prevent oxidative stress and cell damage.
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