Wheat grass is a young plant of the genus Agropyron, (especially Agropyron cristatum, a relative of wheat). Fresh leaf buds of this plant can be crushed to create a juice or dried to make a powder; the unprocessed plant contains high levels of cellulose, which makes it indigestible.
It possesses chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. The chlorophyll molecule is similar in structure to hemoglobin, leading some to believe that wheat grass helps blood flow, digestion and general detoxification of the body.
Some wheat grass products are made from Tritium aestivum, or common wheat. Crested wheat grass (Agropyron desertorum), which has a deep and fibrous root system, is used for drought resistance. |