Reader's
Question:
Are Wheat and Wheat Grass Related?
by Barbara D. Allan
Author of Conquering Arthritis
Are
wheat and wheat grass related? If I have an intolerance
to wheat, will I most likely have an intolerance to wheat
grass as well?
Barbara's Answer:
If you are intolerant to wheat, it is possible that
wheat grass will be a problem for you. However, there
is a high likelihood that you will be able to tolerate
wheat grass just fine. The best way to find out is to
test yourself.
Wheat and wheat grass are related but have very different
properties. Wheat, of course, is a grain. When that
grain is ground, it become flour that is used in many
foods, especially in baked goods. Many people find this
form of wheat problematic either because they react
against gluten or some other constituent.
Many of the constituents of wheat flour or wheat in
its grain form are absent in wheat grass. This means
that many people who react poorly to wheat flour or
wheat grain do just fine with wheat grass.
Wheat grass comes from wheat that has been allowed
to sprout and grow. It is usually sold either as fresh
juice pressed from the grass or as a powder made from
dehydrating this juice. Either way, wheat grass is chock
full of vitamins, minerals and other good things.
Also remember that arthritis is a disease of acidity.
Wheat flour and wheat in grain form make the body more
acidic. Wheat grass, on the other hand, combats this
acidity. (It is alkalizing.) Therefore, too much wheat
in the form of flour or grain tends to make arthritis
worse. As long as wheat grass is not a specific problem
food for you, regular consumption of wheat grass tends
to make arthritis better. |
