Wheatgrass not cutting it

Until now, wheatgrass has been touted as a drug-free cure-all – from an energy booster and weight-loss aid to a reliever of joint pain and a cure for cancer. And Kiwis have picked up on the health-food hype surrounding the green stuff.

But the grass isn’t as green as some wheatgrass proponents would have you believe.

In the October edition of New Zealand’s Taste magazine, the supposed health benefits of wheatgrass are under close examination.

In particular, Taste health writer Shiree Schumacher reveals that some juice bars are misleading consumers with claims that don’t stack up against research.

“The major claim we found astounding is the one you see on signs outside some juice bars – they claim one 30ml shot of wheatgrass is nutritionally equivalent to 2kg of vegetables.

“It’s repeated on internet sites and a popular juice bar promotes its wheatgrass shots with this information – it’s simply not true and not by a long shot. If you’re relying on wheatgrass as your sole source of greens, it’s not only costing you money, you’re also selling yourself short in the nutrition department.”

The article also looks at the claim that the health benefits of wheatgrass are mainly due to it being 70 per cent chlorophyll, and traces the history of wheatgrass in an attempt to weed out the truth behind some nutritional claims.

“We found that clinical trials on wheatgrass are sparse at best,” Schumacher says, “and yet you’ll see internet sites claiming it is ‘packed’ and ‘abundant’ with supposedly healthy attributes.

“That’s not to say wheatgrass doesn’t contain some good things – the juice is known to have an array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants for instance. But its nutritional profile is often lower than many common vegetables,” she says.

Taste editor Suzanne Dale says exaggerated health claims are quickly disseminated online and, with a little digging, some can be dispelled as myths. “I think there are many websites especially – New Zealand ones included – where the owners need to closely examine loosely supported and implied claims.”

A mother of two young children, Shiree Schumacher has been a regular contributor to Taste magazine for several years. She has a journalism degree and a masters’ in linguistics.

‘Is the grass greener?’ by Shiree Schumacher is in the October edition of Taste magazine on sale from Monday October 3.

About Taste magazine:

Taste magazine is designed to suit the busy Kiwi lifestyle, meeting the needs of New Zealand home cooks who want a practical and inspiring approach to food every day.