Comments on: Wheatgrass Juice & Folk Medicine

By: stacey siegal

stacey siegal — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 09:28:26 +0000

After reading the back and forth info/theories,rtc. re wheatgrass, I have an important question.
My husband is suffering terribly from the side effects of chemo for non-hodgkins lymphoma. We’re trying to keep him strong with extra juices,etc. Is there any possible harm to his blood chemistry from adding wheatgrass? I ask this because doctors have told him to avoid taking multivitamins to preclude the growth (and “feeding”) of his active cancer cells.
I appreciate any/all comments. Thanks.

By: Miles McDude

Miles McDude — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:36:10 +0000

Unfortunately, the internet has not only weakened our faith in education, but in ANYTHING said by people…ever.

Although this was far more enriching than the pro wheatgrass ads, it still seems a bit like Santa vs. the Tooth Fairy.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Raw folks: Quit mentioning nutrients in wheatgrass. Science won that round.

Science folks (who can also be raw folks): Find something harmful about wheatgrass other than its potential placebo effect.

Thank you all for your intelligence, and contributions to humanity. Somebody’s gotta do it.

Sincerely,
-McDude

By: Maria Perales

Maria Perales — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:56:16 +0000

While scientific studies into the benefits of drinking wheat grass juice are few, analysis of the chemical components of wheat grass show that it provides a wide range of vitamins, enzymes and other nutrients that have been linked to disease prevention and specific health benefits. Couple that with recent and ongoing research into the role of diet and nutrition in our health, particularly studies that strongly suggest the effectiveness of phytonutrients and vitamins in combating and reversing disease, and there is good reason to believe that the claims made for wheat grass and wheat grass juice have basis in truth.

What Wheat Grass Does:
Wheat grass has nearly a gram of protein per teaspoon, but contains no cholesterol or fat. It provides eight of the essential amino acids, and thirteen of the non-essential amino acids. It contains Vitamins A, B1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 12; C, E and K, as well as 15mg of Calcium, 8mcg Iodine, 3.5mcg Selenium, 870mcg Iron, 62mcg Zinc, and many other minerals.

Mr. Shermer, you and your colleagues are one group of ignorant people,Phd’s doctorates and whatnots. Please don’t spread ignorance.

By: RM

RM — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:38:49 +0000

I have a child with autism, and from my experience and that of other parents of children with this problem, it seems these children’s bodies have issues detoxing properly. They have problems with methlyation and sulphanation, which are processes of detoxing and repairing the body. So that causes their body not to rid iteself of heavy metals like mercury, antimoney, copper, etc. They have limited diets due to sensory problems so they don’t get enough nutrients to help their bodies function properly or detox. Most of them also have heavy bacterial and yeast overgrowths, in addition to gut dysbiosis. So their bodies are overwhelmed with toxins, cannot detox properly, and their digestive systems do not absorb nutrition properly.
Wheatgrass akalizes the body and kills off harmful bacteria like clostridia and yeast. It is full of nutrients, antioxidents, and phytonutrients, and if taken in liquid form can be more easily absorbed by the body. It has been proven to help with digestive/intestinal issues like ulcerative colitis, which some severely autistic children have. On top of it all, wheatgrass purifies the blood and promotes healthy cellular growth.
How could that not be helpful to a very sick child?
Come to my house and meet my 6 yr old boy with autism. His ears turn red during cleansing baths and after eating certain foods. This does not happen to his brother, who is not autistic. He has leaky gut syndrome, and has to take enzymes after meals to break down his food, because he has trouble absorbing proteins, carbs, and other nutrients. He cannot digest milk or wheat proteins because his body lacks the enzymes to break them down.
Mr. Scientist, come see my son after he eats these things, because he acts crazy and out of control. Maybe you will change your mind that enzymes are useless. I know his father did.
My son has had a huge improvement in reduction of autistic behaviors, temper tantrums, and hyperactivity since we started giving him a formula w/ wheatgrass each morning. On the days he doesn’t have it, things are much rougher.

By: Stormy Thorndike

Stormy Thorndike — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 09:34:24 +0000

you can say that alternative medicine is cheaper too and usually comes from natural sources ~-’

By: J. Ferguson

J. Ferguson — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:49:48 +0000

Until man can create a blade of grass, nature laughs at our so called knowledge of “science”!

By: R. Horovitz

R. Horovitz — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:19:33 +0000

William T. Jarvis’ view on chlorophyll can be found: http://www.ncahf.com/articles/c-d/chlorophyll.html

It is an extremely weak article (if you can even call it that). There are only 3 references; two of which are his own.

Find me scientific data that proves that chlorophyll can not be utilized by the human body and I am open to reading it. Cellulose,which is a fiber from plants can not be absorbed, however chlorophyll is simply a pigment.

I agree with what some of you have said regarding science. Having a Bachelor Begree in Biology with a area of concentration of Molecular Biology and Organic Chemistry I can tell you all that science is the continuous pursuit of the truth.

Constructing better studies to include control groups and attempt to identify specific properties of different substances for health and well being is a tremendous feat no doubt. That said, it is also very reductionist.

Wheatgrass like general raw food (you know the stuff by which we all evolved from?) is in its entirety a huge complex of nutrients that work synergistic with each other.

For general health and well being, I believe that whole foods are the way to go. Time and time disease risk factors decrease not with individualized compounds (natural or pharmaceutical), but with whole foods; increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Wheatgrass happens to be an extremely nutrient dense whole food.

Yes our body produces enzymes, however it requires building blocks from food. Otherwise we wouldn’t be absolutely dependent on food in the first place.

Science is not close minded and open minded perspectives can be indeed very scientific.

I wish you all the best,

R. Horovitz

By: Honest Hans

Honest Hans — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:09:46 +0000

The sad reality is that conventional medicine is not evidence based. Conventional medicine has been polluted by misleading and fradulent research put out by drug companies and the self-promoting doctors who rely on them for research grants.

Physicians in this country easily kill a thousand Americans a day, but Michael Shermer is worried about wheatgrass juice.

By: Jan

Jan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:13:30 +0000

I have a type of hemolytic anemia from G6PD deficiency. I had read about positive effects of wheatgrass in articles like the one above as well as on a forum for people with thalassemia.

After a hemolytic crisis I have tried to build my hemoglobin back up with iron, vitamin c, B12, folic acid, and even 1/2 pound of lean red meat every day with no results. But if I add a few teaspoons of wheat grass powder to the mix my blood count immediately starts rising. I have no idea why, but it’s saving me from transfusions.

If the best lie is 99% truth then maybe we should be looking at these “false claims” that people fall for and try to figure out what might be some valid empirical evidence instead of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

By: Sergio

Sergio — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:47:10 +0000

In my opinion, the big problem for medicine, and most of its medical practitioners, is that they don’t understand well what a science is. They don’t have the vision and perplexity of pure mathematics or physics, neither the humility of engineers. Most of doctors just learn some models of human body, according with the state of the art or their school. But models change everyday… One very smart joke, as a picture in the toilet of one bedroom at MIT hotel, Cambridge, MA) showed two scientist admiring their beautiful equation, but one said “The problem is we’ll figure out it is wrong tomorrow”.
And that is what happen with medicine, we still don’t know anything about morphogenesis, neuroscience or even how to model any complex non linear interaction in any real system, but some believe (yes, that’s all, a believe) to know what is True, and what is false. The same as the old Inquisition.

There are good and bad practitioners in any discipline, occidental, Chinese or holistic medicine. And that’s in my opinion the point: the people but not the discipline.