Wheatgrass Juice Powder – Organic

Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder is made from the young leaves of the wheatgrass plant (Triticum aestivum), harvested just before the grains develop. The fresh juice is carefully extracted, dried, and milled into a fine green powder, preserving its naturally vibrant color and earthy flavor. It blends smoothly into juices, smoothies, and teas for a refreshing boost.

Shelf-stable and versatile, wheatgrass juice powder can also be added to soups, salad dressings, or baked goods for an extra touch of green. With its clean taste and easy-to-use form, it’s a convenient way to enjoy wheatgrass as part of your everyday routine.

Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder

Z Natural Foods takes pride in offering our customers a diverse selection of functional foods and herbs from around the globe, in their most versatile forms. Our Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder is no exception.

While the market is flooded with cafes and juice bars that serve fresh wheatgrass, the unique attributes and versatility of a properly created wheatgrass juice powder stand out in an impressive lineup of competitors. Our Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder has a wide range of uses and endless potential for creativity. Indeed, modern technology has enabled us to obtain highly concentrated wheatgrass juice powders.

While the flavor profile of an incredibly fresh wheatgrass juice shot can be somewhat sweet and delicious, it can be expensive to purchase and time-consuming to make at home. Furthermore, it is an unstable food that must be consumed soon after juicing.

Our mission is to provide customers with great-tasting, highly functional foods with endless applications in their most versatile form, supporting a variety of lifestyles. We proudly introduce this fantastic member of our diverse line of functional foods: Z Natural Foods’ Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder.

Fun and interesting facts about Wheatgrass

1. The microgreen stage of wheatgrass occurs before the seed develops. Therefore, wheatgrass is considered a gluten-free food.
2. There is a potential for cross-contamination, and individuals with allergies should exercise caution.
3. The molecular structure of chlorophyll found in wheatgrass is similar to that of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
4. Fresh wheatgrass is approximately 70% chlorophyll by weight, and the fresh juice provides around 360 mg per 100 grams. However, wheatgrass powder provides around 500 mg per 100 grams.
5. The source of B12 found in wheatgrass is not considered reliable or usable because plants do not naturally make B12. In fact, plants are known to absorb a B12 analog that is similar to B12 but is inactive.
6. Agricultural chemist Charles Schnabel popularized wheatgrass in the 1930s by observing that hens fed the grass laid more eggs and recovered from illness more quickly.
7. Wheatgrass is a staple food in Ayurvedic medicine as a restorative blood builder and digestive support.
8. Wheatgrass contains 8 of the 9 essential amino acids, all in very modest amounts. However, it is specifically high in Asparagine.
9. Wheatgrass juice contains around 1 gram of protein per 100 grams, while the powder contains around 8 grams. However, it is not a source of complete protein.
10. Wheatgrass can be grown indoors or outdoors.

What exactly is Wheatgrass powder?

Wheatgrass powder is considered a modern food product created by drying and milling sprouted wheatgrass, providing a high-quality source of concentrated nourishment to support healthy human physiology.

Wheatgrass powder has a tremendous reputation for delivering a high level of quality nutrition, including micronutrients and phytocompounds, specifically chlorophyll (the pigment that gives green foods their color).

When prepared and utilized correctly, it can be a great and easy way to add high-quality nourishment to your daily program.

Is Wheatgrass a Superfood?

To correctly answer this question, it is vital to understand not only the definition and characteristics of what is known as superfoods but also how they compare to a more critical term: “functional food.”

Please note that there are no legal definitions for these terms. Functional food is defined as dietary items that provide nutrients and energy that may modulate multiple targeted functions in the body by supporting specific physiological responses.

For example, fermented dairy products are functional foods that offer essential probiotic bacteria to support gut health. A superfood is a food rich in compounds considered beneficial to a person’s health, containing a very high nutritional density with a meager calorie count. While the definition of these terms seems similar, there are intrinsic details that distinguish them. Therefore, the answer to whether or not wheatgrass is a superfood is NO; wheatgrass is a functional food. Functional foods are the most intensely researched category, with the intention to understand how their unique compounds can support well-being by potentially modulating specific mechanisms of action.

Is wheatgrass powder the same as wheatgrass juice powder?

While using food in powder form has advantages and disadvantages, it is essential to understand the intrinsic facts that create these differences.

Juice powders: 

The term juice powder describes the process of taking a fresh food, juicing it, and then drying the juice into a powder. Essentially, this product is both highly concentrated and void of fiber. This process creates a food powder that has a rapid uptake into the digestive system and bloodstream. Therefore, while more concentrated, it can have a direct effect on your blood sugar levels. When fiber is removed from a whole food, you lose an essential component in the digestive process that essentially slows the process down to ensure better absorption and provide food for our microbiome. It is often best to reserve juice powders for therapeutic use.

Whole food powders: 

The term “whole food powder” describes a food that is air-dried, freeze-dried, or sun-dried in its whole food state. The only thing that has been removed is the water. The entire food matrix within that food remains intact. Because the water is removed, there are higher concentration levels of various compounds. Ultimately, it is a complete, well-balanced food powder. Whole food powders can be used in large quantities, and if you were looking for a real therapeutic response, larger amounts are necessary.

Wheatgrass: A Treasure Trove of Nourishment

Chlorophyll 

Chlorophyll is a compound in plants that gives them a deep, vibrant green color. This is the primary compound that helps in a process called photosynthesis (using sunlight to synthesize food from carbon dioxide and water).

Simply put, the deeper green the vegetable, the more chlorophyll it contains. Two primary types of chlorophyll are found in plants (Chlorophyll A & B), both of which are fat-soluble compounds with highly nourishing and protective properties. When chlorophyll is ingested, it moves throughout the body via molecular groups called micelles, whose purpose is to help the body absorb lipids and fat-soluble nutrients(they also help transport fat-soluble nutrients to the small intestines). Fresh wheatgrass is approximately 70% chlorophyll by weight.

Chlorophyllin is a compound produced from chlorophyll through a process called saponification. This process takes chlorophyll paste and adds sodium hydroxide to create a saponification reaction (breaking the ester bonds between fatty acids and glycerol, resulting in free fatty acids), adding copper to crystallize, purify, and form sodium, thereby creating a sodium-copper chlorophyllin end product. In simple terms, chlorophyllin is the water-soluble version of chlorophyll. In earlier human studies, it was shown that taking 100 mg of chlorophyllin daily resulted in a 55% decrease in DNA damage in individuals with pre-existing liver issues.

Other reports have discussed the relationship between eating fresh vegetables (including leafy greens) and those with advanced gastrointestinal issues, suggesting that chlorophyll may modify specific agents that damage DNA.

Vitamin K  

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past ten years, it will come as no surprise that the vital importance of vitamin K to human health is widely recognized.

Before we delve into the nourishing qualities and sources of the vitamin K family, let’s break this down so we understand all the vital details.

The general term “vitamin K” describes the family of K vitamins, specifically vitamins K1, K2, and K3. This family of fat-soluble vitamins is implicated in many essential biological processes like blood clotting (by assisting in the conversion of particular coagulation factors into their mature forms), bone building (activating osteocalcin, a protein that supports the accumulation of calcium in bone and teeth), and possibly reducing calcium deposits in the arteries (activated matrix GLA protein which prevents calcium accumulation in soft tissue).

Technically, there are three forms of vitamin K, but what we commonly refer to as K3 has been banned by the FDA due to its potentially toxic effects. It seems that the nourishing qualities are found in K1 and K2.

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) is primarily found in green leafy vegetables, and K2  (Menaquinone) is found mainly in fermented foods, milk, meat, eggs, and cheese, and has multiple subtypes: MK-4, MK-6, MK-7, and MK-9. MK-4 is primarily found in animal fats, such as egg yolks, lard, and butter. MK-7 is a product of cheese and fermented foods, but is mainly found in Natto (a fermented soybean product). Ultimately, K1 and K2 have the same functions and work via the exact mechanisms of action, except that K2 is more efficient.

In a randomized controlled study examining the relationship between Vitamin K and mortality risk, it was found that individuals who increased their intake of phylloquinone and Menaquinone had a lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those who decreased or did not change their intake.

Carotenoids

Phytonutrients are compounds produced by plants to help them resist external environmental threats. These compounds are believed to have nourishing qualities that may support a wide range of human health factors.

Carotenoids are a class of red, orange, or yellow fat-soluble pigments produced by plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria. There are more than 600 types of carotenoids (some of the most common include alpha- and beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and beta-cryptoxanthin), all with unique attributes that are being researched for their potential antioxidant-like qualities.

Carotenoids are classified into two primary groups: Xanthophylls (primarily protect from too much sunlight, contain oxygen, have more yellow pigment, and are associated with nourishing the eyes), which are closely related to green leafy vegetables, and Carotenes (have no oxygen and are associated with orange pigment).

An article published in 2001 discussed the importance of green leafy vegetables (specifically spinach, kale, and purslane) and assessed (based on supporting healthy biological function) the most essential phytonutrients in leafy greens like spinach and kale are the carotenoids lutein, beta carotene, and zeaxanthin.

Z Natural Foods hand-picks specific individual ingredients for our customers based on three key concepts to provide the best possible quality product, supporting optimal well-being.

1. Versatility
2. History of safe and effective usage
3. Strong evidence of positive research outcomes in humans

Summary of important information

What exactly is Wheatgrass powder?

1. Wheatgrass powder is considered a modern food product created by drying and milling sprouted wheatgrass, providing a high-quality source of concentrated nourishment to support healthy human physiology.
2. Wheatgrass powder has a tremendous reputation for delivering a high level of quality nutrition, including micronutrients and phytocompounds, specifically chlorophyll (the pigment that gives green foods their color).

Is Wheatgrass a Superfood?

1. Wheatgrass is a functional food. 
2. Functional foods are the most intensely researched category, with the intention to understand how their unique compounds can support well-being by potentially modulating specific mechanisms of action.

Chlorophyll 

1. Chlorophyll is a compound in plants that gives them a deep, vibrant green color.
2. This is the primary compound that helps in a process called photosynthesis(using sunlight to synthesize food from carbon dioxide and water).
3. Simply put, the deeper green the vegetable, the more chlorophyll it contains.
4. Two primary types of chlorophyll are found in plants(Chlorophyll A & B), both of which are fat-soluble compounds with highly nourishing and protective properties.
5. When chlorophyll is ingested, it moves throughout the body via molecular groups called micelles, whose purpose is to help the body absorb lipids and fat-soluble nutrients(they also help transport fat-soluble nutrients to the small intestines).
6. Fresh wheatgrass is approximately 70% chlorophyll by weight.

Some research suggests that Wheatgrass may contain the following constituents:

1. Minerals: Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Chromium
2. Vitamins: Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Folate, Choline, Betaine, Vitamin A (RAE), Vitamin A (IU), Lutein & Zeaxanthin, Vitamin E, Beta Tocopherol, Gamma Tocopherol, Delta Tocopherol, Vitamin K
3. Amino Acids: Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Arginine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Serine, Beta-Alanine
4. Phytochemicals: Anthraquinones, Saponins, Avo-, Tannins, Alkaloids, Terpenoids, Phenolics, Superoxide Dismutase, P4D1, Chlorophyll

Taste, smell, texture, and color vary from batch to batch. Due to its nature, this powder tends to clump. If clumping occurs, lay the bag on a flat surface and place a towel over the bag. Then pound on the bag until the clumps break up. The towel will help protect the bag from damage. To further reduce clumping, push as much air as possible before sealing the pouch and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Suggested Use: Mix one teaspoon with juice and yogurt or add to your favorite smoothie.

Mixing suggestions: To increase flavor and nutritional profile, combine with our organic freeze-dried strawberry powder.

Botanical Name: Triticum aestivum.

Other Names: Agropyron, Couchgrass, Cutch, Dog Grass, Durfa Grass, Quack Grass, Quitch Grass, Scotch Quelch, Twitchgrass, Witch Grass.

Parts Used: Raw Wheatgrass.

Ingredients: 100% Organic Wheatgrass Juice Powder.

Origin: Grown and dried in the USA and packaged with care in Florida, USA.

Certifications: Certified USDA Organic.