Wheatgrass juice is a powerful substance that is said to help detox the body.  It’s rich in phytochemicals that can be used to help detoxify and combat disease naturally. 

Unlike wheat which contains gluten, wheatgrass does not contain any gluten.  Wheatgrass is simply the beginning sprouts of wheat.  In this stage, it contains high amounts of nutrients that are said to boost overall health in the body.

However, should those suffering with candida overgrowth consume wheatgrass?  Also, since wheatgrass comes from wheat, can it contribute to digestive disorders?

We’ve answered all these questions below plus more.  In fact, by the end of this post, you will have a better understanding as to what wheatgrass is and if you should add it into your diet.

What is Wheatgrass?

As mentioned before, wheatgrass is the sprouts of the common wheat plant.  It’s renowned for its high vitamin, mineral, and phytochemical content.  This juice is heavily consumed by those into both juicing and vegan diets. 

Although we do not recommend vegan or vegetarian diets, wheatgrass seems to have several different beneficial properties that could be of benefit to those with candida overgrowth.  In particular, it is said to help detoxify the body and its organs.

Many report almost immediate bowel movements when wheatgrass is first introduced into the diet.  However, overtime, this effect tends to lessen.  For best results, it should be juiced fresh and drank immediately.  In order to make this possible, many will buy growing trays of wheatgrass so they can grow inside the comfort of their own home.

That being said, there are also wheatgrass juice powders that seem to be just as powerful as the real thing.  This is typically a more convenient and practical option for those wishing to incorporate this detoxifying grass into their diet daily.

Wheatgrass for Candida

Those suffering with candida overgrowth can benefit immensely by incorporating wheatgrass into their diet.  As mentioned before, it’s a great source of phytochemicals which can help combat various pathogens in the body.

Interestingly, research has shown that it can help to combat several different pathogenic species and has potent anti-fungal properties (1).

Despite popular belief, candida is in fact a fungus.  In fact, it has the ability to morph into a non-pathogenic yeast into a pathogenic fungus when the conditions permit.

Simply taking a small 4 oz shot of wheatgrass each and everyday is a great way to naturally combat fungal activity in the body.  It can also help to detoxify various organs in the body that may be stagnant due to candida.

It’s well known that candida can release over 70 different toxic byproducts into the body.  Overtime, this can have a wearing effect on the body’s organ systems such as the stomach, liver, and kidneys.  Wheatgrass can help to push out some of these toxins that may accumulate in these organs and get the lymphatic system properly moving again.

A Rich Source of Minerals

Wheatgrass juice is naturally a rich source of essential trace minerals.  Depending on the soil in which it was grown, it could contain very high amounts of trace minerals that are often deficient in the diet.

In particular, it’s a great source of magnesium.  In fact, this magnesium is bound to chlorophyll.  For those unaware, chlorophyll is what gives wheatgrass juice its dark green color.  It could be argued that it’s one of the highest sources of chlorophyll in the world.

As a result, anything that is naturally high in chlorophyll will also be high in magnesium.  Research has shown that magnesium is needed for over 300 enzymatic process in the body (2).  This mineral is vital for optimal function and health suffers when this mineral is deficient in the diet.  Unfortunately, it’s been shown to be deficient in nearly half of the general populations diet (3).

Those suffering with candida overgrowth will have even a harder time obtaining magnesium in the diet due to absorption issues in the gut.  It’s well known that those suffering with candida overgrowth oftentimes also have high amounts of intestinal inflammation and gut permeability issues which can effect overall absorption of key nutrients.

Furthermore, wheatgrass juice is an excellent source of the mineral copper.  Copper has been used for centuries for its anti-viral properties.  In fact, ancient cultures would often purposely drink from copper vessels.  They claimed that this helped them stay free from disease and sickness.

Interestingly, it’s been shown that copper has powerful anti-fungal properties and can help to inhibit the growth of fungal pathogens (4). 

May Contain Anti-Nutrients

Since wheatgrass is a sprout, it will naturally contain less anti-nutrients than a full grown wheat plant.  For those unaware, anti-nutrients are simply poisons produced by plants in order to protect itself from predators.  A high consumption of anti-nutrients can lead to intestinal inflammation and can have a negative effect on digestion.  In fact, many anti-nutrients such as lectins can even contribute to gut permeability issues, or “leaky gut” (5).

That being said, sprouts are typically much lower in these plant poisons.  This is simply because they’re still in their infant stage and have not had the opportunity to produce high amounts of these plant poisons.

As we constantly mention on this website, anti-nutrients should always be kept low in order for optimal health.  This will help to normalize digestion and increase nutrient absorption in the body.

As a result, wheatgrass seems to be a safe option when it comes to anti-nutrient content.  However, there is always the chance that some individuals may react negatively.  For this reason, always be sure to start out with small doses and work your way up.

Could Come From Modern Wheat

It’s important to understand that all modern wheat has been either overly hybridized or genetically modified.  This results in the wheat to resemble nothing like its ancient ancestors and oftentimes contains much more anti-nutrients than ancient varieties of wheat.

This increase in anti-nutrient content allows the wheat to become more resistant to disease, but also makes it much harder to digest.

In any case, we typically do not have to worry about anti-nutrient content since we are dealing with sprouts when it comes to wheatgrass juice.  However, you could be consuming a wheatgrass juice that is from the seed of a genetically modified organism or ultra-hybridized variety of wheat.

It’s for this reason that growing your own wheatgrass has clear advantages.  This would allow for the use of ancient wheat seeds that are not GMO or hybridized.

As a result, if you plan to incorporate a wheatgrass juice powder into your diet, always make sure that it’s organic.  Organic practices do not allow the use of genetically modified organisms.  That being said, there is still a chance that your wheatgrass juice powder is a product of an ultra-hybridized variety of wheat.

Should you Include Wheatgrass in your Diet?

There is no denying that wheatgrass can be beneficial for those dealing with fungal overgrowth’s and looking to optimize health.  Research is clear that it has powerful anti-fungal properties which could be useful for those dealing with candida overgrowth.

Wheatgrass is also a great source of minerals.  In particular, it’s very high in the mineral magnesium.  Magnesium is very important for those looking to improve overall health and optimize bodily functions.  Sadly, this mineral is often deficient in the diet of most due to modern farming techniques and poor diet.

For those wishing to include wheatgrass juice into their diet, we highly encourage the use of an organic juice powder.  Although fresh wheatgrass is most likely much more potent, indoor growing trays are not practical for most.  As a result, the use of a high quality wheatgrass juice powder can be beneficial for those wanting the benefits without actually having to grow it.

Try Eating an Anti-Candida Diet

Although wheatgrass it great, following an anti-candida and gut friendly diet is the most important thing those suffering with candida overgrowth can do.  We highly encourage all of our readers to take a look at our Candida Diet Protocol Page for full details on the best foods to be incorporating into your diet.

You may also find that our Crush Candida Cookbook to be of immense value.  We’ve created over 20 different mouthwatering recipes that are both anti-candida and good for you!