Did you know that green foods such as: wheat grass, barely grass, oat grass, spirulina and chlorella are some of the healthiest foods around?  These whole foods are loaded with nutrients that help the body maintain excellent health.  This article will explore the world of green foods, so read on to learn more about what exactly makes these superfoods so healthy.

Green foods overview

Green foods are some of the healthiest foods in the world; mainly because they contain relatively high amounts of beneficial nutrients.  For example, wheat grass contains the following beneficial nutrients: vitamin A, B complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, enzymes and chlorophyll. ¹  Other green foods, such as chlorella and spirulina, contain many of the same nutrients as wheat and barley grasses as well as the omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3 fatty acids protect against many degenerative conditions, including heart disease. ²

Wheat grass and barley grass

Wheat grass and barley grass come from the cereal grasses of plants in the wheat family.  This fact does raise some concern for people who are sensitive to the wheat protein gluten.  However, if these grasses are grown and harvested correctly, they most likely will not contain gluten. ³  Be sure to check the product label or contact the product manufacturer before ingesting wheat or barley grass if you are sensitive to gluten.

Ingesting these grasses on a regular basis may help with many different health problems such as: ⁴

• Lowering bad cholesterol
• Fighting certain types of cancer
• Detoxifying pollutants that harm the body
• Protecting against solar radiation
• Increasing energy
• Supporting the immune system
• Increasing the body’s ability to heal wounds
• Aiding digestion
• Fighting tooth decay
• Promoting healthy skin
• Lowering blood pressure

The typical dosage of wheat grass and/or barley grass is about 3.5 grams per day. ⁴  However, since everyone is unique, a person may need to increase or decrease their dosage for optimal results.  It is always best to start with a small dose and work your way up to larger doses as necessary.

Chlorella and spirulina

Chlorella and spirulina are actually microscopic plants that grow in fresh water. ⁵  They contain: vitamins, macro minerals, trace minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, nucleic acids (RNA and DNA), chlorophyll and various phytochemicals. ⁵  Furthermore, these superfoods have been known to remove excessive amounts of heavy metals: mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic from the body.  Chlorella and spirulina have also been known to help prevent and fight tumors that cause cancer. ⁶ 

Chlorella and spirulina have also been known to help with: ⁷

• Normalizing blood sugar
• Normalizing blood pressure
• Improving digestion
• Removing excess heavy metals from the body
• Preventing anemia
• Balancing body pH
• Cleaning the blood
• Protecting the liver

The standard dosage of chlorella and/or spirulina ranges from about 3-6 grams per day.  It is best to start with a smaller dose, and slowly work your way up to a higher dose if necessary.  Chlorella and spirulina can be taken with or without food.

Green foods, detoxification and cleansing

Green foods have great cleansing and detoxifying abilities.  Therefore, it is important to start slow (with a lower dosage) and work your way up to a higher dosage, especially if you are new to green foods.  This will help you avoid any unpleasant cleansing reactions and give your body time to adjust to the green foods.

If you include green foods in your diet on a regular basis, you may experience improvements in your overall health.  These foods are full of nutrients that help your body function better and have hardly any calories.  Give green foods a try and see for yourself.

Sources:

1. Wheat grass: 1 shot of Wheat grass Juice = 1 Kilogram of Vegetables?  Melanie Dufault.  http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/WheatGrass.htm
2. Chlorella.  Goodness Foods.  http://www.goodness.co.uk/cgi-bin/page/chlorella.shtml
3. The Wheat Grass People.  Frequently Asked Questions.  http://wheatgrass.com/faq/#9
4. NutraSanus.  Wheat Grass Supplement Benefits.  http://www.nutrasanus.com/wheat-grass.html
5. Superfoods For Optimum Health: Chlorella and Spirulina.  Mike Adams.  ChlorellaFactor.com.  http://www.chlorellafactor.com/chlorella-spirulina-04.html
6. Chlorella as a powerful defense against cancer.  Dani Veracity.  NaturalNews.com.  http://www.naturalnews.com/008527.html
7. Health Benefits Of Chlorella.  HealingDaily.com.  http://www.healingdaily.com/oral-chelation/health-benefits-of-chlorella.htm

This entry was posted on Monday, October 13th, 2008 at 3:21 pm and is filed under Diet, Nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.