Difference Between Wheat & Wheatgrass

Although wheatgrass comes from the same plant that produces the wheat grain used to make flour, wheatgrass is harvested before the plant matures and produces grain.

Wheat Plant

• Wheat and wheatgrass are the same plant, Triticum aestivum. The term "wheat" generally refers to the grain used to make flour, while "wheatgrass" refers to the young grass before the grain is produced.

Wheatgrass

• When the grass is young, before it produces grain, it can be harvested and juiced or dried. Wheatgrass juice is typically served at juice bars or health food stores in "shots" or added to other juice drinks and smoothies. Dried wheatgrass is sold in capsules and as a powder you can add to drinks for health benefits. Some health food stores also sell fresh wheatgrass for juicing at home. The plant is about 7 inches high and bright green.

Wheat Grain

• The wheat grain (a small, dry fruit the mature grass produces) is much more commonly consumed as a staple food worldwide. Flour made from ground raw wheat grains is the main ingredient in breads, crackers, pastries, cookies, breakfast cereals and noodles. Wheat grains are also fermented to make beer and other alcoholic beverages. After corn and rice, wheat is the most consumed cereal in the world.

Reasons to Consume Wheatgrass

• Wheatgrass contains vitamins A and C, protein, zinc and other vital nutrients in a concentrated form. It also contains chlorophyll, the green pigment found in most plants. Consumption of chlorophyll is proposed to have a number of health benefits, including strengthening the heart and lungs and detoxifying and purifying the body.

Wheat Allergies and Wheatgrass

• Because wheatgrass contains no wheat grains, those who suffer from wheat allergies can safely consume wheatgrass juice and powder. This is because an allergy to wheat is most often an allergy to gluten, a component of the grain. Wheatgrass does not contain gluten and is therefore not likely to cause an allergic reaction.