A Quick Look at Cereal Grass Powder Nutrition Info

Cereal grass is the tender plant of wheat, barley, rye, or oats that will eventually produce cereal grain. The most popular forms of cereal grass are wheat grass and barley grass. Here we examine cereal grass powder nutrition information.

Types of Cereal Grass Powder

As cereal grass is rarely easily obtainable in its fresh form, we usually have to resort to the dehydrated version which could be found in health stores in the form of powdered cereal grass. Cereal grass powder comes in two forms – as concentrated grass juice powder or in the form of fibrous whole leaf grass powder.

Whole leaf powder is the most common form of cereal grass powder available. The leaf is first dehydrated and then ground until it turns to fine powder. It’s a quick and inexpensive process.

Compare this to the manner of producing grass juice powder. In this instance, cereal grass is juiced and allowed to dry until it turns to fine powder. This is a time-consuming process and is a much more expensive option.

The juice method, however, provides better retention of nutrients compared to the dried-and-ground variety. This is especially true in the case of water soluble B-vitamins and folic acid.

The Perfect Multi-Vitamin?

Cereal grass contains a higher content of vitamins, proteins and minerals compared to when the plant has matured to the grain stage.

In the 1950s, when cereal grass was becoming popular, health practitioners considered cereal grass as a food source which contained all the vitamins and minerals except vitamin D. This was promotional information released by commercial concerns eager to market the latest health wonder rather than fact. The truth, is cereal grass is not a perfect multivitamin. It should, at best, be a part of a healthy eating plan and taken with other food items to attain a balanced diet.

Chlorophyll Content

If anything, cereal grass is know for its chlorophyll content. For a 100g serving, the chlorophyll content for barley grass powder is 607mg and for wheat grass powder it’s 990mg.

You may already know that chlorophyll is used in chewing gum to combat bad breath but it does much more than that. Studies have shown that regular intake of chlorophyll through leafy vegetables combats free radicals and reduces the risk of contracting certain types of cancers.

As for leafy vegetables, much of the chlorophyll is lost in cooking. As such, cereal grass powder would make up for the lost chlorophyll content.

Typical Nutrition Profile

Here’s the typical nutrition profile for wheat grass powder and barley grass powder. The values below are based per 100g serving**.**

Calories

Both the powders provide an average of 370 calories.

Fat

Those who are concerned about fat intake would be glad to know that the fat content for barley grass powder stands at 5.2 percent , while for wheat grass powder it is 6.5 percent.

Carbohydrates

The carbohydrate content of barley grass powder is 54 percent, whereas wheat grass powder records 49.4 percent. Carbohydrates give you a quick energy boost. However, they end up as fat if they are not burned off quickly.

Protein

The protein value for barley grass powder is 19.9 percent, and wheat grass powder records 31.6 percent Protein is necessary for tissue growth and repair.

Fiber

Barley grass powder has impressive fibre content at 35.2 percent, and wheat grass powder records the same amount. Fiber helps reduces cholesterol level in the body. It also reduces the risks of heart disease and some types of cancers.

Vitamins

Beta-Carotene

The beta-carotene content for barley grass powder stands at 23.2 mg and for wheat grass powder it’s at 31.6 mg. Beta carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body and is helpful for the prevention of eye disorders and night blindness and also helps with the formation of strong bones and teeth while boosting the body’s immune system.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C content for barley grass powder is at 454 mg while it’s 261 mg for wheat grass powder. Vitamin C is essential for tissue growth and repair in your body and also for wound healing and bone and teeth maintenance.

Minerals

Cereal grass powder is rich in minerals, too. The calcium content for barley grass powder is at 420 mg and for wheat grass powder it’s 460 mg. Magnesium content is at 110 mg for barley grass powder and for wheat grass powder it’s at 205mg. Potassium records 3700mg for barley grass powder and stands at 4700 mg for wheat grass powder.

References

https://www.bioperfection.com/health/greenfoods.htm - information on cereal grass powder.

https://chlorella-world.com/grasspowderinfo.shtml - information on nutrient content of cereal grass powder.

https://www.umm.edu – University of Maryland Medical Centre - benefits of beta-carotene and vitamin C.