Wheatgrass During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, every pregnant woman likes to consume nutritious food and healthy juices. Wheatgrass is one of those healthy foods, but people do not know much about its benefits and side effects. Let us know whether consuming wheatgrass during pregnancy is beneficial for you or not and what you should keep in mind if you consume it.

What is wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is mainly harvested before it becomes wheat. There is a good amount of nutrients present in it and most of these varieties are available in medical stores, which are available in the form of nutritional supplements.

Nutritional Value of Wheatgrass

According to 100 grams of wheatgrass, its nutritional value is given below:

Is it safe to consume wheatgrass during pregnancy?

Considering the variety of nutritional benefits that wheatgrass provides, consuming it during pregnancy can be of great benefit to you. Although consuming it is safe for a pregnant woman, but always keep in mind that consuming anything in excess can lead to complications in your pregnancy. Since it is consumed raw and extracted directly from the soil, wheatgrass is prone to contamination with a lot of bacteria, fungi and other microbes.

Can You Consume Wheatgrass Juice During Pregnancy?

This has the potential to purify the blood, Wheatgrass juice is a healthy juice in itself. But, if you have never consumed it before, most nutritionists or doctors do not suggest starting it in the middle of pregnancy.

Benefits of Wheatgrass During Pregnancy

Wheatgrass is considered an important food due to the variety of nutrients it contains, which provide many benefits.

1. Makes skin healthy and clear 

During pregnancy, the skin of women starts glowing and the reason behind this is a well balanced diet. On the contrary, during the development of the baby, a lot of nutrients are lost from your body due to which your skin becomes lifeless and dull. Wheatgrass helps in rejuvenating the skin by cleansing it and removing dead cells.

2. Protects from radiation

Wheatgrass is harvested when it is green and eaten raw. It transports chlorophyll directly to our body. Chlorophyll plays an important role in fighting different types of radiation that come in contact with our body. This is the reason why cancer patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy are advised to include wheatgrass in their diet. In addition, chlorophyll helps with your dental health, hair strength, blood pressure and blood sugar control.

3. Improves blood circulation

The chlorophyll present in wheatgrass helps in increasing blood flow in the body of a pregnant woman. It increases the oxygen capacity through blood in different parts of the body. Since it works to thin the blood cells, many women prefer to apply wheatgrass extract to their skin with a cotton ball.

4. Helps Fight Harmful Microbes

Wheatgrass acts as an anti-microbial agent. It protects against many harmful bacteria and germs present in the stomach, which can cause many diseases for you.

5. Heals wounds faster 

Wheatgrass also has an effect on blood cells, it also helps in faster healing of wounds. Irrespective of what type it may be, a cut, an open wound, an internal wound, even the presence of colitis can help you heal faster because of it.

6. Improves Digestive System 

Problems related to digestion are a daily problem for most pregnant women. Constipation, feeling full, diarrhea etc. are common problems during pregnancy. But wheatgrass works effectively in removing all these problems. The cellulose in wheatgrass helps cleanse the colon tract, while the fiber in it gives you relief from constipation and eases the process of bowel movements. In addition, wheatgrass is alkaline, making it an excellent remedy for stomach acidity.

7. Acts as a body detoxifier 

Wheatgrass is rich in antioxidants. When consumed, they work to eliminate various free radicals present in the body, which cause damage to the cells, by consuming wheatgrass, it flushes out the toxins from your body.

8. Increases hemoglobin level 

During pregnancy, you may see fluctuations in the hemoglobin level, which can lead to iron deficiency in the body and the onset of anemia. Wheatgrass helps in maintaining the level of hemoglobin and also prevents iron deficiency in the blood.

9. Contains a good amount of minerals and vitamins

The development of the fetus is entirely dependent on the vitamins and minerals you take in, so that the body functions properly. Wheatgrass is rich in potassium and calcium, vitamin C, etc., which provide you with all the necessary nutrition.

10. Acts as an immunity booster 

It contains several ingredients, combined with amino acids and antimicrobials, all of which work together to improve the body’s immune system. Apart from this, it effectively helps in fighting many infections.

Side-Effects of Consuming Wheatgrass During Pregnancy

Every coin has two sides and if there are benefits of consuming wheatgrass, then there are some side effects as well. It is important for a pregnant woman to keep the below mentioned side effects in mind.

1. Allergic Reaction 

You can have this problem due to the presence of a lot of bacteria and fungi in wheatgrass. Consuming this type of wheatgrass in its raw form can give you a severe headache, bloating and even nausea. Women who are allergic to gluten or suffer from celiac, then the risk may increase even more for them.

2. Chances of Miscarriage

Wheatgrass contains several antioxidants and ingredients that act as a strong detoxifier to flush out toxins from the body. But in some cases, it can directly affect the fetus, causing developmental defects in the baby or even leading to miscarriage.

3. Imbalanced Nutrition 

Nutrients from wheatgrass can be wasted due to removal of waste material from the body. Due to this, you may have frequent vomiting and diarrhoea, due to which your body will start deficient in vitamins and nutrients and it will also affect your baby.

4. Risk of infection

Wheatgrass juice and powder available in the market are usually prepared directly from wheatgrass purchased from farmers. These contain soil, microbes and germs, which mix with the juice. Consuming these puts you and your baby at risk of many types of infections, which can result in complications in your pregnancy.

Some tips to keep in mind

You can safely consume wheatgrass if you take a few precautions.

• Avoid consuming wheatgrass in its raw form.
• Consume it in small quantity only.
• Talk to your doctor before consuming any wheatgrass-based supplements.

How can you grow wheatgrass at home 

Growing wheatgrass is a fairly simple process. You put the good quality seed of wheat in water for about 48 hours and then put it in a tray with soil and plant it. Once the roots emerge, add a little water every day until the wheatgrass starts to emerge and after a few days you will see it fully grown and ready to harvest.

Consuming wheatgrass juice or wheatgrass powder during pregnancy seems like a healthy option, but it may not always be beneficial for you. During pregnancy, every woman needs adequate amounts of nutrients from different substances. If you consume wheatgrass in moderation and follow a balanced diet, it is absolutely safe to consume.