Wheatgrass has hundreds of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other nutrients you need for a healthy body. But will it keep you sharp and focused for busy days at work or school?
Wheatgrass supplements, such as pills and powders, come from seven to 10 day old wheatgrass sprouts. The wheatgrass is hard for humans to digest, so it’s turned to juice. dried, and then made into pills or powder.
The dehydrated version of wheatgrass used in supplements gives you more nutrients than juice.
The best wheatgrass supplements have labeling indicating the amount of magnesium, potassium, B-vitamins, and other major nutrients in each recommended serving. Let’s look at some of the specific nutrients in wheatgrass and how they improve your cognitive function.
Vitamin C
We know Vitamin C helps boost immunity and prevent colds – but what about brain function? People with high levels of Vitamin C in their bloodstream had a reduced risk of cognitive impairment, according to studies.
Individuals with less than the minimum requirement for Vitamin C in their blood had two times the chance of cognitive decline than people who got enough of the vitamin.
Vitamin C also boosts production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters increase concentration, motivation and help you stay alert.Folate
Folate helps produce neurotransmitters, along with other B vitamins. A lack of folate causes cognitive decline, especially in the elderly. Almost 15 percent of people over 65 with mild cognitive problems will get dementia, while only two percent of people without cognitive impairment develop dementia. Research on folate and brain function showed that study subjects showed that people who received 400mcg a day of folate scored higher on full-scale IQ tests than participants who didn’t receive the same amount of folate. The folate group also had lower amounts of Alzheimer-causing beta-amyloid plaques in their blood than the placebo group, as well as improved DNA methylation.
Other B-Complex Vitamins
You may be unable to absorb enough B vitamins from the food you eat as you get older. People who don’t get enough thiamine (Vitamin B1 may experience memory loss and lose their balance easily.
Low levels of pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) lead to depression, and a Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) deficiency reduces mental acuity and may lead to anemia and other physical problems.
All B vitamins increase your energy and improve your mood.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K protects your nerves by strengthening their myelin sheath covering. The myelin sheath protects nerves and normalizes the electrical impulses they send to your body. One serving of wheatgrass can supply up to 200 per cent of the recommended amount of Vitamin K daily. Limit your intake of green tea, broccoli, spinach, kale and Brussels sprouts if you are on Warfarin or other blood-thinning medications.Vitamin E
Vitamin E has antioxidant qualities, like Vitamin C. Some studies suggest that Vitamin E deficiency is related to poor cognitive function, while other studies showed it had the ability to protect cognitive function.An Oregon State study on zebrafish subjected to a Vitamin E deficient diet showed the fish had a 30 percent rate of DHA-PC in their neurons than fish not in the study. Humans with low levels of DHA-PC may have an increased risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, The zebrafish in the study also had lower amounts of lysoPLs, nutrients that helped DHA enter the brain. The amount of LysoPL in the Vitamin E deficient zebrafish was 60 percent lower than in zebrafish not included in the study.
Magnesium
Magnesium, the primary component of chlorophyll, may help guard against memory loss. According to the Journal of Neuroscience, magnesium, particularly magnesium L-threonate, may treat cognitive decline and memory loss in Alzheimer’s patients. A study in Neuron magazine found that increasing magnesium in the brain improved short and long-term memory, and enabled older rats to perform better on learning tests.
Foods for Better Cognitive Function
A wheatgrass supplement alone won’t give your brain all the nutrients it needs. You’ll still need to eat a healthy diet. Fresh whole foods, like fruits and vegetables will keep you alert and boost cognitive thinking ability. The best brain foods include:- Blueberries
- Green tea
- Fish
- Beets
- Eggs
- Dark chocolate
- Coffee
- Spinach
- Whole Grains
Avoid sugary snacks and drinks, aspartame, and other sugar substitutes. A study conducted on rats showed that too much sugar reduces memory and increases inflammation in the brain. Sugary sodas contain high-fructose corn syrup, which can cause diabetes, high blood pressure and dementia. Refined carbohydrates (White bread, baked goods) increase your glycemic load, and studies have shown they can impair memory in children and adults.
Wheatgrass Supplements for Better Cognitive Function
Happy Girl Mood Enhancing Supplement gives you all the nutrients of wheatgrass, along with a blend of herbs designed to balance your emotions and improve concentration. Happy Girl contains cayenne pepper, which increases blood flow to the brain to boost memory and focus.The green tea extract in the blend contains L-theanine to calm anxiety, and gotu kola to increase energy and cognitive function. An Indonesian study conducted on stroke patients showed that taking a small amount of gotu kola daily (along with folic acid) increased cognitive function and memory.
Gotu kola has also been shown to improve the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in a 2012 study on mice in a lab experiment. REVV Natural Energy Supplement has added B complex vitamins, caffeine, L-taurine, and periwinkle to add to the power of wheatgrass.
Periwinkle is a herb made from the evergreen shrub. This herb contains the alkaloid vincamine, which may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
Vinpocetine, a synthetic version of vincamine, was used along with a multivitamin, fish oil and ginkgo extract in a program to improve cognitive function in ex-NFL players.
Former pro football players often suffer from dementia and depression due to the head injuries they suffered during their playing days.
REVV has a delicious chocolate mint flavor, and is made to boost your energy for work sports, or study anywhere. You don’t have to worry about mixing messy powders, or getting too much sugar from expensive energy drinks. Order REVV here.
