Nature’s Best Hangover Cure: Wheatgrass Juice

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Hangovers’ pounding head pains, dehydration, endless fatigue and spotty memory: the weekend’s dreadful finale. Now it can be safely cured, thanks to wheatgrass. A chlorophyll-rich, mineral-laden, enzyme-dense curative, one ounce of this grass is equivalent to two and a half pounds of green leafy vegetables. By detoxifying the liver, alkalinizing the body and enhancing metabolic, digestive and hormonal processes, the reparative ability of wheatgrass minimizes symptoms associated with hangovers.

Scientific evidence and my firsthand experience both reaffirm this beneficial effect. Attempting to get through Saturday morning a few weeks back, I went to the juice man at Lifethyme, my favorite New York City health food store; I asked for an all green juice (kale, cucumber, lemon, celery, chard) but Mel wisely advised me to drink wheatgrass. Hesitant to endure its stark pungency, I shot two ounces and instantly felt better! Concluding that the ever more popular tequila shot was ever more intolerable, I accompanied the wheatgrass shot with a lime, all for a mere $3.

Wheatgrass does more than cure those headache pangs; it energizes. Containing 92 of the 102 recognized minerals in soil, wheatgrass is said to have more iron than spinach, more beta-carotene than carrots and more protein than meat. Packed with dense concentrations of vitamin A, E and K from the soil, it is high in iron, fiber, amino acids and enzymes.

Most importantly, wheatgrass is 70% chlorophyll, which has the same molecular composition as hemoglobin, the substance in our bodies responsible for transporting oxygen and rebuilding red blood cells. The chlorophyll in wheatgrass oxygenates the brain cells and liver cells that are taxed by overdrinking. It stimulates blood circulation, helping us vanquish our hangovers. Chlorophyll is responsible for dispelling metal accumulation and toxic buildup. It prevents graying hair, bad breath and most significantly, cancer. While wheatgrass is a potent source of this green elixir, a tablespoon of liquid chlorophyll per day can have remarkable benefits. Rich in iron, it helps the body to detoxify, rebuild red blood cells and cleanse the liver.

Naturopath Anne Wigmore was the first to publicly advocate wheatgrass’ healing properties 50 years ago. Wigmore, who has published dozens of health manuals, is quoted as saying, “If you watch any animal who is ill or in pain, it will go straight to what is living and growing--grass.” Largely thanks to Wigmore, wheatgrass is widely lauded, accessible and inexpensive. It is sold in Jamba Juice, Whole Foods and at local health stores. While pain relievers cure headaches and other symptoms associated with overdrinking, wheatgrass is a vitamin-rich superfood that is a cleaner, greener, holistic alternative to over-the-counter medication.