Key findings
- 1Fresh wheatgrass juice is a single mechanical extraction step
- 2Wheatgrass powder adds dehydration and milling, simple physical processes with no additives
- 3Wheatgrass supplements in capsule form with fillers and flow agents are more processed than the plain powder
Why is Wheatgrass Level 1 on average?
Wheatgrass is the young grass stage of the common wheat plant (Triticum aestivum), harvested at 7-10 days of growth before the plant produces grain. Fresh wheatgrass juice involves a single mechanical step: passing the grass through a juicer. Wheatgrass powder production adds dehydration (freeze-drying or low-temperature air drying) and milling into fine powder. Freeze-drying preserves more nutrients but is more energy-intensive. Neither form requires chemical additives, preservatives, or solvents. In our analysis, wheatgrass products average a Processing Score of 2.5, which is Level 1. The distinction between wheatgrass and wheat is important: wheatgrass is harvested before the grain forms, and gluten proteins develop in the wheat kernel, but wheatgrass products can pick up grain, so trust only a gluten-free claim on the package.
How 48 wheatgrass products break down
Share of products at each processing level, in our analysis.
Wheatgrass brand comparison
From least to most processed in our database.
How to read a wheatgrass label
- 1
Wheatgrass powder should list one ingredient: wheatgrass (or dried wheatgrass)
- 2
Fresh wheatgrass juice from a juice bar is a single mechanical step with nothing added
- 3
Wheatgrass capsules with added fillers (maltodextrin, silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate) are more processed than the plain powder
- 4
Check for added sweeteners or flavors in wheatgrass juice blends, and these increase processing level
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Frequently asked questions
Is wheatgrass gluten-free?
Wheatgrass comes from the wheat plant and can pick up grain. Trust only a gluten-free claim on the brand's package.
Is wheatgrass powder as good as fresh wheatgrass juice?
From a processing standpoint, fresh juice is a single extraction step, and the powder adds dehydration and milling: additional physical steps but no chemical processing. Nutrient retention depends on the drying method used (freeze-drying preserves more).
Is wheatgrass juice a superfood?
"Superfood" is a marketing term, not a processing classification. Wheatgrass juice is young wheat grass put through a juicer, a single mechanical step. Its processing is comparable to any fresh vegetable juice.