News & Articles on wheat grass

Wheat Grass has been a health topic for many years. Although, recently it's hit the headlines because athletes chug it, Hollywood stars sip it and Google employees just can't get enough of it. Individuals from all over the world have used internet blogs to publish their experiences with Wheat Grass and to tell everyone about the great effects it has.

Jackie's description of a regular intake of liquid chlorophyll as the equivalent of "drinking a meadow" is somewhat poetic, but the taste isn't entirely unpleasant and in these desperate times, desperate measures are needed.

According to statistics, one in seven over-65s are malnourished, and more than half of all secondary school pupils buy treats equivalent to 20 blocks of butter and 11 bags of sugar during the course of a year. While the celebrity chefs have made a killing out of telling us how to cook in a healthier way, too few of us are actually listening.

And then, of course, there's the North/South divide with the North somewhat predictably coming out worst. In Yorkshire and the Humber, more than 24 per cent of all men are clinically obese, less than one in five adults eats the recommended five portions of fruit or vegetables a day and in the North-East as a whole people will live the shortest, are the biggest binge drinkers and the heaviest smokers.

In light of this bleak picture, the launch of the county's first dedicated nutrition clinic in York, which will offer members of the public one-to-one consultations as well as running accredited training courses, couldn't have come at a better time.

It was a happy accident that the clinic opened its doors on the same day that the Public Library of Science Medicine claimed it was possible to increase lifespan by 14 years simply by giving up smoking, taking exercise, drinking in moderation and, crucially, eating five servings of fruit and vegetable a day.

That advice seems clear enough but with the weight of research increasing in direct proportion to the nation's waistline, some of the public have been left confused about what should and shouldn't be on the menu.

"Every day you can flick through the newspapers and turn on the radio and there are stories about the latest superfoods, the ultimate balanced diet and frightening tales of excessive salt levels in some convenience foods," says Jackie, who will oversee the new centre. "The problem is that many of the stories are conflicting and often when people don't know where to turn, they begin to rely on supplements.

"Unfortunately, that whole area is a minefield, some don't work at all and if you have a particular ailment, those that do can sometimes cause real harm.

"For example, if you're on certain blood thinning medication and are also taking vitamin E it can cause it to thin even more and that's potentially very dangerous.

"Everyone can benefit from having a nutrition assessment. The idea you are what you eat has been around for such a long time, but more people are now accepting that it's actually true. Once people would only come to us as a last resort, but more and more are coming to us as a first choice."

It seems the seeds of the current problem were sown at least partly in the 1970s when Soda Streams were a sign of the upwardly mobile and Angel Delight became an easy alternative to home-cooked puddings.

"When I first started, the vast majority of people who came to see me were suffering from digestive problems, but now it's everything from migraines to joint problems," says Jackie. "We are in the midst of the convenient food hangover. In the 1970s, parents still cooked healthy meals for their children and things like chocolate biscuits were regarded as a treat.

"For some people, the treats have become their staple diet, they don't know how to cook and even if they did, they wouldn't know what to do with a fresh vegetable.

"Food books by celebrity chefs may sell by their millions, but most of them end up gathering dust."

The new York centre is housed in the city's existing Northern College of Acupuncture and while complementary therapy has often had an uneasy relationship with the traditional medicine, the nutrition industry has become increasingly regulated in recent years and Jackie is more than prepared to stand by her results.

"So many mothers come to me with their teenage daughters who are suffering chronic period pains and so often it's because they are not getting enough essential fatty acids," she says by way of example. "The desire to be skinny means they have often cut out things like dairy products and lots of red meat, but they are also missing out on vital vitamins and mineral which help the hormonal process.

"Sometimes it's as simple as getting them to snack on seed or cereal bars instead of chocolate and, honestly, normally within three cycles the problem can be cured. Those kind of things I get quite evangelical about."

Recent stories, from the Suffolk teenager who suffers from a condition which means she is only able to eat chips to the 12-year-old boy allergic to everything but chicken, tuna, carrots and potatoes, have shown there is no one-size fits all approach to solving the nation's dietary woes and often it's the most innocuous foodstuffs which cause the biggest problems.

"One of my clients was a successful lawyer in the City, who had suffered from chronic indigestion for 20 years," says Jackie, who also runs a practice in London. "Most of the time he tried to ignore it, but part of his job was regularly dining out with clients and as the years went on the problem worsened, so much so he would often have to excuse himself from the table to vomit.

"We did a series of tests which showed he was intolerant to, among other things, green beans and peppers, the kind of food he was eating every day.

"By eliminating them from his diet and taking a combination of digestive enzymes to help breakdown the food and essential fatty acids, three weeks later all the symptoms had gone."

For every success story there will always be some less heartening tale, from the mothers in Rotherham who delivered junk food to their children in protest at a school's menu change to the dinnerlady in York who received a series of abusive phonecalls after coming out in support of Jamie Oliver's school dinners campaign. Equally as certain is that if we don't heed the advice of an army of doctors, nutritionists and health workers, many won't live to tell the tale.

For more information about the York Nutrition Clinic, call 01904 343305.

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bold Standard text... is plant is said to speed up tissue healing, cleanse the liver and help stabilize blood-sugar levels – great for warding off sugar cravings. Its’ also packed with potassium (nicknamed the ‘youth mineral’), which firms and tones skin. It’s full of fibre and contains more appetite-suppressing protein than chicken, eggs or fish and more iron than spinach. And it’s a great source of magnesium, which boosts digestion and banishes bloated tummies.
Where can I get it? Try Sweet Wheat Capsules, £26.95 for 60 (08456 585858 or www.xynergy.co.uk) or Wheat Grass Sachets, £17.99 for 30 (www.wheatgrassuk.com). You can also buy wheatgrass fresh from juice bars.

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"Life Detox" introduces you to a world of perfect health, mental clarity and feeling and looking great. This life-changing book reveals a 7-day programme which will help you to lose weight, banish cellulite, overcome ailments, and achieve optimum vitality and a sense of well-being. World leading detox experts, Amanda Hamilton and Sandy Newbigging explain: how bodies become toxic; why the key to a successful detox is to combine a body-focused programme with powerful mental techniques to overcome stress and release emotional blocks; the 7-day detox way to lose weight and look fantastic; and how to change the way you think and feel, and banish toxins from your body. The book guides you through a step-by-step mind-body detox programme that is both effective and long-lasting. Amanda provides a 7-day cleanse and an easy-to-follow maintenance diet while Sandy gives you simple tools to help you to release your mental and emotional toxins too. This is a detox which will change the way you live your life forever. You will quickly feel healthier and happier, and look years younger!

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The idea of separating each ingredient and treating it like an individual drug to cure a specific illness is not only impractical, it is nonsensical.

With the discovery of more and more phytonutrients, medicine is coming full circle and starting, once again, to embrace the words of Hippocrates - "Let food be your medicine, and medicine your food." Certain foods have been found to be particularly powerful health promoters.

It is highly beneficial to include these 'superfoods' in your daily diet.

Top Superfoods (alphabetical)

Aloe vera
Extracts of Aloe vera first became popular as a proven skin healer.. It is a powerful detoxifier, antiseptic and tonic for the nervous system. It also has immune-boosting and anti-viral properties. Adding Aloe vera to one's daily diet improved digestion, absorption and elimination139. As such, it is an aid to digestion.

Berries Berries and other fruits with a purple/blue colour such as black grapes, bilberries, cranberries, blackcurrants and blueberries are especially rich in a type of flavonoid called anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. These phytonutrients are very powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

Blue/Green Algae
These organisms are literally at the bottom of the food chain and represent the purest nutrition you can get, rich in chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, essential fats and phytonutrients.

Carrots, Sweet Potato, Watercress and Peas
All these foods are very rich in carotenoids and beta-carotene, as well as other nutrients. They're great to eat on a regular basis. Sweet potatoes can be baked, boiled, mashed and are great in soups. A carrot a day may indeed keep the doctor away.

Cruciferous Vegetables
These members of the Brassica family are rich sources of the anti-cancer phytochemicals isothiocyanates. They include  broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cress, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard radish and turnip, and have been linked to a decreased cancer risk.

Essential Oils
In spite of the bad name given to fats there are two we cannot live without. These are Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. From these two families of fats, the body makes cell membranes, brain tissue and prostaglandins, powerful hormone-like substances that control cardiovascular health, fertility, sex hormones, brain and nerve function, skin health and a host of other essential processes.

Fish
Quite apart from being a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals (especially selenium), fish are also rich in many brain-enhancing nutrients including choline and DMAE. The fatty or carnivorous fish, salmon, tuna, shark, swordfish mackerel and herring, are rich sources of the essential fats DHA and EPA. These Omega 3 fats are particularly associated with health improvements, including reduction of risk for cardiovascular disease, balancing hormones and improving mental function.

Garlic
For thousands of years people have been aware of the beneficial properties of garlic. The slaves who constructed the pyramids of Egypt were given garlic cloves daily to sustain their strength, as were Roman soldiers. Back in 1958, Louis Pasteur confirmed that garlic had anti-bacterial effects and it was used to treat infection before the days of more specific antibiotics. Garlic contains around 200 biologically active compounds, many of which play a role in preventing diseases including our two major killers, cancer and heart disease.

Power Mushrooms
Two species of mushrooms, shiitake and reishi,  possess  immune-enhancing properties. Shiitake mushrooms are particularly popular in Japan and have recently become available in British supermarkets. You can also buy them dry and soak them before cooking. They are an extremely nutritious food and one of the few vegetable sources of vitamin D. Rich in calcium and phosphorus, they also contain high levels of  many amino acids including leucine, lysine and threonine, plus the immune-boosting phytochemical, lentinan, a powerful immune stimulant which appears to inhibit virus replication. In animal studies it has shown anti-tumour properties.

Another immune-boosting mushroom is reishi, which has long been revered in the East for its healing powers. The Chinese believe reishi is effective for treating a host of diseases including hepatitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, coronary disease, gastric ulcers, stomach ache and migraine. Potent anti-allergic activity has been reported including anti-histamine actions and it is being used in Japan alongside cancer treatment to help alleviate some of the toxic side-effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Quinoa
Pronounced 'keenwa', this is a staple food in the high Andes. Grown for 5,000 years and reputed to be the source of strength for the Aztecs working in high altitudes, it is proving to be food for the gods. Known as the 'mother grain' for its unique, sustaining properties, it contains significantly more protein than any grain, with a quality of protein better than meat.  It is also rich in vitamins and minerals, providing almost four times as much calcium as wheat, plus extra iron, B vitamins and vitamin E.

Seeds and Nuts
Seeds and nuts are rich sources of essential fats, vitamin E and many minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc and selenium. While nut and seed consumption has declined due to fat phobia, I recommend eating them every day while cutting down instead on sources of saturated animal fat (from meat and dairy produce) and hydrogenated vegetable oils from processed foods.

One of the highest known sources of Omega 3 fats is flax seed. Pumpkin seed and hemp seed are also reasonable sources. Omega 6 fats are rich is sesame and sunflower oil. To get a balance of both families of essential fats mix together sesame, sunflower and flax seeds, keep them in a sealed jar in the fridge, and eat a heaped tablespoon of these ground seeds each day.

Soya products and tofu are both excellent sources of protein and isoflavones, which are powerful phytoestrogens. Isoflavones are known to decrease the risk of hormone-related cancers, including breast and prostatic cancer. Two particular isoflavones have been identified.

Spirulina is a blue-green alga which flourishes in the warm water lakes of Mexico and Africa.. Spirulina has been shown to have numerous health benefits, particularly in relation to arthritis, immune system enhancement and skin problems.

Watermelon
This fruit is a fine example of what wonderful benefits you can get from natural foods. The flesh is very rich in the antioxidants vitamin C, lycopene and carotenoids including beta-carotene. The seeds are rich in vitamin E, essential fats, selenium and zinc.

Wheatgrass & Barleygrass
Packed full of nutrients, 'green foods' such as these are among the richest natural sources of antioxidants and chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what makes plants green. It is highly cleansing, alkalising and full of minerals, especially magnesium. Cereal grasses have the nutrient profile of a dark green vegetable rather than that of a grain, so they are gluten-free and safe for coeliacs (people allergic to gluten).

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2 - Ditch rice cakes

Like us, you probably feel saintly tucking into these low-calorie rice snacks. But did you know that rice cakes actually have a high glycaemic index – which sends blood-sugar levels soaring then falling, leaving you hungry and craving more food? Try opting for oatcakes instead, like All Saints’ Nicole Appleton. They have a low GI which will leave blood-sugar levels steady so you won’t crave carbs, plus they contain lots of fibre to fill you up!

3 - Start you day with eggs

Studies have shown that eating filling eggs for breakfast can encourage you to eat less – saving up to 400 calories a day! Singer Jamelia starts her day with eggs to keep herself feeling full: poached or an omelette made with egg whites are the healthiest options. Eggs are rich in essential vitamins and minerals and low in calories, too. Yum!

4 - Snack on goji berries

Goji berries – fans of which include Emma Bunton and Kate Moss – are not just a load of hype. The berries, available now at supermarkets, including Tesco, contain only 30 calories per average serving, are fat free and packed with vitamin C, betacarotene and iron. A waistline-friendly alternative to bags of nuts, gojis are even said to help break down stubborn cellulite. Now that’s berry good news!

5 - Drink cranberry juice

Swapping that can of Coke for a glass of cranberry juice is sure to set you on your way to achieving a trimmer frame. The juice has a detoxifying effect and flushes out bacteria, which can help minimize bloating – as Victoria Beckham knows. It’s also a good source of vitamins C, A, potassium and fibre.

6 - Take Oxytarm

Oxytarm supplements are a simple but effective way to get a flat tum likek Suzanne Shaw’s. Containing calcium, magnesium and vitamin C, the detoxifying tablets help cleanse the intestine and relieve that bloated feeling. Oxytarm tablets cost £40 plus £2.95 p&p for 150 capsules. Call 020 8733 2456 to order.

7 - Steam instead of fry

Changing the way you cook is the simplest tip of all. Steaming, grilling or baking cuts down on calories because fried food just absorbs the oil. Jessica Alba loves low-fat grilled chicken. Steaming vegetables is preferable to boiling as it retains the nutrients.

8 - Add leafy greens!

Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, are not only an excellent source of folic acid and antioxidants, but they can help you to lose weight, too. A recent study showed that an extra 350g of vegetables in a low-fat diet can actually speed up weight loss by up to four times. So don’t be shy, follow Uma Thurman’s example and eat your greens!

9 - Avoid cereal bars

Many cereal bars contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar – up to 16g – which is around four teaspoons! Some cereal bars contain hydrogenated and saturated fast, which are linked to weight gain and heart disease. So swap them for a fresh fruit salad, like Cameron Diaz does, or an energizing banana – both are ideal of you’re a busy bee in the mornings!

10 - Switch to peanut butter

You probably thought that peanut butter was a diet no-no, but it’s actually more diet friendly than butter or margarine as, gram for gram, it contains less saturated fat, fewer calories as well as lots of potassium. Davina McCall spreads hers on a slice of wholemeal toast.

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At her raw-food boot camp in Southern Spain, Lisa guarantees to shift more than 3kg (7lb) in weight and turn back the clock on complexions and energy levels in the space of one week. So bowled over was Kristin Scott Thomas with the regime’s energising and rejuvenating effects, that she enthused that she had never felt or looked so good, says Lisa. A raw-food diet is said to be behind Demi Moore’s youthful renaissance. And Natalie Portman, Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone and Donna Karan are also devotees.

Lisa practices from her office in London but often works at the homes of Hollywood stars, film industry execs, business tycoons, models and fashion magazine editors ahead of their front-row appearances. Her secret? A low-glycemic-index regime based on vegetable juice and raw foods.

Raw foods make the body alkaline and are high in natural enzymes. You eat every three hours to stave off the blood sugar lows that often lead dieters to reach for the pastries. ‘Because the diet is high in enzymes, you’ll get a buzz’, says Lisa. ‘People start to look younger and brighter, with an increased elasticity to their skin.’ Making the body alkaline by avoiding acid-forming foods – anything sugary or processed, wheat, meat, caffeine, alcohol and diary – and replacing them with alkaline foods, such as fresh vegetables, supports the blood’s natural alkalinity. ‘Excess acidity in the body can cause the symptoms – dizziness, stuffiness, allergies, acne, PMT, low libido and insomnis – that we often attribute to “just life”, ‘ says Lisa. ‘When people start to become more alkaline and cleansed, they begin to feel calmer. Their nervous system is less agitated.’ The first ‘meal’ of the day is a green power juice based on celery and cucumber, both natural diuretics that help rid the body of excess fluid. ‘At the retreat, clients have three of these juices a day, and at least one-third of the 3kg they lose in the week will be excess fluid,’ says Lisa. ‘Puffiness is not necessarily fat. Losing excess fluid will give you a slimmer face, ankles and fingers. The juice also helps with hunger pangs.’ Add to that shots of enzyme-, mineral- and vitamin-rich wheatgrass (a 25ml shot is the equivalent of about 1kg juiced veg, according to Lisa), brisk walking and yoga or pilates, and guests come away 3kg (7lb) lighter and looking and feeling five years younger. Of course, we don’t all have the luxury of a private nutritionist, but Lisa has devised a programme (see below) based on her red-carpet regime to help you shift 2.25kg (5lb) and five years in a week.

Demi Moore: Lost weight for her Charlie’s Angels role using the raw-food diet, and specially made meals delivered to the set.
Woody Harrelson: Wrote a foreword for Living Cuisine: the Art and Spirit of Raw Foods.  ‘I’m not just vegan, I’m 90 percent raw.’
Alicia Silverstone:  Keeps a supply of ‘raw balls’, made by combining dates, walnuts, almonds, carob and salt.
Carol Alt:  ‘I went from being a starving model in 1980s to being full of energy.  My health problems disappeared and I lost weight.’
To shed 9kg (20lb) after giving birth, Courteney Cox used the Budokon Weight Loss System, which advocates a high percentage of raw food.
At London Fashion Week in 2003, Donna Karan unveiled a new body – a whole 12kg (26lb) lighter – achieved by going on a raw-food diet.

EVERY DAY…
First thing, drink a cup of hot water with a squeeze of lemon.  Even though lemons are acidic, they create and alkaline environment in the body.  Drink four glasses throughout the day. 

8AM AND 10AM:  GREEN JUICE…
Juice 11/2 cucumbers, 3 sticks celery with leaves and any other green vegetables, such as kale, peppers, fennel, spinach, sprouts, etc, plus lemon or ginger to taste.  Celery is high in good sodium (not sodium chloride, which is salt) and combats fluid retention.  Cucumber is high in potassium and is also a good diuretic.  The juice will make the body alkaline and help quash hunger pangs.

LUNCH 12.30PM…
Make a large salad, eg, with lettuce, fennel, radish, carrot, beetroot, tomato, onion, spinach, kale, watercress, rocket, avocado (maximum of one a day), peppers, cabbage, green beans, a large portion of sprouting veg (alfalfa, sunflower, radish, fenugreek, mung, aduki) and 2 tbsp dressing (mix four parts olive oil, one part lemon juice, a little pressed garlic and a mint of mustard).  Add 2 tbsp hummus or guacamole if it needs bulking.  Some of the veg can be cooked (but not carrot ot beetroot, as they become too high GI).  Jus make sure that 70 percent of what’s on your plate is raw.  Don’t go hungry: in an emergency, add brown rice, quinoa or millet rather than breaking the diet.  For more creative raw recipes, such as gazpacho, sushi, stuffed mushrooms and coleslaw, see Lisa’s website, thecompleteretreat.com.

EVENING MEAL 7PM… 
As for lunch.  Alternatively, steamed greens and a small portion of brown rice, quinoa or millet.

SNACKS 11AM AND 3PM… 
One mid-morning and one mid-afternoon.  A shot of wheatgrass, a largehandful of berries or tomatoes, 1 tbsp nuts and seeds (soak overnight to aid digestion), half an avocado, some crudités or a piece of fruit )maximum of two a day, avoiding bananas and watermelon, which are high GI and may cause sugar cravings).

How to Maintain the Programme
If you have finished the programme, or want the rejuvenating benefits without losing weight, add more fruit, fruit smoothies (made with 1 tbsp nut butter; look for raw, not roasted – almonds, cashews, pecan), avocado and grains.  You can also add a deck-of-cards-sized portion of chicken or fish to each main meal, and four boiled or poached eggs a week.  When buying your lunch, choose raw plus protein, eg, a tuna niçoise salad.  Any fruit juices should be diluted with equal quantity of water.  During the first few days, you may experience a mild headache or nausea because you are coming off caffeine and your body is detoxing.  Drink some lemon water, or have a herbal tea or an apple and it will soon pass.  Lie down for 15 minutes.  If you can, cut out caffeine and sugar for a week before starting the diet to soften the impact of the detox.  Consult your doctor before embarking on any new programme and please continue with any prescription medication you are taking.  Not to be done during pregnancy. 

IF YOU WANT TO SPEED IT UP

• Dry brush your skin every morning in circular and straight motions towards your heart.  Take a shower and, at the end, blast your skin for 15 seconds with colder water.  This stimulates the lymphatic and circulatory systems.
• Take an Epsom salts bath three times a week.  Add one cup of salts to the tub and soak for 15-20 minutes (magnesim sulphate draws impurities from the skin).  Finish with a 15-second blast of cold water on the body.  Avoid if you have high blood pressure, eczema or psoriasis.
• Exercise.  If you don’t, the body’s organs function at only a percentage of their capacity, which results in toxic build up.  A fast-moving bloodstream, powered by exercise, helps remove toxic waste.  Plus cardio burns fat.  Also, try yoga or pilates three times a week.

FOLLOW THE RULES

• You don’t have to count calories or carbohydrates.  Instead, make vegetables the main part of your meal, 70 percent of which have to be eaten raw or juiced (cooking destroys natural enzymes).  ‘If you’re not juicing, you’re not on the programme,’ says Lisa.  She recommends the Green Star 1000 Juicer.  ‘But if you don’ t have one, don’t panic – there is bound to be someone you know who has one tucked under their sink that they could lend you for a week.
• Drink two litres of filtered water, plus herbal tea and hot water with fresh lemon per day, but not within an hour of eating so as to not dilute your digestive juices.
• Have a small snack sack or a vegetable juice every three hours to keep you blood sugar stable.
• Have a minimum of two green vegetable juices a day (about 450ml each).
• Drink a couple of 25ml-50ml shots of wheatgrass juice, if possible.  If you can’t get hold of it for your juicer, or don’t have a juice bar near you, take a supplement of chlorella or blue green algae, available at health food shops.
• Where possible, buy organic.  If you can’t buy organic cucumbers, peel the skins off as they are covered in wax.
• Chew your food well and eat in a calm, quiet environment.  If you are having trouble digesting raw food, take plant-based digestive enzyme tablets, such as Similase (health4youonline.com).

WE PUT THE DIET TO THE TEST
YOU’s editorial assistant Andrea Wohlmuther, 27, lost 2.75kg (6lb) following the regime, plus 2.5cm from her waist and 5cm from her hips.  ‘I am a binge eater and can easily put away a packet of biscuits when I feel stressed, so the idea of going without for seven days was scary.  Normally my diet is carbohydrate-based – porridge for breakfast, a cheese toastie for lunch and pasta for dinner.    
‘My first juice tasted so salty because of the celery that I almost gave up.  Adding lemon and ginger helped and I grew to like it.  Eating nothing but salad for a week sounds boring, but I kept things varied, which made it easier.  Giving up caffeine, alcohol and sugar a week before the diet helped to reduce my cravings.
‘B day three, I was exhausted.  On day four I had a stomach ache as my body eliminated toxins at a faster rate than usual.  However, I never once felt hungry and having set meal times controlled my grazing.  I also followed a gentle exercise regime.  Now I feel even-tempered, my concentration has improved, my sense of taste is heightened and my stomach has shrunk.  I am determined not to go back to my old habits.’

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2 - Wheatgrass

Why? The juice of this plant is said to speed up tissue healing, cleanse the liver and help stabilize blood-sugar levels – great for warding off sugar cravings. Its’ also packed with potassium (nicknamed the ‘youth mineral’), which firms and tones skin. It’s full of fibre and contains more appetite-suppressing protein than chicken, eggs or fish and more iron than spinach. And it’s a great source of magnesium, which boosts digestion and banishes bloated tummies.
Where can I get it? Try Sweet Wheat Capsules, £26.95 for 60 (08456 585858 or www.xynergy.co.uk) or Wheat Grass Sachets, £17.99 for 30 (www.wheatgrassuk.com). You can also buy wheatgrass fresh from juice bars.

3 - Pomegranates

Why? Five years ago, hardly anyone in the UK ate them. Now pomegranates have become one of the countries top-selling fruits and are loved by stars such as Eva Longoria and Jennifer Lopez. Just one pomegranate – and all the hundreds of seeds within it – contains 40 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement. And each fruit packs a punch of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that slow down the ageing process by boosting collagen, which means fewer wrinkles and stretchmarks. Like other rich red foods (think blueberries and cranberries), pomegranates are bursting with antioxidants, which mop up free radicals in the environment that cause wrinkles, water retention and age spots. Studies show that the A-listers’ favourite fruit (pomegranate cocktails were served at the Oscars ceremony this year) also helps protect against cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis and strokes. And if that wasn’t enough, pomegranates work as a natural Viagra for blokes.
Where can I get them? Buy them whole and fresh from supermarkets or get Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice, £2.41 for 235ml. Alternatively, try AOR Pomegranate, £14.25 for 90 capsules (0800 1691231 or www.aoreurope.co.uk).

4 - Spirulina

Why? This microscopic bluey-green algae is usually added to juices and is a big hit with the likes of Carol Vorderman and Gillian McKeith. It boasts a health-boosting cocktail of vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and vitamins C and E. It’s high in antioxidants and 3g provides the same amount of disease-fighting carentoids as three handfuls of vegetables. It’s great for slimming, too; studies show it helps control levels of blood sugar and cravings for all things sweet and fattening.
Where can I get it? Try Holland & Barrett Spirulina Powder, £5.49 for 200 tablets, or Tiger Smoothie Apple And Apricot with Sprirulina, £1.29 for 250ml (02920 660224 or www.tigerbaybev.co.uk).

5 - Chlorella

Why? Chlorella is another green algae and, as its name suggest, it has a very high chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll has strong anti-oxidant, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Like most superfoods, chlorella’s full of vitamin B, beta carotene and protein. It also has a high alkaline content, which helps the body to maintain a neutral pH. Eating alkaline-rich foods helps to balance the body’s pH and enables us to deal with stress better. Chlorella also flushes out toxins from the body and improves a sluggish digestion.
Where can I get it? Try Holland & Barrett Chinese Chlorella, £8.49 for 120 capsules, or Optimum Source Chlorella, £10.49 for 180 tablets (08456 585858 or www.xynergy.co.uk).

6 - Açaí berries

Why? The açaí (pronounced ah-sai-ee) berry speeds up weight loss, zaps wrinkles and boosts energy levels, so it’s hardly surprising that it counts the gorgeous Sienna Miller and the health conscious Beckhams among its fans. US skin guru Dr Nicholas Perricone (the man behind the skin-loving Perricone diet) has dubbed it ‘the No 1 anti-aging food). The concentration of the açaí berry’s antioxidants combats premature ageing and protects skin from sun damage and pollution. The berry contains the same essential fatty acids found in olive oil, but without the calories. It also lowers cholesterol nd contains 30 times more antioxidants than blueberries, red wine, green tea and red grapes.
Where can I get it from? Happy Monkey Açaí Berry Juice, £1.49 for 330ml (from Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, FreshAndWild stores or www.happymonkeydrinks.com). Or try Açaí powder Scoop, £19.99 for 78g from Synergy UK (0800 1978550).

7 - Edamame beans

Why? Fresh-faced Friends star Courtney Cox Arquette loves them and Britney Spears used to request them when she was touring during her chart-topping days. These baby soy beans are typically used in Japanese cooking and are the latest Hollywood superfood sweeping UK shores. As you’d expect from an A-list-friendly food, they’re low in fat and packed with protein and fibre. They also contain plant compounds that lower cholesterol levels and see off the brittle-bone disease osteoporosis. You can snack on them raw or add them to stirfries, sandwiches or casseroles.
Where can I get them? Edamame beans are available from health-food stores, Japanese supermarkets or larger Waitrose stores.

8 - Seaweed

Why? The slimy green stuff can banish a wobble waist and a tubby tum, say experts. Tests show that it contains a pigment called fucoxanthin that fights the flab on two levels: it fires up and stimulates a protein that causes fat to be broken down, but in particular it targets the stubborn area of excess flab around our middles. But that’s not to say that you can tuck into a portion of seaweed from your local Chinese restaurant and get a stomach like Madonna – an average serving of crispy seaweed contains a belt-buckling 230 calories. And that’s before you’ve got started on the spare ribs…
Where can I get it? Try Seagreens Food Granules, £36.95 for a three-month supply (08456 585858 or www.xynergy.co.uk) or miso soup, which contains seaweed (available in health food stores, Pret A Manager or selected supermarkets).

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He also transformed his own life 12 years ago after becoming an overweight chain-smoker who ate junk food, drank a lot of lager and suffered from severe asthma as well as eczema, mild acne, bad hayfever and severe psoriasis.

Then he discovered the benefits of juice detoxing and is now completely fit and healthy with a new career helping people beat their food cravings.

His plan has been carefully designed to ensure you won't feel hungry because you'll still get all the nutrients, vitamins and enzymes your body needs for optimum health. .

GETTING STARTED

This plan will help you to get results fast - but it will also give your body a much-needed spring clean and rest. You'll need a juicer, a blender, and a flask to carry your juices.

You'll also need to buy supplements, which are available from health food shops. These include wheatgrass powder, good quality acidophilus bacteria capsules, Dr Udo's Beyond Greens and spirulina.

You must follow the seven-day plan exactly - all the juices have been carefully calculated to ensure you get the optimum nutrients.

You should also do some exercise every day, beginning with two daily 20-minute sessions and working up to three 30-minute sessions of any exercise you fancy - walking, jogging, swimming, trampolining or dancing.

You should always make juice fresh whenever you can - "Fresh is best" should be your mantra. The next best thing is to make some juice, add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice (which acts as a natural preservative) and seal it immediately.
Then put it in the fridge and drink it within the next eight hours, remembering that with every hour that passes, the juice will lose more and more nutrients.

TOP TIPS

One: Your mental attitude is the key to your success. Instead of feeling deprived, focus on feeling grateful for the excellent vitamins, minerals and nutrients you are giving your body.

Two: Remember that you have chosen to follow this programme: no one has made you do it, so it's your choice whether you succeed or fail.

Three: Preparation is the key. If, for example, you wake up on the first morning and you have to rush out to buy everything you need, the chances are you will be overwhelmed and fall at the first hurdle.

Four: If you're not hungry, don't eat anything - no matter what the clock says. Many people find they don't need to drink the recommended five juices a day.

Five: When you complete the seven-day programme, make sure you ease yourself back into eating whole foods again. For the next few days, you should have a juice or smoothie for breakfast, while lunch should be a juice or smoothie or an avocado salad or a fruit salad. Dinner can be either wholegrain rice with vegetables or fish with salad or vegetables.

Six: Many people find their food tastes have altered by the time they finish the programme. To retain all the benefits of your diet, make sure that from now on, 60 to 80 per cent of what you eat is high-water content "live" foods such as fruits, vegetables, juices and smoothies.

The remainder should be made up of lean proteins (chicken and fish), whole-grain carbohydrates (such as rice and bread), potatoes, nuts, seeds and some dairy products.

Extracted by Judith Keeling from 7LBS IN 7 DAYS SUPER JUICE DIET by Jason Vale. Buy the book on Amazon here.

© Jason Vale 2006. To order a copy (p&p free), telephone 0870 161 0870.

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Who's drinking it?
Wheatgrass fans range from hard-core athletes to patients fighting serious illnesses to those just looking for a quick way to get more vitamins and minerals. The most devoted disciples avow that wheatgrass is the cure to all that ails you, whether it is dandruff, body odor, infertility or general lethargy.

Peggy Badgett, R.Ph., of Nutrition Unlimited in Rockford, Illinois, says she sees a lot of people with depressed immune systems using wheatgrass as a way to jump-start their systems. "We have a lot of people who have cancer or who are really ill and trying to build themselves back up," says Badgett, a registered pharmacist.

Proponents frequently recite the wheatgrass liturgy: a single ounce of fresh juice is equal in nutrient value to 2-1/2 pounds of vegetables. Though it's also available in powdered and tablet form, purists reach for the fresh-squeezed, one-ounce "shots" served up in tiny paper or plastic cups at their local juice bars and health food stores. At the going rate of $1.00-$2.00 per ounce, consumers are betting the health claims are well worth the price.

Where did it come from?
Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians and people of the Middle and Far East, turned to grass for sustenance and healing. It wasn't until the 1970s and '80s, though, that Ann Wigmore, founder of the Hippocrates Health Institute and author of The Wheatgrass Book introduced wheatgrass and its benefits to the health food set.
Wigmore's book includes stories of users who credit wheatgrass with helping them beat breast cancer and colitis. Wigmore also cites various studies - most of which took place in the 1940s - noting success in using chlorophyll extracts to treat a variety of disorders. The treatments for problems such as chronic skin ulcers, impetigo, trench mouth and pyorrhea ranged from retention enemas lasting up to five hours, chlorophyll injections, and ointments.

What it contains
One key to wheatgrass' purported effectiveness is its high proportion of chlorophyll. "Grass is one of the planet's richest sources of high-quality chlorophyll," says Meyerowitz. "This 'blood of plants' is a chemical cousin to hemin. Hemin is part of hemoglobin, the red iron-rich oxygen-carrying portions of human blood."

In addition, wheatgrass juice is said to be a "complete" food, containing all the vitamins and minerals essential to the human body, in a form more easily absorbed than traditional multi-vitamin supplements and pills. "These greens are so special," says Meyerowitz, "because they behave like supplements but are naturally concentrated whole foods made in nature's laboratory. Nutrients in foods coexist with numerous other factors that enhance and enable their function."

According to one study done by Pines International, a wheatgrass supplier, dehydrated wheatgrass beats wheat sprouts, spinach and broccoli in providing 17 of 21 specific vitamins and minerals. "It's like eating vegetables, but in a much more concentrated form," says Nutrition Unlimited's Badgett.

Joining the juice craze
With today's frenzied pace where meals can consist of a Starbucks breakfast, lunch at McDonald's and dinner from the freezer, it's no wonder wheatgrass is growing in popularity. An ounce a day - the typical recommended starting amount, agree Badgett and Meyerowitz - is an easy addition to your diet.
Even those with wheat allergies or sensitivities have little to fear from wheatgrass, says Meyerowitz. "Although grass is grown from grain, it has completely transformed into a vegetable with none of the allergic proteins common to glutenous grains," he says. Wheat allergies are usually a reaction to the gluten found in the wheat berry. Wheatgrass is a vegetable, cut before the wheat plant forms the grain (berry). And wheatgrass has no gluten.
Meyerowitz does caution that wheatgrass is a powerful "detoxifier" of both the liver and large intestine. As a result, people should start out slowly, sticking to an ounce or two a day, with the possibility of working up to eight ounces spread over the course of the day. "Too much can release too many poisons too fast," he warns.

Pharmacist Badgett encourages consumers to learn as much as they can about wheatgrass - and any other nutritional supplement - before jumping on the bandwagon. "You have to learn about the product first," she says. "Not all products are appropriate for everyone."

But does it work?
A shot of wheatgrass juice can be an easy way to boost your daily nutrient intake, since many Americans are lacking in important vitamins and minerals. And, for those suffering from an immune system deficiency - such as from a long-term illness or chemotherapy - wheatgrass may help them fight back.

Some individuals will go so far as to say that wheatgrass changed their lives. Unfortunately, there isn't much hard data to support some of its bolder claims. "It's too bad there aren't clinical studies," says Badgett. Dr. Andrew Weil agrees. A Harvard-trained physician who specializes in alternative health, he feels that although wheatgrass is a good source of vitamins and minerals, it's "no substitute for 2-1/2 pounds of vegetables."

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Wheatgrass has been used as a natural remedy since the First World War, when it was employed to heal soldier's wounds. In 1958, Dr. Ann Wigmore, who claims to have cured herself of gangrene as a result of chewing on the grass in her garden, founded the Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston, where wheatgrass is the focus of her research. After performing a series of experiments, "Dr. Ann" found that wheatgrass could help cure everything from glaucoma to cancer. Because it's an antioxidant, wheatgrass acts as an effective detoxifier, notably "protecting" the liver from the demons of PJ's and the Havana Club's cigar-filled mojitos. By naturally stimulating circulation and metabolism, it also curbs appetite and clarifies skin. One shot of wheatgrass contains every vitamin and mineral known to man. Fifteen pounds of the stuff is equivalent to 350 pounds of green vegetables. Popeye - actually, Olive - would be thrilled. Wheatgrass's fascinating trajectory from battleground to juice bar is chronicled in Ann Wigmore's The Wheatgrass Book where she'll teach you how to mix the classic wheatgrasshopper cocktail. Served in a martini glass, it exudes class. On the rocks, its intrinsically earthy quality is emphasized. Though wheatgrass's many nutritional properties are best absorbed when consumed in one go (1 oz. shot glass form), it tastes much better mixed with fruit juice. Orange, strawberry, banana, pineapple, mango with a shot of the wheatgrass is almost scrumptious. If you're feeling particularly brave, go for a double shot.

The actual wheatgrass boom began in LA's yuppie-filled juice bars in the '70s. Twenty odd years later, wheatgrass has finally made the pilgrimage to Baltimore, capital of unyuppiness. Wheatgrass aficionados and connoisseurs congregate at Liquid Earth at 1626 Alceanna St. in Fells Point, where the baristas will applaud you for drinking it "naked" (juiceless). My usual bartender at Liquid informs me that "these two girls, they get drunk every night at that bar across the street, then they come in the next morning for, like, five shots, man." They're really into protecting their livers! Another excellent bar that serves líherbe is the Peacock Cafe in Georgetown (DC) at 3251 Prospect St. For some reason, the aftertaste seems to be milder there (maybe they skimp on their shots for flavor - in any case, I don't complain). If you feel inclined to grow or buy wheatgrass in its original form, you'll need to procure a special grass juicer too. Wheatgrass au naturel is available at Green Earth at 823 N. Charles St.

If you're not convinced that wheatgrass is for you, check out The Thomas Crown Affair. Rene Russo chugs the stuff like there's no tomorrow - how else would a forty-year old look that good in a bikini (body doubles? Clandestine rendezvous with Cher's plastic surgeon? Let's just say it's the grass, for argument's sake). Alternately described by fellow Hopkins addicts as "liquid heroin," they claim that "compared to Chinese medicine, this stuff actually tastes pretty good." I recommend wheatgrass without reservation. It is a sensory experience well worth its weight in grass.

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Thus, at a recent "factory tour", the press learned that Google's engineers, in an average month, consume 2,300 lbs (1,043 kg) of chicken, 1,600 lbs of coffee beans, 500 lbs of pasta, and 112 lbs of wheatgrass. They also heard about the sock collections of certain executives. At an event for equity analysts in February, Google did roll out the "CFO", but he was the chief food officer (ie, chef), Charlie Ayers, who talked about his grilled pork tenderloin. The chief financial officer was there somewhere, but did not actually give a presentation.

Add to this a (slightly more relevant) steady drip of product announcements - typically through the grapevine and still in beta (ie, the test stage). This week, it was "Google Earth", a bit of software that can be downloaded for free and that allows users to fly around a three-dimensional globe through well-rendered valleys and streets. A day earlier, Google hinted at a new media player for internet browsers that will allow users to search certain types of video. The week before, Google confirmed that it plans an online payment service. And so forth.

Combine such evidence of frenzied activity with mysterious secretiveness, and the imagination is liberated. A Google web browser? A Google operating system? All the world's information? World domination? Buy, clearly.

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