Scientific Names of Rye Grass: Secale cereale L. [Fam. Gramineae]
Forms:
Rye grass juice powder
Traditional Usage:
– Anti-aging
– Anti-anemia
– Antinflammatory
– Antioxidant
– Avitaminosis A, B, C, E, and K
– Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (rye grass pollen)
– Blood Building
– Blood Purifier
– Cellular Regeneration
– Chlorophyll Source
– Cleansing
– Convalescence
– Detoxifying
– Energy Boosting
– Fatigue
– Mineral Deficiency
– Nutritive
– Vitamin Deficiency
Overview:
Rye, Secale cereale L. [Fam. Gramineae], is cultivated as a bread grain, livestock feed, and an ingredient used in the distillation of whiskey and gin, as well as being used as a source of chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals for the health food industry. First cultivated as recently as 2000 or 3000 years ago, relatively late for grains, rye is still grown extensively in northern Europe and Asia. Rye is a cereal grass. All cereal grasses, including the green leaves of wheat, barley, kamut, rye and oats are nutritionally similar. These young grasses are very different from the mature seed grains in their chemical and nutritional composition. The nutrient profile of cereal grass is similar to those of other dark green leafy vegetables, but varies according to soil nutrients. The importance of green foods in the diet is now being validated scientifically. Because cereal grass is so easy and inexpensive to grow, the juice, when dehydrated, is an excellent source of green food nutrients. Rye grass juice is rich in vitamins including A, B, C, E, K and pantothenic acid and minerals, including iron, manganese, zinc, silicon dioxide, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. As such, green rye grass juice can be used to treat avitaminosis. Rye grass is rich in protein, approximately 30%, and contains all the essential amino acids along with chlorophyll, flavonoids, lecithin and enzymes. This abundance of nutrients has made rye grass juice a popular tonic for treating debility of convalescence. Rye grass is also extremely rich in antioxidants. Cereal grass juice is considered “blood-building” food. It appears that even small amounts of the digestive products of chlorophyll may stimulate the synthesis of either heme or globin or both in animals and humans. Current research on rye focuses on rye-grass pollen for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Active Ingredients:
Rye grass juice powder contains: Nutrients per 3.5 grams (1 tsp. powder) (proximates): Protein 800 mg; crude fiber 600 mg; Calories 10; chlorophyll 19mg; carbohydrates 1.3g; Vitamins: Vitamin A 1750 I/U; Vitamin K 280 mcg; Vitamin C 11mg; Vitamin E 1.1mcg; Thiamin 10mcg; Choline 1mg; Riboflavin 71mcg; Vitamin B-12 1mcg; Niacin 263mcg; Pantothenic acid 84 mcg; Biotin 4mcg; Folic acid 38mcg. Amino Acids: Lysine 29 mg; Histidine 16 mg; Arginine 39 mg; Asparatic Acid 78 mg; Threonine 37 mg; Glutamic Acid 33 mg; Glycine 41 mg; Alanine 48 mg; Valine 44 mg; Isoleucine 31 mg; Leucine 57 mg; Tyrosine 18 mg; Phenylanlanine 38 mg; Methionine 15 mg; Cystine 8mg; Trytophan 4 mg; Amide 10 mg; Purines 2 mg; Serine 85 mg. Minerals: Calcium 18mg; Phosphorus 18 mg; Potassium 112 mg; Magnesium 3.6 mg; Iron 2 mg; Manganese 0.35 mg; Selenium 3.5 mcg; Sodium 1 mg; Zinc 17.5 mcg; Iodine 7 mcg; Copper 0.02 mg; Cobalt 1.75 mcg.
Suggested Amount:
The daily dose of rye grass juice powder is 5-10g mixed with water or juice three times daily.
Drug Interactions:
None known
Contraindications:
None known
Side Effects:
Rye grass pollen may cause allergic reactions in susceptible persons. Occupational exposure to grass juice has been associated with asthma in rare cases.
References:
Lowe FC, Dreikorn K, Borkowski A, Braeckman J, Denis L, Ferrari P, Gerber G, Levin R, Perrin P, Senge T. 1998. Review of recent placebo-controlled trials utilizing phytotherapeutic agents for treatment of BPH. Prostate. 1998 Nov 1; 37(3): 187-93. Review.
Microsoft- Encarta- Encyclopedia 99. Rye. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Seibold, Ronald L., M.S., 1997. Cereal Grass, Nature’s Greatest Health Gift, Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, Connecticut. Pp. 9; pp. 1-141.
Subiza J, Subiza JL, Hinojosa M, Varela S, Cabrera M, Marco F. 1995. Occupational asthma caused by grass juice. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995 Nov; 96(5 Pt 1): 693-5.
Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Rutks I, MacDonald R. 2000. Phytotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Public Health Nutr. 2000 Dec; 3(4A): 459-72.
