A. Wheat grass juice is made from young wheat plants. Sold in juice bars and health food stores, it is touted as a "superfood." Salespeople claim that it is a fountain of youth with numerous health benefits such as removing toxins, keeping hair from graying, improving digestion, and preventing cancer.

Marketers claim that one ounce of wheat grass juice has as many vitamins, minerals, and protein as two pounds of vegetables.

There is no evidence to support these claims. According to Nutrition News Focus newsletter, "Nutritionally, wheat grass is green water. It does not contain any nutrient in significant quantities, unless you consume oceans of the stuff. Nutrients in highest quantities are vitamins A and K, and it contains less than 30 percent of the recommended amounts of these."

Most vegetables and fruits in commonly eaten portions have more vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin A than a typical portion of wheat grass juice. This list includes mangos, papayas, broccoli, bok choy and kim chee and many others. The only vegetable that has lower nutritional value than wheat grass juice is head lettuce.

Wheat grass has more vitamin E than vegetables. You could get vitamin E from nuts, avocados, vegetable oil and whole-wheat bread. This would be cheaper than wheat grass juice.

Claims that wheat grass juice's high chlorophyll content gives it anti-cancer properties are untrue. Grass-eating animals get cancer, despite their large intake of fresh chlorophyll. Our bodies can't even absorb chlorophyll.

Some users feel it gives them an energy boost. It's likely the other fresh juices that are providing the energy boost.

The Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology recently reported that wheat grass juice may benefit people with the intestinal disease, ulcerative colitis. People with this disease experienced improvement in their symptoms when given wheat grass juice compared to those given a placebo.

Wheat grass can be part of healthy diet, but should not replace fruits and vegetables in the diet. All nutrients contained in wheat grass juice can be found in commonly eaten foods at a much lower cost. If you want to help stimulate the economy, drink wheat grass.

Amy Tousman is a registered dietitian at Straub Clinic & Hospital Inc. and a member of the Hawai'i Dietetic Association.