My new wheatgrass juicer arrived in the mail today and I was finally able to juice the two trays of wheatgrass that I had started a few weeks ago. It was an exciting day as it was my first time planting, juicing and drinking wheatgrass. I found the juice to be pleasing… vegetal and sweet and not bitter at all. I have read that some people do find it bitter and will juice an apple or orange along with it to sweeten it up. Cheers, everyone! To health, wellness and vitality…!!!

Wheatgrass is the tender young grass of the wheat plant, Triticum aestivum. It is harvested during the early stage of development (at about 6-7 inches high) when the plants contain the highest concentration of nutrients and minerals.

Wheatgrass is quickly gaining popularity as researchers are revealing more and more health benefits that one can obtain from fresh wheatgrass juice.  Wheatgrass juice is often called ‘Liquid Sunshine’ because of its very high content of chlorophyll… the green pigment that harnesses the sun’s energy. ~Sara Ding in Juicing For Health

 

According to Sara Ding, “Researchers have reported that the chlorophyll molecule is remarkably similar to hemoglobin in human blood, the substance that carries oxygen in our body. Except that our hemoglobin has an iron element in the center of the structure and chlorophyll has a magnesium element. Experiments have shown that our body is able to convert chlorophyll into hemoglobin, thereby enriching the blood.”

Wheatgrass contains about 70% chlorophyll, which has a highly energizing and alkalizing effect. Wheatgrass is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, K and B complex (including B12). It also rich in calcium, cobalt, germanium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, sodium, sulphur, and zinc. Often called ‘Miracle Grass’, wheatgrass contains about 17 types of amino acids and about 80 known enzymes!As wheatgrass is very fibrous and indigestible, we need to juice it to get at the goodness. The recommended way of consuming wheatgrass is 1 to 2 ounces of fresh wheatgrass juice daily, on it’s own. Drink it within 30 minutes of juicing and on an empty stomach. If you are growing your own wheatgrass at home, you will need a special wheatgrass juicer as the wheatgrass will clog up your regular juicer and the enzymes in the grass will get destroyed in the process. I am using a manual Tribest Z-Star manual juicer (pictured above), which acts more like a press and is not very expensive.

Wheatgrass is a natural detoxifier, cleaning out the lymphatic tissues and gastrointestinal tract as well as removing heavy metals from our body. It helps maintain the alkalinity of the blood (preventing acidosis). It is high in antioxidants and its high iron content increases red blood cell count (making us feel energized!). Due to the long list of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), body builders often drink wheatgrass instead of protein powders, as the juice contains almost 50% protein (three times that of beef, according to Sara Ding at Juice for Health). Wheatgrass is antibacterial and can be used topically on wounds, to treat sunburn or itchy rashes, as a foot soak to treat athlete’s foot or Candida (use 2 ounces of juice in a small bowl of warm water) or used as a gargle to prevent tooth decay.

Wheatgrass helps regulate blood sugar, build the immune system, and the chlorophyll and beta-carotene helps prevent and treat cancer.

If you are allergic to wheat, wheatgrass may still be okay for you. Most people are reacting to the gluten which develops in the wheat berry (or grain). Even though wheatgrass juice does not contain gluten, it is good to be cautious so try a small amount at the beginning (i.e. 1 teaspoon) and discontinue if you experience an allergic reaction.

You can buy wheatgrass juice at juice bars, Booster Juice and at your local health food stores. you can buy trays of wheatgrass, ready to harvest or grow your own. You can also buy wheatgrass in powder form at your local health food store. After reading up on all that this grass has to offer, I am willing to give ‘Liquid Sunshine’ a try! Cheers!

A cute story: My friends, E and M helped me plant the two trays of wheatgrass a few weeks ago. When they came over last weekend and saw the two lush trays of grass, E excitedly exclaimed, ‘When I have my own home, I’m going to plant wheatgrass in the front yard!!!’ Ahh… belly laughs…

Resources:

http://www.juicing-for-health.com/health-benefits-of-wheatgrass-juice.html http://www.ehow.com/about_5480157_wheatgrass-contain-gluten.html