I was recently introduced to wheatgrass juice at a juice bar in the mall. Several of my friends and family swear by it for its energy giving and medicinal properties, so I figured it would be worth trying to grow. The project was a great success, and the juice does indeed give a kick, I drank about an ounce a few hours ago and I'm still buzzing. Here is how its done. Step one: Soak the seeds for 12 hours in a jar, and then turn it upside down or on an angle for another 12 hours to drain. I put a cloth over the end with an elastic to hold it on. Dryer sheets work too if you're a fan of carcinogens. ( photo / image / picture from Masket's Garden ) Step two: Spread the seeds in a tray of soil approximately 1 inch deep, leaving them on top. Spread the seeds so that they are close together, ideally touching on all sides but not laying on top of each other. Water well and cover for 2-3 days. Make sure the sprouting seeds are protected from light at this stage. Theoretically it can be done without soil, but the soil helps the grass stand upright and store water. ( photo / image / picture from Masket's Garden ) Step three: After 2-3 days, remove the cover and provide light. I used 6400k 52w T5 fluorescent lights because my house is so dark, but if you have a good enough window that works too. The light requirements are relatively low. Water daily, but don't overdo it or you may get mold which can cause nausea. Fertilize as needed, depending on your soil quality. After about a week the grass will be ready for juicing. The picture below was taken 7 days after soaking the seeds. ( photo / image / picture from Masket's Garden ) The seed is nothing special. You can get different varieties of wheat which may have different tastes, but basically its just grain. Now, juicing it is the tricky part. Most say you need a special juicer that costs around $40 for a hand crank one, or $200 and up for an electric. Ordinary juicers won't do it. I managed to get plenty of juice by tormenting the grass with a blender, a spoon, and a mesh tea ball. The pulp must be separated form the juice, since the pulp cannot be digested by humans (hence why cows have 4 stomachs.) Specialty juicers do this for you, but if you blend it with water, and then push it through a fine mesh or cheescloth you should get plenty of juice. A handful of grass will produce about an ounce of juice (not including the water you add) which is plenty to have a noticeable effect. Its potent stuff. Don't forget to compost the pulp, and the mats left behind when you cut down the last of the tray's grass. You could let it grow back and juice it again, but from what I've been told, the second or third batch won't have the vitamins and nutrients that the first shoots did.
Wheat seeds: whole wheat. Wheat seeds just sprouted: malt Wheat seeds grown about 10 days: wheat grass. The parts left from juicing is fiber, fine to help with digestion. Do not have to separate. Vitamin content: Similar to other green leafy vegies, which are all good for us. Still a problem if you have celiac disease, or a wheat gluten allergy. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FOOD GRADE SEEDS FOR THIS OR ANY SEEDS YOU WANT TO SPROUT.
Interesting! I had always wondered what "malt" was... However, according to the book that I got with my seed, and some other sources the fiber in the live grass is different than what we get from finished wheat products such as bread, its not harmful but it doesn't do your body any good. It also has an unpleasant taste. Wheatgrass juice is also said to be safe for people with wheat and gluten allergies, though its still best to consult a physician before chancing it.
Difficult to "separate the wheat from the chaff" when it comes to marketing versus data. Most important if you want actual chlorophyll is: fresh green veggies, not heated or dried. That is why green veggies can turn grayish when heated, the chlorophyll changes. So fresh wheatgrass, and any fresh veggies are much better for us than powdered or dry. Fiber is, basically, fiber. What our gut can't absorb. The fiber in grass may taste bitter, but to my knowledge, there is no toxins in it. Just fresh wheatgrass juice tastes bitter to me personally, but ok mixed with other juices. There is small amounts of gluten protein in the wheatgrass. Enzymes start to break up the gluten, but there is still gluten around. Depends on how long the grass has grown, how sensitive your gut is to it. I would not recommend it initially to my patients that have significant wheat sensitivity. I am a big fan of juicing, but feel the whole foods are even better. Not a big fan of dried, powdered suppliments.
