Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is renowned for its therapeutic value since ancient times. Hindus offer ‘Durva’ (green grass) to the elephant God Ganesh and grow Wheatgrass to worship for nine days during ‘Navratri’ (Laxmi festival) every year. Dr. Ann Wigmore has mentioned the Biblical story about Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar who spent seven years, insane, living like a wild animal eating the grass of the fields and got cured.
The common observation that dogs and cats nibble on grass, presumably when ill, strengthens our belief in the healing power of grasses
Diet occupies an important place during sickness and healthy condition. The Father Of Modern Medical Science and the great Greek philosopher Hippocrates rightly said “Let thy food be thy medicine”. Our body has the inbuilt ability to heal itself if provided proper nutrition, environment and exercise.
Chief exponent of this thrapy, Dr Ann Wigmore (1909-1994), was single most responsible for popularizing the usage of Wheatgrass. She is the founder of ‘Hippocrates Institute, Boston, USA’ and has done extensive research and experiments to explore the therapeutic value of Wheatgrass. She has hailed Wheatgrass as ‘A complete natural food’ providing all the necessary nutrition.
Natural & innocent product having multiple health & wellness benefits such as:
Nutritional Value :-
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Wheatgrass has the amazing ability to concentrate maximum nutrients from the soil. Scientists have established that it has to be cultivated carefully and harvested at the ‘jointing’ stage (6 to 7 days in tropical climate) when its nutritional content is at its peak.
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Wheatgrass is a naturally rich source of Vitamins, Minerals, Amino acids, Enzymes, Chlorophyll and Dietary Fibre.
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Wheatgrass is said to contain more than 90 different nutritious substances and 19 Amino acids including 9 EAA (essential amino acids).
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The molecular structure of Chlorophyll contained in Wheatgrass bears a close resemblance to the substance called Hemin contained in human blood. Dieticians therefore call Wheatgrass as ‘green blood’.
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The pH (hydrogen molecules) value of human blood and Wheatgrass both is about 7 (alkaline) & is therefore quickly absorbed in the blood and is highly beneficial.
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100 g Wheatgrass Powder, obtained from 1 kg of fresh Wheatgrass, can supply nourishment equal to that obtained from 23 kg of selected vegetables.
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Wheatgrass Powder is high in dietary fibre and thus helps maintain blood sugar level, cholesterol level and prevents constipation.
Health Benefits Of Wheatgrass
Learn how about the health benefits of wheatgrass and how to grow wheatgrass at home and juice the wheatgrass.
Wheatgrass helps in throwing the toxins from the body and helps in boosting the cell regeneration. It is an easy way to detox your body at home.
Benefits of Wheatgrass:
It boosts the hemoglobin production.
Rebuilds the bloodstream.
Helps in healing the wounds.
Improves digestion.
Cleans the liver.
Purifies the blood in the entire body.
Growing Wheatgrass at home:
It is economical and hygienic to grow and juice the wheatgrass at home.
Potting:
Plastic basins, clay pots or trays which are about 6″ – 8″ in diameter and 3″ high are perfect for growing wheatgrass. First fill up 2 ½” of the basin with the soil.
Planting:
For planting, clean and wash the wheat grains and soak them overnight in water. Spread the soaked grains in the pot filled with soil the next day. Sprinkle a thin layer of soil to cover the grains.
Growth:
Darkness helps the grains to sprout quickly. So it is advisable to cover the pot with any newspaper or cloth and place it on a balcony. Remember to spray the grains daily with some water till the green leaves sprout up. Keep covering the pots with the newspaper till then. Later stop covering the pots.
Watering:
Water the plants lightly but adequately depending on the season and on whether the pots have drainage holes or not.
Harvesting:
In a week from the sowing the grass will be about 8″ tall. Cut it with clean scissors about ½ “above the soil surface. This harvested wheatgrass is ready to be juiced. The grass will grow back in a week’s time. After the second harvest crush all the roots and mix with the soil. The soil is ready for a fresh sowing.
How To Juice The Wheatgrass:
It is advisable not to use mixer, grinders or blenders to juice the wheatgrass as the rapid blade movement oxidizes the chlorophyll and will make the wheatgrass useless. It is better to manually mince the grass on a stone grinder or with a mortal and pestle. You may also use electric juicer.
Cut the grass ½ “above the soil surface with the help of a knife or scissors.
Usage
The average dosagetaken by consumers of wheatgrass is 3.5 grams (powder or tablets). Some also have a fresh-squeezed 30 ml shot once daily or, for more therapeutic benefits,[a higher dose up to 2–4 oz (60 – 120 ml) taken 1-3 times per day on an empty stomach and before meals. For detoxification, some users may increase their intake to 3–4 times per day. Consumers with a poor diet may experience nauseaon high dosages of wheatgrass.
Wheatgrass vs. common vegetables
Wheatgrass proponent Schnabel claimed in the 1940s that “fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetables”, a ratio of 1:23. Despite claims of vitamin and mineral content disproportional to other vegetables, the nutrient content of wheatgrass juice is roughly equivalent to that of common vegetables (see table 1).
Wheatgrass is also thought to be superior to other vegetables in its content of Vitamin B12, a vital nutrient. Contrary to popular belief, B12 is not contained within wheat grass or any vegetable, rather it is a byproductof the microorganismsliving on plants.If plants are washed prior to consumption the water soluble B12 will be removed making most plants unreliable sources of B12
Table 1. Nutrient comparison of 1 oz (28.35 g) of wheatgrass juice, broccoli and spinach.
Nutrient
Wheatgrass Juice
Broccoli
Spinach
Protein
860 mg
800 mg
810 mg
Beta-carotene
120 IU
177 IU
2658 IU
Vitamin E
880 mcg
220 mcg
580 mcg
Vitamin C
1 mg
25.3 mg
8 mg
Vitamin B12
0.30 mcg
0 mcg
0 mcg
Phosphorus
21 mg
19 mg
14 mg
Magnesium
8 mg
6 mg
22 mg
Calcium
7.2 mg
13 mg
28 mg
Iron
0.66 mg
0.21 mg
0.77 mg
Potassium
42 mg
90 mg
158 mg
Data on broccoli and spinach from USDA database.[5] Data on Wheatgrass juice from indoor grown wheatgrass.[2]
Books about wheatgrass:
Ann Wigmore
The Wheatgrass Book
The Hippocrates Diet
Steve Meyerowitz
Wheatgrass – Nature’s Finest Medicine
Li Smith
Wheatgrass – Superfood for the New Millenium
Victoras Kulvinskas
Survival into the 21st Century
