Wheat grass is the term used to describe the long, grassy stems of the common wheat plant.Wheat grass is prized for its nutrient density. It is rich in amino acids, protein, copper, iodine, manganese, calcium, B vitamins and betacarotene. Wheat grass is also an excellent source of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, which may help increase blood count, boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and counteract environmental toxins within the body. You can easily grow and juice wheat grass to take advantage of its nutrient profile.
Growing Wheat Grass
Step 1
Soak 1 cup of wheat grass seeds in a large bowl of water for 12 hours. This will release any chemicals or mold spores on the seeds as well as soften the seeds so that the grass may grow easily.
Step 2
Rinse and drain the seeds. Fill a seed tray with potting soil. Spray the soil with a water from a spray bottle to moisten the soil.
Step 3
Spread the wheat grass seeds evenly over the top of the soil. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and set the tray in a cool, shaded area of your house.
Step 4
Uncover the plastic wrap from the tray and lightly spray the seeds with water daily.
Step 5
Remove the plastic wrap about six days later, when the seedlings have sprouted and are about 2 inches tall. Place the tray in a well-lighted area of your house or outside in your garden. Lightly water the tray daily until the grass grows to about 8 inches tall, which should take seven to 10 days.
Juicing Wheat Grass
Step 1
Harvest all the grass from the tray and store it in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.
Step 2
Take handful of wheat grass from the container. This amount will make one serving of wheat grass juice.
Step 3
Place the wheat grass into a cold-press juicer to extract the juice. There are both electric and manual powered juicers suitable for juicing wheat grass. Put a cup under the spout of the juicer to catch the juice.
Tips and Warnings
- Wheat grass juice has a strong, bitter flavor. You can add other fresh juices to the wheat grass juice for a more tolerable flavor.
Things You'll Need
- Wheat grass seeds
- Cold-press juicer
- Potting soil
- Spray bottle
- Seed tray
- Scissors
- Plastic wrap
- Airtight container
- Large bowl
- Cup
References
- "Fresh: The Ultimate Live-Food Cookbook"; Sergei Boutenko, Valya Boutenko;2008
- Chet Day's Health and Beyond Online: How to Grow Wheatgrass
- "The Wheatgrass Book"; Ann Wigmore;1985
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