Wheatgrass is the young grass of the wheat plant, Triticum aestivum. It grows throughout Europe and the United States. It is far less expensive to grow your own, and you can typically grow a much higher quality grass.
Harvest time is typically around one week after you germinate the seeds. Most wheatgrass tastes very bitter. Expose the grass only to indirect sunlight, and harvest it right after the germinating stage when it is at its sweetest. Exposure to direct sunlight actually contributes to the bitterness.
Due to it’s tightly bound roots in moist soil, growing wheatgrass can develop mold very easily. If this occurs, the mold can make you sick. Planting the wheatgrass in a less congested area to allow for proper air flow, watering less frequently, and spacing the seed so the growth is less dense are three approaches to help limit the risk of growing mold.
Wheatgrass is a natural source of vitamins and minerals (a few of which are antioxidants) including:
Vitamins A, E, and B-12
Calcium
Selenium
Magnesium
Iron
zinc and selenium, which help prevent cancer.
It contains the full spectrum of B vitamins, as well as phosphorus, sodium and potassium in a balanced ratio. Wheatgrass is a complete source of protein, and just two ounces of wheatgrass juice, has the nutritional equivalent of five pounds of the best raw organic vegetables.
Why Wheatgrass Should Be Incorporated Into Our Daily Diets
Wheatgrass floods the body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and phytonutrients.
It helps neutralize toxins and environmental pollutants in the body by detoxifing the liver and the blood. Wheatgrass contains Superoxide Disumates (an enzymes that help protect us from carcinogens), that lessens the effects of radiation, digest toxins in the body’s tissues and organs and cleanses any heavy metals, and pollutants from our systems.
Among other things wheatgrass juice is particularly high in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll contains more healing properties than any other element. Only green plants can transform the sun’s energy into chlorophyll through the process of photosynthesis. This important phytonutrient is what your cells need to heal and to thrive.
The high content of oxygen in chlorophyll helps deliver more oxygen to the blood. Red blood cell counts and blood oxygen levels rise very quickly with the regular drinking of wheatgrass juice. Oxygen is vital to many body processes, especially for the brain which uses 25% of the oxygen supply. This high oxygen helps support a healthy body.
Wheatgrass: The Most Alkalizing Food You Should Be Eating Every Day
Wheat grass is one of the best natural and nutrient rich alkaline booster. The body requires to maintain a blood pH of 7.35 to 7.45, to remain heathy and balanced while function properly. It is the best tool to fight acidity and maintain balance because it washes away too much acidity in the body.
If that wasn’t enough: Wheat grass possesses the enzymes P4-D1 and D1-G1, which can verifiably repair genetic makeup that has been damaged by radioactivity or x-rays.
How To Incorporate The Therapeutic Life Benefits Of Wheatgrass
Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables as it helps to “pre-digest” them for you. Some people may find eating the daily requirement of vegetables difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice. Wheatgrass tends to have a bitter flavor on its own. Adding ingredients like sweet pineapple, coconut water, and bananas helps sweeten things up a little bit.
Coconut and Pineapple Green Smoothie with Wheatgrass Recipe
2 cups pineapple, cubed
2 small bananas, peeled
1 cup baby spinach
4 ounces coconut water
4 ounces of juice from freshly juiced wheatgrass
Start by adding the juice to your blender, followed by the cubed pineapple and peeled bananas. Add the spinach to your blender last. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.
The wheatgrass juice must be consumed fresh – within fifteen minutes of juicing for the best results.
Sources:
•http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/20/wheatgrass.aspx
•http://thealkalinediet.org/wheat-grass-the-magical-alkaline-superfood
•http://www.livestrong.com/article/517104-wheat-grass-alkalizing-food/
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