Juicing is totally awesome—juicing sprouts & wheatgrass is even better!
Touted by many as the most nutritional foods on the planet, I was turned on to these gems during my stay at the renowned Hippocrates Health Institute. Today, grass & sprouts remain as centerpieces of our juicing routine.
Sprouts and wheatgrass are “living foods” (look at the picture & really take this in).
Wheatgrass/Sprout Facts
Wheatgrass is the young grass of the Triticum aestivum plant
Sprouts/grass require a masticating juicer
Wheatgrass contains the highest chlorophyll and phytonutrient content of any food
2oz of wheatgrass has more nutritional value than 5 lbs. of organic greens.
Sprouts have many times more phytonutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants than non-sprouted varieties
Loaded with amino acids
Fresh wheatgrass is best, but wheatgrass powder is a great second option
Gluten-free & Vegan-ha!
Benefits
Reduces inflammation & increases alkalinity, preventing cancer & chronic diseases
Reduces free radicals
Promotes apoptosis (self-destruction of cancerous cells)
Restores fertility and balances hormones
Detoxifies the body/liver
Regulates blood sugar
Boosts the immune system
Lowers cholesterol & Increases glutathione
Can reduce chemotherapy side effects
The Cons
The taste is a lot like grass clippings (just being honest). But it's nothing a little (or a lot of) lemon or lime juice won’t quell.
Its pungent aroma/taste makes it difficult for many people to stomach. Again, douse it with lemon/lime juice.
Can trigger allergies.
Can be harsh on the tummy, producing digestive discomfort/nausea.
Grass & Sprouts Made Easy (What We Do)
First, we have organic sprouts (sunflower, pea, & broccoli) & grass delivered (weekly) right to our front door from “Got Sprouts” (so convenient).
Give them a bath! Once you wash your produce, it's more prone to mold (especially true for grass/sprouts). So we only wash about a 3 day's supply at a time. Then, spin it several times to get the water off. Then, store them in a stainless steel spinner.
Always have lots of spare juicer parts --so it’s always clean!
We use a masticating Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer. Buy extra parts here. A couple of other good ones are the Champion Juicer or Norwalk Juicer (if you’re a Rockefeller & $$ is no object! Ha!).
Consume wheatgrass juice twice a day (doused with lemon/lime of course).
Save time/energy by making a big batch in the morning. We drink our morning juice right off the press & simply air seal our evening dose to lock in nutrition.
Toss in other fruits, veggies, & spices; carrots, romaine, cucumbers, apple, orange, ginger, etc.
Make wheatgrass cubes—then toss them in smoothies.
Some people try to consume on an empty stomach in order to increase absorption, we don’t concern ourselves with this. Our motto is “just get it in the tummy”.