Frequently Asked Questions About Growing and Juicing Wheatgrass

1. Why do I need a wheatgrass juicer vs. a regular juicer? 
   
    A wheatgrass juicer is basically a press that slowly presses out the juice.  This method is better because it does not destroy the enzymes.  If one uses a high-speed juicer to juice wheatgrass there is a danger of two things:  the juicer will get clogged up because the grass has so much fiber, and the centrifugal force of the juicer will oxidize the enzymes.
   
2. Which is the best wheatgrass juicer?  
   
   There are so many things to think about when buying a wheatgrass juicer!  If you just want to juice wheatgrass you may consider the best option as a Manual Juicer.  There are three good ones available each has a year long warranty and is made of stainless steel! (beware of cheaper plastic juicers the often leak and are not reliable, and beware of cast iron because the have a tendency to rust over time)  The three Reliable Manual Juicers are: 
   
   1 Back to Basics Stainless Steel Manual (1 year warranty, longest on the market, best priced)
   2 Hurricane Stainless Steel Manual Juicer (this one has a newer design and juices really well) 
   3 Miracle Stainless Steel Manual (this one is like the hurricane only with a matte finish)
   *  Each of these manuals comes with a trade in value of $60 toward any Electric, so if you decide to upgrade later there is no risk is first trying a manual.
   
   Now the next item of importance!  If you plan to juice everything like carrots, apples, beets, celery, etc along with Wheatgrass and Barleygrass, then the best option is a Multipurpose Wheatgrass Juicer.  They are so versatile!  Here are are Electric Multipurpose Wheatgrass Juicer recommendations based on experience and customer feedback:
   
   1 SoloStar by Tribest (This juicer is know for having the best juice yield!  I have one at home and it gets the pulp very dry. I have done carrots, beets, and apples as well as lots and lots of wheatgrass and it has held up great! It has a 5 year warranty)
   2 Omega 8003 and 8005 (This juicer also has a 5 year warranty!  Many have raved about the Omega.  It is one of the most attractive juicers for the kitchen- the 8005 in Black and Chrome.  Also it does all kinds of nut butters and will juice all vegetables and of course wheatgrass. Very good feedback on this juicer!)
   3 Samson 6 in 1 Juicer (This juicer is much like the others and has a few really good things about it as well.  It has a 5 year warranty on parts and the best part is it comes with a 10 year warranty on the motor.  It will do all vegetables and wheatgrass!  Also Available the Samson Ultra.
   
   You may have many questions as you research which juicer is best for you! Please contact us at toll free at 866-948-4727 (866-WHTGRAS) or by email kaitlin@wheatgrasskits.com and we would be happy to answer any questions.  We will try to beat any price you find on a juicer.     
   
   
3. Do we ship outside of the US?  
   
   Yes, we ship outside of the United States, however we do not ship seed or growing medium (soil).    Our shipments outside the US would include trays, book, instructions and juicer.  Please e-mail us for a shipping quote if you live outside of the US.   admin@wheatgrasskits.com
   
   
4. How can I get rid of  Mold?
   
   Mold seems to be inherent with wheatgrass growing.  It doesn’t thrive when the weather is cold (if you grow your grass outside), but during the heat of the summer, many people have trouble with mold on their wheatgrass.  There are several ways that work sometimes to eliminate mold.  Put about one tablespoon of elemite into your watering can.  Mix well.  Sprinkle onto wheatgrass---or use one tablespoon of  real salt (mined in Redmond Utah and available at most healthfood stores).  If this doesn’t eliminate the mold, after the grass is ready, cut what you need, put into a large strainer, power rinse, and then juice.
   
   
5. What are sunflower sprouts vs sunflowergreens?  
   
   Sunflower sprouts begin with hulled sunflower seeds.  Soak for about 6 hours and then sprout.  Sunflower greens begin with unhulled seed.  Plant and grow exactly like wheatgrass.  It takes about ten days until ready and then it is basically a tall green sprout, 5 to 6 inches tall—use like a salad green.
   
   
6. What do I do with my grass before it begins to get old and yellow?  
   
    Sometimes a person grows a flat of wheatgrass and doesn’t use it fast enough.  It will start to get yellow.  Before that happens, it is better to cut the grass and put it into a plastic bag (with some holes) and then it will keep in the refrigerator for one week.   However if one knows he will use it fairly fast, it is better to cut only what one needs for that day to make juice. 
   
   
   
   
7. How does wheatgrass juice taste compared to barleygrass juice?
   
   Wheatgrass is sickeningly sweet, a strong grass taste.  Barleygrass juice is very bitter but easier to take for some people.  It is better to take both straight, but some people mix with pineapple juice.  If one mixes with a juice, it is better to mix with a canned or bottled juice than a fresh one.  
   
8. How much  wheatgrass juice should I take? 
   
   Ann Wigmore recommends that a person begin with one ounce per day.  It should be drunk within six minutes after juicing.  After a couple of weeks one should then take 2 ounces per day and then gradually increase to 4 ounces per day over a period of a month or two.  Increasing gradually and slowly will help a person not to detox too fast.
   
   
9. Should I grow the wheatgrass outside or inside?  
   
   It is optional.  Your wheatgrass will do better if it is in indirect sun and a fairly cool place.  The hot sun of the summer will wilt your grass.  70-80 Degrees is the optimal temperature.
   
   
10. What are some good books to learn more about wheatgrass, barleygrass and sprouting?  
    
    We like Nature’s Finest Medicine by Steve Meyerowitz because it is so comprehensive.  Other books are:  The Wheatgrass Book by Ann Wigmore, The Sprouting Book by Ann Wigmore, Green Barley Essence by Yoshihide Hagiwara. 
    
    
11. Powdered grass vs. fresh?  
    
    We believe that one should eat foods with the maximum number of enzymes.  Enzymes=Life Force.  Those companies that juice and powder wheatgrass or barleygrass, try very hard to not destroy the enzymes however we believe that the absence of water naturally destroys some of the enzymes.  Sometimes people get improvement by using the powder but we believe a high state of health can only be reached by drinking the juice and eating a living foods diet.
    
    
12. Recently looking at your site for information about wheatgrass and we went to the "medical references" page. It struck us that none of the articles cited are more recent than 1959!!! In medical terms these articles are outdated and virtually irrelevant. Can you direct us to more recent research?
    
         Thank you for your e-mail.  We are glad you visited the site, and took the time to contact us.  You make an interesting and provocative observation about the timeliness of the articles posted. In reply to your comments, there is a short answer, and a long one.
         The long one is food for an article or even book, and we will pass your question along to one of our contributing authors, as the story about chlorophyll is closely tied with big business, the pharmaceutical, and the medical establishment.
          For the short, first of all, we do not claim that the list provided on the site is exhaustive, but it does give quite a bit of background material of importance.  In fact, a great deal of that work is still quite relevant in our opinion, and becoming more so by the day.
          Second, as you well know, in this day and age research dollars are provided usually with the motive to find ways to make more money.  Large pharmaceutical or medical companies, and often the universities or laboratories associated with them, are funded based on the evaluation of the applicability of the work to make new products for new markets.  Generally now, the direction is ever more towards the 'genetic manipulation' model, huge budgets, expensive technology, and other accoutrements of big business. Chlorophyll, wheatgrass, raw foods, etc. are not 'big ticket' items, and people are not dependent on an outside entity to supply them.  Not much of a market in that.
          As you noted by the dates of the research articles, they cluster in the 1930's to 1950's. During those years there was a tremendous push, accelerated by the advent of world war two, to find a suitable, inexpensive, effective antibiotic.  Molds, sulphas, and in fact chlorophylls were widely researched via formal funding streams as the motive then was more basic to the problems of infection since penicillin was not yet developed, or in its very early stages.  Once penicillin showed such remarkable properties, other research fell off.
          I think now there is a resurgence of real, formal investigation in the area of chlorophyll and enzymes, and we only have to go to the works of Pines, or Hagiwara, or Howell.  However, giving people MORE control over their lives and health at minimal expense and dependency is not really in the interest of most of the large pharmaceutical or medical entities.  as you know, the 'Terminator' grain seed (does not reproduce) is the direction large seed companies are going, not really the reverse.
          For us, there is optimism that somehow people are becoming researchers themselves, and our site gives people tools and information they need to participate actively in this.  For example, Optimum West Health Center has had many thousands of people pass through their doors who have taken an active role in research and put themselves on the line to do it.  This is very exciting, humbling, and can give us hope that we ourselves can participate in this life adventure as effectively and productively as a scientist doing 'research'.
    Results of efforts made by participants at Optimum, for example, are at the least edifying, and in many cases extraordinary.  The formal medical establishment, however, views many of these results as incompatible with modern medicine, and sometimes goes to no small effort to quash certain findings.
          Given the above, each person studying in an area such as enzyme nutrition or use of chlorophyllins can in fact become a 'researcher of one' and add to a small, but growing body of knowledge.
          The book 'One Straw Revolution' by Matsunobu Fukuoka is highly recommended as a viewpoint that, like 'Be Your Own Doctor' by Ann Wigmore, puts the responsibility on each of us to pursue and investigate life in the ways that intrigue us, not necessarily look to others.
          We hope you continue your investigations and research in this area, and hope you will share with us findings you would like others to know about.
    
    Kind regards,
    Chuck Juhn

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