A Vegan In The NFL

I just read an interesting story in The Wall Street Journal about Tony Gonzales, a standout in the NFL who decided to try going vegan. He went straight from gorging on meat and other high-calorie, high-fat foods like nearly everyone else who plays in the NFL to giving a completely vegan diet a go. What made him switch was sitting next to someone on a plane who told him about a book called "The China Study". After he read the book himself, he made the change. NFL athletes push their bodies to the extreme, and Tony can do it on a vegan diet--almost. He now eats a carefully planned out, mostly vegan diet, as well as a few servings of chicken and fish a week. The article says that he has failed, but I think what he has done is wonderful. The road to being vegetarian or vegan is different for everyone, and he gets props from me just for daring to try. From the article it seems like he is the only one to ever do this in the NFL. Even if many people gave up meat for only 1 day a week, it would do a lot of good for the world.
The article does mention a couple other professional vegan athletes: NBA player Salim Stoudamire and Ultimate fighter Mac Danzig. The fact that these athletes are being recognized by the Wall Street Journal means that the vegetarian diet is gaining in popularity.
Here is the link to the article.

Which Type Of Juicer Do I Need To Make Wheatgrass Juice?

Since there are many, many juicers on the market, and I have read of people making wheatgrass juice all sorts of strange ways (including putting it in the blender and straining it), here is a brief guide of what you need to get you juicing your own wheatgrass.

The type of electric juicer that works great for fruit unfortunately doesn't work for wheatgrass. This type of juicer is called a centrifugal juicer. A centrifugal juicer has a shredder that spins very fast--3,000 to 6,000 RPM's (revolutions per minute), and this spinning forces the juice through a strainer. A juicer like the Magimix le duo juicer is NOT good for wheatgrass because 1) The super-fast speed produces heat from friction, and that damages the nutrients in wheatgrass. 2) The fast spinning churns lots of air into the juice, which decreases also its nutrient content from oxidation. 3) The shredder doesn't break down the cell walls of wheatgrass very well, and not much juice comes out.

The type of juicer that works great for wheatgrass is called a masticating juicer. The masticating juicer has a screw-like auger that spins at very slow speeds. A manual type of masticating juicer spins as fast as you can turn it by hand--not very fast at all! An electric masticating juicer also spins slowly--about 80 RPM's. This type of juicer crushes the wheatgrass to break down the cell walls of the plant, and mechanically pushes the juice through a strainer at the bottom. The juice falls from holes in the bottom, and the pulp gets pushed out the front hole.

Most manual wheatgrass juicers have similar designs, but vary according to the materials they are made from--stainless steel, plastic, or cast iron. There are a few different types of electric juicers, including ones that have two augers or screws.

While you might be upset to learn that you can't use the juicer you already have for wheatgrass, you can get a decent manual juicer for under $100, and an electric one for double that amount.

Should I mix my wheatgrass juice with other juices?

One question that always seems to haunt me is whether or not it is best to drink wheatgrass juice alone or mixed with other juices. Most wheatgrass authorities say that you should drink it on an empty stomach, and wait for 30 minutes afterwards until you eat again. Yet there are countless recipes for wheatgrass smoothies to be found. Some people also say that you can mix wheatgrass juice with other fruit and vegetable juices to get rid of the grassy taste. There are even websites that tell you to do both in the same paragraph.
Here is my take on this issue: If it is better to drink wheatgrass juice on an empty stomach, then doesn't drinking it with other juices go against that rule? The stomach can absorb the nutrients in wheatgrass juice easier if there is nothing else in there to interact with it.
Many smoothie recipes call for a shot of wheatgrass, and juice bars will readily add wheatgrass to whatever shake or juice you are drinking. I guess it is a matter of whether you can stand the taste of wheatgrass juice enough to drink it alone. If you happen to dislike the taste of it, I guess wheatgrass juice mixed with other things is better than no wheatgrass at all! Fortunately, I like the taste of wheatgrass juice, and am happy to drink it all by itself.

Wheatgrass Juice: Delicious or Disgusting?

How does wheatgrass juice taste? This is a question that seems to have nearly as many answers as wheatgrass drinkers. It is an important question though, as it can mean the difference between whether or not you drink it on a regular basis. There are many people who try one shot of the stuff and think it tastes horrid. My mom is a health-food freak, and she won't go near wheatgrass juice because of what one shot did to here decades ago! She has never tried another one since.

Then there are those who will drink it because they know it is good for them, but they still don't like the taste of it very much. My wife falls into this category. She won't make it herself, but will drink it if I give it to her.

Finally, some people actually think wheatgrass juice tastes GOOD. I happen to luckily fall into this category. I actually wake up craving the sweet, grassy taste fresh from the juicer. I have a feeling that a lot more people would drink wheatgrass juice if they thought it was tasty.

I guess you just have to remember that wheatgrass is a grass, and not a fruit. Almost every type of juice we drink comes from sweet and tasty fruit, so it is hard to compare this to juiced grass. Maybe it is acquired taste, so if you can handle it, I recommend sticking to a daily regimen for a while and seeing if you can learn to love it. And if you are one of the unlucky ones who really can't stand it at all, there is still hope: You can take a bunch of wheatgrass pills instead. This way you get the nutrients without the taste.

Healthy Travelling

How do you eat healthy food while travelling? If you are going somewhere you can buy anything you want, it is easy. But what if you are going to countries where you aren't supposed to eat raw vegetables? I have spent years travelling around South America and Asia, and here are my suggestions:

1. Eat heaps of fruit. Luckily, many of the places where you have to watch what you eat are loaded with yummy exotic fruits. Places like this include India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia, nearly all of Central and South America, and many other places. The safest fruits to eat are ones you can peel that grow on trees--Oranges, papayas, bananas, mangos, lychee, rambutan, etc. Be careful of watermelons and other melons, since they grow on the ground and suck up whatever water they are grown in. Studies have shown that melons can contain the same bacteria that the water has. Eating lots of fruit can give you most of the vitamins you need.


2. Drink fruit shakes. Just make sure the water they use bottled water and the ice they use is made from filtered water.


3. Since you can't eat salads, take along some wheatgrass powder or a super green vitamin powder to mix with water and drink everyday. If you are used to eating lots of green stuff at home, suddenly stopping for a while will have an effect on your body and health.


4. Eat lots of cooked vegetables. Cooking vegetables will pretty much kill any bacteria on them and render them safe to eat. You will still get a lot of nutrients from cooked vegetables. Restaurants everywhere love to put raw lettuce and tomatoes on your plate, but these are better left untouched.


5. Choose restaurants that look clean and are busy. Take a look at the people working there. If they look healthy and happy, that is a good sign that their food is probably safe to eat.

Buying Seeds

In order to grow wheatgrass, you need to buy wheatgrass seeds. These seeds are called wheatberries. Many health food stores will have them, and they are usually very cheap, $3-$4 per pound or so, sometimes even less. The best wheatberries to grow for wheatgrass juice are called hard winter wheat, but you can also use other kinds of wheat seeds. Most health food stores will have these, and if they don't, ask them where you can get them. You can also order wheatgrass seeds here and just have them sent to your house.
Now that you have the seeds, you need to buy a little equipment. Please see the next post for what you need to get juicing

What You Need To Get Started

Here is what you need to get started growing wheatgrass. You really don't need much, and you should be able to find everything cheaply in a garden store. If you already do a bit of gardening, you might even have most of this stuff lying around you garage or yard anyway.

1. 3 large, flat, rectangular or square plastic trays with holes on the bottom. If they don't have holes, make some.
2. A bag of potting soil. This should preferably be organic soil without chemicals added. You don't need fertilizers to grow wheatgrass since it grows in such a short time.
3. A watering can
4. Scissors
5. A jar for soaking the seeds
6. A collander for the initial sprouting of the seeds

What Is Cat Grass?

Although cats like to munch on many different kinds of grasses, there is one type of grass that is referred to as "cat grass". The scientific name for the grass is Dactylis glomerata, and it is also known as cocksfoot or orchard grass. Cats and other animals like this grass because it has a high sugar content.

Why do cats like to eat grass? One reason is that if they have eaten something they shouldn't have, or have hairballs in their stomach, the grass will make them throw up whatever shouldn't be down there. It is easier to throw it all back up quickly than to have to digest something that they shouldn't have eaten.

The second reason is that cats and other animals instinctively know that eating grass gives them vitamins and nutrients that they otherwise wouldn't get in their normal diet.

Do cats need to be given catgrass? What about other grasses? Cats, dogs, mice, hamsters, birds, and many other animals can eat a variety of grasses. If you are already growing wheatgrass, give them some wheatgrass. They can eat barley grass, oat grass, rye grass, etc. You can experiment to see which grass your cat likes best. Just follow the growing instructions here and grow and substitute some seeds of whatever type of grass you want. You can grow just a little bit if you are only feeding it to your pet. Animals know that the grass is full of nutrients when it is young, and they like to eat the grass a lot more at this stage than when it is old (over 10 inches long or so). You can chop it up into small pieces before giving it to them. This way they will digest it easier and absorb the nutrients instead of just throwing it up!

I don't have a cat, but I have a dog and she really loves wheatgrass. She sits right under my juicer waiting for me to drop pieces of grass as I put them in. I always make sure she gets some, and she loves it.

Several companies sell grass seeds and kits for feeding to your cat or other pet. Most of them are a mixture of different grain grasses like oats, rye, and wheat. Here are a few are a few of them.

Should you drink wheatgrass when you are pregnant?

Our first baby is due to make her debut in this world of ours in a few more months, so I have been researching this question a bit lately. Just like many other aspects of wheatgrass, there are conflicting opinions on this topic as well. If you read the views of many doctors, even those who specialize in alternative medicine, they will tell you to avoid wheatgrass during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. It seems to me that the reason they don't recommend it is because there have been no scientific tests on this subject so that I know of so far. Doctors are pretty cautious about telling pregnant women to take things that haven't been thoroughly tested yet. They may also be afraid that you somehow drink wheatgrass that wasn't grown in sanitary conditions, which could possibly make you sick.

My wife used to drink wheatgrass juice every day, but as soon as she was pregnant she couldn't go near the stuff. Pregnant women suddenly love certain foods and can't stand others, and she can't even take the smell of wheatgrass juice right now for some reason.

On the other hand, some women have taken wheatgrass during and after pregnancy and say that they were just fine. Additionally, some of the manufacturers of wheatgrass tablets and powders say that it is fine to consume their products during pregnancy. They even say that babies can take it too. My wife isn't drinking wheatgrass juice, but she is definitely eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and other healthy vegetarian foods. If you are unsure about whether or not you should take wheatgrass while you are pregnant, ask your doctor.

Growing: Step 1

To begin growing wheatgrass, soak your seeds in cool, clean water for 12 hours or so. You don't need to be exact with the time. Occasionally I even forget and leave them in the water for 24 hours, and they still turn out fine! Just don't make a habit out of it. I soak about 1 1/2 cups of wheatgrass seeds for an 11 x 24 inch tray.

Growing: Step 2

After your seeds have soaked, dump them out into a plastic or stainless steel colander and rinse them under the kitchen faucet for 30 seconds or so. Shake the water out, and put the colander on top of a bowl (to catch any water draining out) and place it on the counter. It is not necessary to keep in the dark since the seeds have not sprouted yet.

Growing: Step 3

Once the seeds have sprouted little roots, which should take about 1 day, spread about an inch of soil on a tray. Next, scatter the wheatgrass seeds over the soil evenly. It is ok if it looks pretty full of seeds. Water the seeds evenly and cover the tray with another upside-down tray. Water the seeds once a day, or twice if the soil becomes very dry. Once the grass is about an inch tall and starts to push the top tray up by itself, take it off.

Now just keep the tray in a place with direct or at least bright indirect sunlight and keep the soil moist--water once or twice a day as needed. When the grass is about 4-6 inches tall, you can cut it just above the roots with scissors and your are ready to juice it. wheatgrass seeds will grow quicker in warm weather and slower in cold weather.

Growing Wheatgrass in cold weather

I am writing this article on growing wheatgrass in cold weather because I am dealing with this problem right now myself. It is winter here, and although it never snows, it does get down to around forty-five degrees sometimes. It is a tough time of year to grow wheatgrass, because one week can be 80 degrees, and the next week can be freezing cold.
Of course, if you live in a place that snows in the winter, you have no choice but to grow your grass indoors during the winter months. The problem is that wheatgrass grows VERY, VERY slowly in cold weather. This throws off my whole growing cycle and I end up missing out for a few days while I wait for my tray to grow long enough to harvest. There are a few solutions to this problem.

1. Put an extra tray or two into rotation than you have for warm-weather growing. This will give you a buffer, since it is better to have too much than not enough. If you find yourself with too much grass ready to harvest and you can't drink it all, cut the extra and put it in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator. It will last for up to a week, and if your next tray isn't ready on time, you can use the stuff in the bag.
2. If your house is warmer than outside, grow the grass in a sunny place indoors. I can't do this, because houses where in this country never have heat, so it is almost as cold indoors as outdoors. I also live in a place that has more than its fare share of creepy-crawling critters, and I am afraid putting the wheatgrass inside the house will attract all kinds of bugs.
3. After you have soaked your seeds for 12 hours, put them in a colander and let them sprout for 2 days. Remember to rinse them twice a day. Once the roots have grown out a little, plant them in the soil. This should give your grass a couple days of a head start.
   

Should I put fertilizer on the soil?

Though you definitely don't need to, some people prefer to put fertilizer on the soil when the wheatgrass is growing. Whether or not you need to do this probably depends a lot on the type of soil you are using in the first place. Some soils contain plenty of trace minerals and others don't. I have definitely grown most of my wheatgrass without the use of any fertilizers, but I now believe that it surely doesn't hurt to put some on, and it most likely helps to make sure your juice is as full of vitamins and nutrients as it can be.
Most of the fertilizers intended to be used on wheatgrass are based on kelp, which is a type of seaweed. A little goes a long way, so you can buy a small bottle, spray the soil of each tray you use, and it will last you a long time. I believe that if you are going to go through all the trouble to grow, juice, and drink wheatgrass, you might as well grow the best stuff you can.

Supershots Review

I finally got my hands on Dr. Wheatgrass Supershots - Bottle of Stabilized Liquid Wheat Grass Juice at a friend's house and took a capful, which is the recommended dose. I couldn't get myself to buy a bottle since I have trays and trays of my own wheatgrass growing and waiting to be consumed.
Here is my review of the stuff: Supershots is an extract of wheatgrass juice. I am still not sure what it is that they extracted, and how they did it, as it is apparently a secret. It is clear instead of green because it doesn't contain chlorophyll. They claim it is stabilised, and therefore can last up to 2 years without even needing refrigeration.
It doesn't look or taste like wheatgrass juice, and just from trying a little bit, I couldn't really tell how it really compares to the fresh stuff. It has a lemony taste. Supershots claims to work solely on the basis of the grass juice factor. It has no chlorophyll, which is what many other people claim is the potent ingredient found in wheatgrass juice. The claim that it can sit out for years and still work is a little questionable to me as well. Virtually all other wheatgrass authorities out there say that you need to drink wheatgrass immediately after it is juiced, or take wheatgrass powder. Virtually everything that Supershots claims to be is completely different than what pretty much everyone else says to do with wheatgrass. I guess one thing it has going for it is that it is made by Dr. Chris Reynolds, who is a so-called wheatgrass expert from Australia.
I am not convinced yet that it works, but I am willing to take a bottle travelling with me and see how I feel after taking it daily for a while. Until then, I am sticking to my home grown grass!

The Grass Juice Factor

I have been reading various reports of a so called "grass juice factor", and wanted to relay my findings on this phenomenon. Numerous sources seem to say that wheatgrass juice contains some powerful medicinal property yet undiscovered by science. This miraculous healer is called the grass juice factor. People believe in this unknown factor because when doctors analyze wheatgrass juice, they can't seem to find any known reason why it should work so well as a healing medicine. Despite this lack of findings, countless people, including doctors and scientists, have no doubt that wheatgrass juice can really heal the body from all kinds of ailments. The claim is that wheatgrass juice does indeed contain powerful healing nutrients. The problem is that modern medicine isn't developed enough to figure out exactly how it works.
You might be skeptical, but I might remind you that humans have been using natural medicinal remedies for thousands of years. Long before scientists or doctors even existed, all sorts of plants were being used by humans who had discovered they helped the body recover from illness. In fact, most of the prescribed modern medicine is derived from plants with medicinal properties.
In my opinion, The Grass Juice Factor is real. Due to the fact that I am in great health and am rarely sick, I have never had to use wheatgrass to recover from a serious illness. However, I do have a close friend who really thought he was on his deathbed and started a super wheatgrass juice cleanse that seems to have saved his life. He is now completely back to normal and still takes wheatgrass religiously. If you look around on the Internet a bit, there are dozens of testimonials on the power of wheatgrass and how it has healed many people. Yes, there are many skeptics out there who claim wheatgrass juice doesn't do anything at all, but these people seem to be the type who won't accept alternative medicines. Others order a shot of wheatgrass juice at a juice bar, drink it, say they don't feel anything, and then write about how it doesn't work at all and tastes like lawn clippings. Of course, I am not trying to convince anybody that wheatgrass juice works or doesn't work. I am just sharing my findings and encourage people to really try it and see for themselves if it works or not.

Why Can't We Eat Wheatgrass?

Lately, I have been asked by a number of people why we can't just eat wheatgrass. There are a few reasons why humans can't digest grass and certain animals like cows and horses can.

One reason is that our stomach and intestines are set up differently than ruminants (grass eating animals). Cows first chew the grass, then swallow it. It goes into their first stomach which begins to break it down. The semi-digested grass comes back up to the mouth, and the cow chews it some more. After a while, the cow swallows the grass again. This process is repeated until voila--the nutrients in the grass are absorbed by the body and the rest comes out the other end.

A second big reason why humans can't digest grass is because we lack a certain microorganism called cellulase that is present in the stomachs of ruminants. This microorganism is in fact what breaks down the woody fibers in plants called cellulose. When we juice wheatgrass, we are separating the cellulose from the nutrient-rich juice, which we can easily absorb.

Water Quality And Sprouts, Wheatgrass

I want to write a bit about water quality while growing sprouts and wheatgrass, since I have searched and haven't found any substantial information on this subject. I live in Taiwan now, and everybody here either buys bottled water, boils the tap water, or has an elaborate and expensive water filter. I used to grow a lot of sprouts, but I quickly found that this required lots and lots of water. It was too expensive to soak, rinse, and wash all of the sprouts in bottled water, and I didn't have a great filter, so I just used tap water. Even though I love sprouts, I decided to stop growing and eating them here because I couldn't trust the quality of the water. Many people in this and other countries with questionable water quality grow and eat sprouts, and I'm sure most use regular tap water. I am just too afraid of parasites invading my body.

When I grow wheatgrass, I still use regular tap water to water the soil. After I cut the grass, I use bottled water to rinse and soak it for juicing. My theory is that there is one main difference between sprouts and wheatgrass when it comes to the quality of water used. While growing wheatgrass, the seeds grow in soil, and thus take nutrients from the watered soil. When you grow sprouts, they grow on trays or in jars without soil, and take everything they need directly from the water. This should mean that the quality of the water used is a lot more important for growing sprouts than wheatgrass.

That said, the water quality where I live in Taiwan probably isn't as bad as it seems. The government actually says it is fine to drink without treatment, but nobody believes them. I have actually heard that they overtreat the water here so much that it has too much chlorine and other chemicals in it. I'm sure the water quality is worse in many other places and people still grow wheatgrass and eat sprouts there as well. I'm also sure many other people are in the same situation as I am here--constantly wondering if it is ok or not to use the tap water. Unfortunately nearly all of the wheatgrass and sprouting sources are written with the assumption that you live in a country with reliable, safe drinking water coming out of your tap.

I will post another article if I find more information on this subject, as I feel it is an important one. In the meantime, if anyone has any hints, leave a comment here. Thanks

Can I Cut My Wheatgrass Twice?

When I first started growing wheatgrass, I read that after you cut it, you can let it grow again, thus getting two crops from each tray. This sounded great, but I quickly found out that second cuttings aren't all they are cracked up to be. I let the tray grow, and after waiting about a week, I had about two-inch tall grass. After cutting this and juicing it, it didn't amount to much at all. Maybe some people are able to caress their trays to produce hefty second growths, but I couldn't. Since I grow on a balcony and don't have much space to spare, I decided it just wasn't worth it for me to grow the same tray twice. Most wheatgrass authorities that I come across share the same opinion. Some also say that the first cutting is a lot more nutritious than the second anyway. If you have plenty of space and lots of extra trays, you can give it a go, but in my opinion, it just isn't worth it.

Thanks for taking a look at the Wheatgrass Grower's Guide. Choose a subject from the labels to the right to read relevant posts. If you are just starting out, take a look at the Wheatgrass Growing Guide. If you aren't sure about wheatgrass and want to discover whether or not it works, take a look at the About Wheatgrass, Health and Wheatgrass Debate page to see articles about these subjects. The latest topics are posted below.

When is the best time to drink my wheatgrass?

When is the best time to drink my wheatgrass? The overwhelming consensus is that you should drink it on an empty stomach, preferably when you first wake up in the morning and haven't eaten anything yet. The reason for this is that the nutrients can best be absorbed when nothing else is in your stomach to interact with them. Many sources say that you will absorb all the good stuff wheatgrass has to offer quickly, and you can eat other things about half an hour later. If you are only going to drink wheatgrass more than one time per day, drink the second one in the evening, or at a time when you haven't eaten anything else for a while.

If you aren't growing your own wheatgrass and have to buy the juice at the store, I'm sure most people aren't going to get it first thing in the morning. I certainly wouldn't, as I tend to wake up starving. I guess this is yet another good reason to grow it yourself.

Why Grow and Drink Wheatgrass Juice?

If you haven't heard already, here are a few of the reasons you should try drinking wheatgrass. I am not trying to sell you anything here. My goal is simply to inform as many people as I can about this wonderful little drink that gives thousands of people a much needeed boost of liquid energy every day.

* Wheatgrass contains at least 13 vitamins, several antioxidants, and a bunch of other minerals and enzymes

* The nutrients in wheatgrass juice are completely assimilated by the human body in 20 minutes.

* Wheat grass only contains around 10-15 calories per teaspoon. It has no fat or cholesterol.

* Drinking Wheatgrass juice is a great way for you to increase your intake of leafy green vegetables.

* Wheatgrass Juice is especially good for people suffering from illness or pain. There are many, many stories of people who claim wheatgrass juice helped them recover from all kinds of illnesses.

* Wheatgrass may be expensive to buy at stores, but it is really simple to grow at home. I grow it on my balcony in trays. One tray can give me about 20 ounces of juice, which only cost a few cents each.

* Growing your own wheatgrass is a fun and rewarding hobby that almost anybody can do.

* Farmers give wheatgrass juice to bulls that become steril. After a while, most bulls can return to their jobs. Drinking wheatgrass also helps boost sexual stamina in humans. The high magnesium content in chlorophyll builds enzymes that restore the sex hormones.

* Wheatgrass juice is fine for most people with wheat allergies, since the young grass hasn't developed gluten yet. Most people with wheat allergies have problems with the gluten.

* Wheatgrass is useful in treating constipation and keeping the bowels open.

* The chlorophyll in wheatgrass also helps to purify the liver.

* Wheatgrass fights against infections and improves the body's ability to heal wounds.

* It absorbs 92 out of the known 102 minerals from the soil, which go into your body when you drink the juice!

* Wheatgrass aids in the prevention and fight against cancer.