How to Juice Wheatgrass

After I bought my Omega J8004 I couldn’t wait to juice wheatgrass. I only had it a week and even though it’s still freezing outdoors I started growing a tray inside. But what’s the best way to juice wheatgrass?

I’ve seen people juice wheatgrass by its’self and take shots, and I’ve also seen people juice wheatgrass with something sweet, like pineapple.

If you’re familiar with wheatgrass juice then you know it’s strong. I’ve taken shots of it, but I really prefer to mix it with something sweet. Therefore, I suggest if you’re juicing wheatgrass for the first time try it with something sweet.

Juice Wheatgrass: Shots

I like to juice wheatgrass with lime and take it in a shot. It only takes three or four handfuls of wheatgrass with a quarter of a lime (washed, unpeeled) and that does just fine. I also like juicing wheatgrass with apple. One apple and again, only three or four handfuls of wheatgrass. Experiment! Find a simple recipe you like.

Wheatgrass is great for the body and I also really enjoy growing it. Refer back to my first post on wheatgrass, the ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass and my second post How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing.

Please, if you’re doing it for the first time, take it slow and consume only a little (1 oz. or less) the first few times if you’re doing it in shots. Try it once a day for a few days. Wheatgrass has a strong cleansing effect and may make you nauseous if you drink too much. If you have a wheat or grass allergy or any health concerns, please consult a heath care professional first.

Juice Wheatgrass With The Omega J8004

Okay, this is how I juice wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer. I  suggest you grow your own wheatgrass, but if that’s out of the question you could buy fresh wheatgrass in a store or a farmers market.

(On a side note, I’m experimenting as I write this with growing sprouts for juicing. I’ll update you later.)

If you grow your own wheatgrass indoors you shouldn’t need to rinse it, unless you see some fine mold at the roots. If you see some mold at the roots then definitely rinse it off before juicing.

Using my Omega J8804 juicer I put a small handful of wheatgrass down the chute. It self feeds, but sometimes needs a little help. Take it easy,  you don’t need to put too much in the juicer at once.

After the wheatgrass I juice something like a quarter lime. Lime and wheatgrass go together great. I’ll do it in a shot and juice enough for another shot or two during the day. I save my surplus wheatgrass juice in a mason jar, tightly sealed and kept in the refrigerator. I don’t keep it for longer than a day.

That’s all there is to it! It’s loaded with minerals, protein, amino acids and vitamins. I always get a boost in energy when taking wheatgrass.

Here’s a great video showing how it’s done with the Omega J8004. I like her recipe too.

Here are a couple of more recipes:

Diplomatic Immunity 3 carrots 1 stalk of celery 1/2 beet with the greens 1/2 handful of wheatgrass 1/2 handful of parsley 1 apple

The Great Grassy Punch (The Healthy Juicers Bible) 14 oz. of wheatgrass organically grown 1 granny smith apple A small piece of ginger Yields 2 shot glasses . .

 

As I said, when you juice wheatgrass it is strong, so start slow. I use just a few small handfuls (bunches) at a time. I’ll say this again too, if you drink too much at one time (straight shots) it could make you nauseous. Let your body get used to it. Try it in one of the above recipes or with a little lime or an apple. Do you need more wheatgrass recipes?

Thanks for reading and happy juicing!

Resource:

The Healthy Juicer’s Bible: Lose Weight, Detoxify, Fight Disease, and Live Long

How to Juice Wheatgrass

How to Juice Wheatgrass

After I bought my Omega J8004 I couldn’t wait to juice wheatgrass. I only had it a week and even though it’s still freezing outdoors I started growing a tray inside. But what’s the best way to juice wheatgrass?

I’ve seen people juice wheatgrass by its’self and take shots, and I’ve also seen people juice wheatgrass with something sweet, like pineapple.

If you’re familiar with wheatgrass juice then you know it’s strong. I’ve taken shots of it, but I really prefer to mix it with something sweet. Therefore, I suggest if you’re juicing wheatgrass for the first time try it with something sweet.

Juice Wheatgrass: Shots

I like to juice wheatgrass with lime and take it in a shot. It only takes three or four handfuls of wheatgrass with a quarter of a lime (washed, unpeeled) and that does just fine. I also like juicing wheatgrass with apple. One apple and again, only three or four handfuls of wheatgrass. Experiment! Find a simple recipe you like.

Wheatgrass is great for the body and I also really enjoy growing it. Refer back to my first post on wheatgrass, the ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass and my second post How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing.

Please, if you’re doing it for the first time, take it slow and consume only a little (1 oz. or less) the first few times if you’re doing it in shots. Try it once a day for a few days. Wheatgrass has a strong cleansing effect and may make you nauseous if you drink too much. If you have a wheat or grass allergy or any health concerns, please consult a heath care professional first.

Juice Wheatgrass With The Omega J8004

Okay, this is how I juice wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer. I  suggest you grow your own wheatgrass, but if that’s out of the question you could buy fresh wheatgrass in a store or a farmers market.

(On a side note, I’m experimenting as I write this with growing sprouts for juicing. I’ll update you later.)

If you grow your own wheatgrass indoors you shouldn’t need to rinse it, unless you see some fine mold at the roots. If you see some mold at the roots then definitely rinse it off before juicing.

Using my Omega J8804 juicer I put a small handful of wheatgrass down the chute. It self feeds, but sometimes needs a little help. Take it easy,  you don’t need to put too much in the juicer at once.

After the wheatgrass I juice something like a quarter lime. Lime and wheatgrass go together great. I’ll do it in a shot and juice enough for another shot or two during the day. I save my surplus wheatgrass juice in a mason jar, tightly sealed and kept in the refrigerator. I don’t keep it for longer than a day.

That’s all there is to it! It’s loaded with minerals, protein, amino acids and vitamins. I always get a boost in energy when taking wheatgrass.

Here’s a great video showing how it’s done with the Omega J8004. I like her recipe too.

Here are a couple of more recipes:

Diplomatic Immunity 3 carrots 1 stalk of celery 1/2 beet with the greens 1/2 handful of wheatgrass 1/2 handful of parsley 1 apple

The Great Grassy Punch (The Healthy Juicers Bible) 14 oz. of wheatgrass organically grown 1 granny smith apple A small piece of ginger Yields 2 shot glasses . .

 

As I said, when you juice wheatgrass it is strong, so start slow. I use just a few small handfuls (bunches) at a time. I’ll say this again too, if you drink too much at one time (straight shots) it could make you nauseous. Let your body get used to it. Try it in one of the above recipes or with a little lime or an apple. Do you need more wheatgrass recipes?

Thanks for reading and happy juicing!

Resource:

The Healthy Juicer’s Bible: Lose Weight, Detoxify, Fight Disease, and Live Long

How to Juice Wheatgrass

How to Juice Wheatgrass

After I bought my Omega J8004 I couldn’t wait to juice wheatgrass. I only had it a week and even though it’s still freezing outdoors I started growing a tray inside. But what’s the best way to juice wheatgrass?

I’ve seen people juice wheatgrass by its’self and take shots, and I’ve also seen people juice wheatgrass with something sweet, like pineapple.

If you’re familiar with wheatgrass juice then you know it’s strong. I’ve taken shots of it, but I really prefer to mix it with something sweet. Therefore, I suggest if you’re juicing wheatgrass for the first time try it with something sweet.

Juice Wheatgrass: Shots

I like to juice wheatgrass with lime and take it in a shot. It only takes three or four handfuls of wheatgrass with a quarter of a lime (washed, unpeeled) and that does just fine. I also like juicing wheatgrass with apple. One apple and again, only three or four handfuls of wheatgrass. Experiment! Find a simple recipe you like.

Wheatgrass is great for the body and I also really enjoy growing it. Refer back to my first post on wheatgrass, the ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass and my second post How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing.

Please, if you’re doing it for the first time, take it slow and consume only a little (1 oz. or less) the first few times if you’re doing it in shots. Try it once a day for a few days. Wheatgrass has a strong cleansing effect and may make you nauseous if you drink too much. If you have a wheat or grass allergy or any health concerns, please consult a heath care professional first.

Juice Wheatgrass With The Omega J8004

Okay, this is how I juice wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer. I  suggest you grow your own wheatgrass, but if that’s out of the question you could buy fresh wheatgrass in a store or a farmers market.

(On a side note, I’m experimenting as I write this with growing sprouts for juicing. I’ll update you later.)

If you grow your own wheatgrass indoors you shouldn’t need to rinse it, unless you see some fine mold at the roots. If you see some mold at the roots then definitely rinse it off before juicing.

Using my Omega J8804 juicer I put a small handful of wheatgrass down the chute. It self feeds, but sometimes needs a little help. Take it easy,  you don’t need to put too much in the juicer at once.

After the wheatgrass I juice something like a quarter lime. Lime and wheatgrass go together great. I’ll do it in a shot and juice enough for another shot or two during the day. I save my surplus wheatgrass juice in a mason jar, tightly sealed and kept in the refrigerator. I don’t keep it for longer than a day.

That’s all there is to it! It’s loaded with minerals, protein, amino acids and vitamins. I always get a boost in energy when taking wheatgrass.

Here’s a great video showing how it’s done with the Omega J8004. I like her recipe too.

Here are a couple of more recipes:

Diplomatic Immunity 3 carrots 1 stalk of celery 1/2 beet with the greens 1/2 handful of wheatgrass 1/2 handful of parsley 1 apple

The Great Grassy Punch (The Healthy Juicers Bible) 14 oz. of wheatgrass organically grown 1 granny smith apple A small piece of ginger Yields 2 shot glasses . .

 

As I said, when you juice wheatgrass it is strong, so start slow. I use just a few small handfuls (bunches) at a time. I’ll say this again too, if you drink too much at one time (straight shots) it could make you nauseous. Let your body get used to it. Try it in one of the above recipes or with a little lime or an apple. Do you need more wheatgrass recipes?

Thanks for reading and happy juicing!

Resource:

The Healthy Juicer’s Bible: Lose Weight, Detoxify, Fight Disease, and Live Long

How to Juice Wheatgrass

How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing

The first time I took a shot of wheatgrass I thought I was going to gag! So why would I ever want to grow wheatgrass? Refer back to my last post, ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass. I must admit, I just didn’t do it right the first time, or the second time for that matter. It took some time and experimentation, but I have a few good recipes now. It’s not hard to grow wheatgrass for juicing and it can be done indoors or outside with the proper seeds, a growing tray, some soil, water and a little sunlight. You can even buy a wheatgrass growing kit to make things easier.

Grow Wheatgrass

The kit even has instructions, but if you don’t want a kit, you can buy the seeds and use what you have around the house to grow wheatgrass. I’ll show you how.

The seeds are sold online and you can get excellent organic seeds here: Certified Organic Hard Red Wheat – 5 Lbs – For Growing Wheatgrass to Juice, Sprouting Seed, Grinding to Make Flour & Bread, Growing Ornamental Wheat Grass & More. Makes Excellent Food Storage. Outstanding Germination Rate.

In addition to the seeds you’ll need soil to grow wheatgrass. I buy organic soil at my local garden store. It has worked fine for me in the past. You can also just use some soil from your garden. My garden has compost made from my juicing pulp. It is excellent!

Trays are next. You could buy a couple of 10″x10″ trays (no drain holes) and these work great indoors and there are larger trays (with holes), 21″x11″x2″ that I use outdoors. I found my large trays at a nursery and the gentleman let me have them for free. So you could try that before buying some. A local nursery might have everything you need and give you trays to grow wheatgrass in for free.

To grow wheatgrass indoors I suggest using a small tray (10×10) or something similar in size. You’ll need one cup of seeds. Let them soak overnight in water. If you’re using a large tray, 2 cups of seeds should be enough. You’ll want to completely cover the soil in a layer of seeds. I found this unusual, but that’s how it works.

Photo A

Prepare your tray with soil and then take the seeds that have been soaking and spread them out on the soil. They lay on top of the soil, uncovered by the soil. See photo A. Then take a couple of paper towels and layer them over the seeds. This is to water them. Spray (soak) the paper towels with water. See photo B.

Photo B

Now all they need is a little light. Surprisingly, (at least to me) it doesn’t require a lot of sunlight to grow wheatgrass. I put mine on a plant cart and have it sitting near the window. There’s no direct sunlight there. Water (spray) the paper towel down occasionally so it doesn’t get dry. My house is dry, so I have to do this 3 or 4 times a day for the first few days. When growing it outdoors, I put it in a mostly shaded area, but it does get direct sunlight in the morning. Too much direct sun might kill it. When I grow wheatgrass outdoors I watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn up.

Photo C

After a few days you’ll notice the seeds sprouting. See Photo C. Leave the paper towels on, just keep them wet. Mine usually start to push the paper towels up after 4 or 5 days and then I remove the paper towels.

Continue to water the soil in the tray. I use a spray bottle when the sprouts are just coming up and a pitcher or hose as it grows higher. Water it once a day to keep the soil damp at the roots. The tray I use indoors doesn’t have holes in the bottom, so I have to be careful I don’t add too much water . When growing wheatgrass outdoors (it’s hot here in the summer) I can water until it seeps through the bottom of the tray and it’ll just drip to the ground.

Harvesting Wheatgrass

The wheatgrass will be ready to harvest when it’s 5 to 7 inches high. If it gets too tall it won’t taste good when it’s juiced. It’ll be too strong or bitter. It’s better to cut earlier than too late. Trust me, it’s harsh when it’s grown for too long.

I take mine outside on the back deck to cut it, because the grass goes everywhere. I use grass shears to cut mine. Cut the grass off near the soil, about an inch up. It’ll have no problem coming back for a second time.

Note:  Watch out for mold. I haven’t had any trouble with mine except when growing indoors in a planter, but if it does get mold you can wash it off before you juice it. And if you have a wheat or grass allergy, check with your healthcare professional before drinking wheatgrass juice.

There are of course different ways of doing things, but this is how I’ve done it in the past and it works for me. It always grows fine and I usually grow too much. I encourage you to experiment. Like my grandmother used to say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.”

I have beautiful, nutritious wheatgrass for my juicer whenever I want it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment. Have you grown wheatgrass? How do you like it?

In the next post I’ll go over how I juice the wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer and I’ll have a couple of recipes for you. Thanks again for reading and happy juicing.

How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing

ABC"s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass

First let me say there are a lot of websites out there with an abundance of information on the benefits of juicing wheatgrass. A lot of them are only claims. That said, let me assure you of this fact: There are many good things that come from juicing wheatgrass and at the end of this article you’ll find some excellent resources.

The Benefits Of Wheatgrass Juice

What’s more nutritious than juicing wheatgrass? Not much! Wheatgrass juice is one of the most potently healthy drinks you can put in your body. It has been dubbed “a complete food” by health practitioners for its seemingly limitless health benefits.

It’s packed with over 90 minerals, including high concentrations of potassium, calcium, sodium, chlorophyll, and magnesium. Wheatgrass is also one of the best plant sources for protein, even better than soy and legumes.

There are 19 amino acids in wheatgrass and amazingly, it contains twice the vitamin A as carrots, vitamin B12  and more Vitamin C than oranges( ABC’s, get it?). I’ve seen it stated in many ways, but a shot of fresh wheatgrass juice contains the nutritional equivalent of 1 kg of leafy green vegetables! How great is that!

There are many claims that wheatgrass juice is a powerful detoxifier, and liver and blood protector. It’s said that it detoxifies the liver and bloodstream, and chemically neutralizes environmental pollutants.

According to one website, wheatgrass juice  “helps to fight tumors and it also neutralizes toxins. Recent studies show that wheatgrass has a powerful ability to fight tumors without the usual toxicity of drugs that also inhibit cell-destroying agents. The many active compounds found in wheatgrass juice cleanse the blood and neutralize and digest toxins in our cells.”  Whoa! That’s Awesome! I want some of that!

I’ve experimented with juicing wheatgrass and can tell you from my experience  it certainly gives me a boost of energy when I drink it.  Since I know it’s packed with nutrients, I know it’s good for my body. All things in moderation though. I’ll post more on juicing wheatgrass in the weeks ahead.

What have you heard about the benefits of juicing wheatgrass? Have you tried it or are you afraid to try it? Thanks for reading and happy juicing!

Resources:

Mindbodygreen.com: DIY: Grow Your Own Wheatgrass & Make Awesome Juices!

Hippocrates Health Institute: Benefits Of Wheatgrass

Healthymartin.com: Juicing And Drinking Wheatgrass

Geli Heimann Kitchen : Wheatgrass Health Benefits

Wikipedia: Wheatgrass

LIVESTRONG: Wheatgrass Juice Nutrition

Kiristie Allie’s Organic Liaison: Amino Acids

Staying Healthy With Nutrition – Elson M. Haas, MD

The Juicing Bible, Second Edition – Pat Crocker

ABC"s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass

Choosing The Best Juicer

Breville JE98XL Juicer

I didn’t choose my first juicer, it was a gift. My son gave me a juicer for Father’s day and I started using it that same day. It was exciting! I remember running down to the grocery store and buying a bunch of fruits and vegetables. When I got home I started juicing for my son and my girlfriend, Virginia. I didn’t even think about the types of juicers or which one was better and what the differences were.

Buying a Juicer

So if you don’t have a juicer and plan on buying one, read on. Get the best one you can afford, and don’t worry about it if it’s not what the “experts” want you to buy. Bottom line: The important thing is that you actually start juicing. I like off-roading, sometimes called “wheeling”, and a guy I know says, “Doesn’t matter what rig you’re driving (Jeep, Toyota, Hummer), just matters that you’re out there wheeling.” I like that and I’ll apply that to juicing. “It doesn’t matter what type you buy, it just matters that you’re juicing.” Juicing is good for your overall health and you won’t be sorry you started!

Centrifugal and Masticating Juicers

Basically there are two types of juicers you need to know about for juicing at home (I want to keep it simple). One type of juicer is a centrifugal juicer like the Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus, pictured above. Most juicers sold are this type. These are usually the least expensive and do a good job. Some are loud, but tolerable. They juice things  fast and are pretty easy to clean. They do a good job on hard fruit and vegetables like apples, carrots and even cucumbers. I think they do well juicing oranges, pineapple and strawberries too. I can put entire small apple into mine. It can take a handful of spinach and two or three carrots at the same time too. You can’t do that with the next type, which is the masticating juicer.

Omega J8006

The second type is a masticating juicer. Like the Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer , pictured right. Sometimes these are called a low speed juicer or slow juicer. They do a great job of juicing things like greens, kale, wheatgrass and spinach, unlike the centrifugal. So if you think you’re going to be juicing a lot of leafy greens, choose one like this.

The slow juicer crushes and squeezes the produce through a screen or filter and this forces the juice out. This supposedly squeezes out more enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals and doesn’t damage them in the process. Since it does it slowly, it doesn’t heat up the juice. Honestly, I can’t tell if the speed of the centrifugal heats up the juice more or not. I haven’t taken its temperature 😆 . People claim that a slow juicer keeps the enzymes and nutrients at a temperature that they can survive at and it squeezes out more of them. I don’t know of any studies proving this, but I like the concept.

The other advantage to a masticating juicer is that the pulp it creates is very dry. Proponents of this type say it gets 20% more juice out of the produce than a centrifugal juicer, so you’ll save money in the long run by using it. I can attest to the slow juicer getting more juice out of my produce. That’s a fact, especially since I juice a lot of leafy greens. It can also do other things like pasta, grind coffee, make natural baby food and natural nut butter. Pretty cool, eh?

A third kind is the the twin gear triturating juicers. These are expensive, hard to clean and I don’t think appealing for everyday juicing. Not for the beginner in my opinion. Let’s keep it simple and you can forget about the twin gear for now.

Centrifugal juicers run between $45 and $300. Masticating juicers run between $231 and $379. Basically you’ll be choosing between these two types.

My suggestion is to look at the two mentioned above and less expensive one, the Hamilton Beach 67601A Big Mouth Juice Extractor, pictured below.

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth

So what do I use most often? The Omega J8004 Nutrition Center Commercial Masticating Juicer. I got a good deal on it. It’s just like the Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer, but in white.

Omega J8004

I like the masticating juicer because it does a great job with leafy greens. It’s pretty quiet, and it’s easy to clean. The The Omega J8004 also produces great tasting juice. I don’t know if it’s my imagination or not, but it seems to taste better and last longer than juice made with my centrifugal. I can also make sorbet!

Be sure to visit my Juicers page. There are more options there. For around $350 you could get an Omega VRT350 Heavy Duty Dual-Stage Vertical Single Auger Low Speed Juicer. I hear these are excellent and it’s what I’m going to get next.

Remember: There’s no-thing better for your body than FRESH fruit and vegetable juice! So JUICE ON!

Choosing The Best Juicer

How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing

The first time I took a shot of wheatgrass I thought I was going to gag! So why would I ever want to grow wheatgrass? Refer back to my last post, ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass. I must admit, I just didn’t do it right the first time, or the second time for that matter. It took some time and experimentation, but I have a few good recipes now. It’s not hard to grow wheatgrass for juicing and it can be done indoors or outside with the proper seeds, a growing tray, some soil, water and a little sunlight. You can even buy a wheatgrass growing kit to make things easier.

Grow Wheatgrass

The kit even has instructions, but if you don’t want a kit, you can buy the seeds and use what you have around the house to grow wheatgrass. I’ll show you how.

The seeds are sold online and you can get excellent organic seeds here: Certified Organic Hard Red Wheat – 5 Lbs – For Growing Wheatgrass to Juice, Sprouting Seed, Grinding to Make Flour & Bread, Growing Ornamental Wheat Grass & More. Makes Excellent Food Storage. Outstanding Germination Rate.

In addition to the seeds you’ll need soil to grow wheatgrass. I buy organic soil at my local garden store. It has worked fine for me in the past. You can also just use some soil from your garden. My garden has compost made from my juicing pulp. It is excellent!

Trays are next. You could buy a couple of 10″x10″ trays (no drain holes) and these work great indoors and there are larger trays (with holes), 21″x11″x2″ that I use outdoors. I found my large trays at a nursery and the gentleman let me have them for free. So you could try that before buying some. A local nursery might have everything you need and give you trays to grow wheatgrass in for free.

To grow wheatgrass indoors I suggest using a small tray (10×10) or something similar in size. You’ll need one cup of seeds. Let them soak overnight in water. If you’re using a large tray, 2 cups of seeds should be enough. You’ll want to completely cover the soil in a layer of seeds. I found this unusual, but that’s how it works.

Photo A

Prepare your tray with soil and then take the seeds that have been soaking and spread them out on the soil. They lay on top of the soil, uncovered by the soil. See photo A. Then take a couple of paper towels and layer them over the seeds. This is to water them. Spray (soak) the paper towels with water. See photo B.

Photo B

Now all they need is a little light. Surprisingly, (at least to me) it doesn’t require a lot of sunlight to grow wheatgrass. I put mine on a plant cart and have it sitting near the window. There’s no direct sunlight there. Water (spray) the paper towel down occasionally so it doesn’t get dry. My house is dry, so I have to do this 3 or 4 times a day for the first few days. When growing it outdoors, I put it in a mostly shaded area, but it does get direct sunlight in the morning. Too much direct sun might kill it. When I grow wheatgrass outdoors I watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn up.

Photo C

After a few days you’ll notice the seeds sprouting. See Photo C. Leave the paper towels on, just keep them wet. Mine usually start to push the paper towels up after 4 or 5 days and then I remove the paper towels.

Continue to water the soil in the tray. I use a spray bottle when the sprouts are just coming up and a pitcher or hose as it grows higher. Water it once a day to keep the soil damp at the roots. The tray I use indoors doesn’t have holes in the bottom, so I have to be careful I don’t add too much water . When growing wheatgrass outdoors (it’s hot here in the summer) I can water until it seeps through the bottom of the tray and it’ll just drip to the ground.

Harvesting Wheatgrass

The wheatgrass will be ready to harvest when it’s 5 to 7 inches high. If it gets too tall it won’t taste good when it’s juiced. It’ll be too strong or bitter. It’s better to cut earlier than too late. Trust me, it’s harsh when it’s grown for too long.

I take mine outside on the back deck to cut it, because the grass goes everywhere. I use grass shears to cut mine. Cut the grass off near the soil, about an inch up. It’ll have no problem coming back for a second time.

Note:  Watch out for mold. I haven’t had any trouble with mine except when growing indoors in a planter, but if it does get mold you can wash it off before you juice it. And if you have a wheat or grass allergy, check with your healthcare professional before drinking wheatgrass juice.

There are of course different ways of doing things, but this is how I’ve done it in the past and it works for me. It always grows fine and I usually grow too much. I encourage you to experiment. Like my grandmother used to say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.”

I have beautiful, nutritious wheatgrass for my juicer whenever I want it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment. Have you grown wheatgrass? How do you like it?

In the next post I’ll go over how I juice the wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer and I’ll have a couple of recipes for you. Thanks again for reading and happy juicing.

How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing

Choosing The Best Juicer

Breville JE98XL Juicer

I didn’t choose my first juicer, it was a gift. My son gave me a juicer for Father’s day and I started using it that same day. It was exciting! I remember running down to the grocery store and buying a bunch of fruits and vegetables. When I got home I started juicing for my son and my girlfriend, Virginia. I didn’t even think about the types of juicers or which one was better and what the differences were.

Buying a Juicer

So if you don’t have a juicer and plan on buying one, read on. Get the best one you can afford, and don’t worry about it if it’s not what the “experts” want you to buy. Bottom line: The important thing is that you actually start juicing. I like off-roading, sometimes called “wheeling”, and a guy I know says, “Doesn’t matter what rig you’re driving (Jeep, Toyota, Hummer), just matters that you’re out there wheeling.” I like that and I’ll apply that to juicing. “It doesn’t matter what type you buy, it just matters that you’re juicing.” Juicing is good for your overall health and you won’t be sorry you started!

Centrifugal and Masticating Juicers

Basically there are two types of juicers you need to know about for juicing at home (I want to keep it simple). One type of juicer is a centrifugal juicer like the Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus, pictured above. Most juicers sold are this type. These are usually the least expensive and do a good job. Some are loud, but tolerable. They juice things  fast and are pretty easy to clean. They do a good job on hard fruit and vegetables like apples, carrots and even cucumbers. I think they do well juicing oranges, pineapple and strawberries too. I can put entire small apple into mine. It can take a handful of spinach and two or three carrots at the same time too. You can’t do that with the next type, which is the masticating juicer.

Omega J8006

The second type is a masticating juicer. Like the Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer , pictured right. Sometimes these are called a low speed juicer or slow juicer. They do a great job of juicing things like greens, kale, wheatgrass and spinach, unlike the centrifugal. So if you think you’re going to be juicing a lot of leafy greens, choose one like this.

The slow juicer crushes and squeezes the produce through a screen or filter and this forces the juice out. This supposedly squeezes out more enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals and doesn’t damage them in the process. Since it does it slowly, it doesn’t heat up the juice. Honestly, I can’t tell if the speed of the centrifugal heats up the juice more or not. I haven’t taken its temperature 😆 . People claim that a slow juicer keeps the enzymes and nutrients at a temperature that they can survive at and it squeezes out more of them. I don’t know of any studies proving this, but I like the concept.

The other advantage to a masticating juicer is that the pulp it creates is very dry. Proponents of this type say it gets 20% more juice out of the produce than a centrifugal juicer, so you’ll save money in the long run by using it. I can attest to the slow juicer getting more juice out of my produce. That’s a fact, especially since I juice a lot of leafy greens. It can also do other things like pasta, grind coffee, make natural baby food and natural nut butter. Pretty cool, eh?

A third kind is the the twin gear triturating juicers. These are expensive, hard to clean and I don’t think appealing for everyday juicing. Not for the beginner in my opinion. Let’s keep it simple and you can forget about the twin gear for now.

Centrifugal juicers run between $45 and $300. Masticating juicers run between $231 and $379. Basically you’ll be choosing between these two types.

My suggestion is to look at the two mentioned above and less expensive one, the Hamilton Beach 67601A Big Mouth Juice Extractor, pictured below.

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth

So what do I use most often? The Omega J8004 Nutrition Center Commercial Masticating Juicer. I got a good deal on it. It’s just like the Omega J8006 Nutrition Center Juicer, but in white.

Omega J8004

I like the masticating juicer because it does a great job with leafy greens. It’s pretty quiet, and it’s easy to clean. The The Omega J8004 also produces great tasting juice. I don’t know if it’s my imagination or not, but it seems to taste better and last longer than juice made with my centrifugal. I can also make sorbet!

Be sure to visit my Juicers page. There are more options there. For around $350 you could get an Omega VRT350 Heavy Duty Dual-Stage Vertical Single Auger Low Speed Juicer. I hear these are excellent and it’s what I’m going to get next.

Remember: There’s no-thing better for your body than FRESH fruit and vegetable juice! So JUICE ON!

Choosing The Best Juicer

How to Juice Wheatgrass

After I bought my Omega J8004 I couldn’t wait to juice wheatgrass. I only had it a week and even though it’s still freezing outdoors I started growing a tray inside. But what’s the best way to juice wheatgrass?

I’ve seen people juice wheatgrass by its’self and take shots, and I’ve also seen people juice wheatgrass with something sweet, like pineapple.

If you’re familiar with wheatgrass juice then you know it’s strong. I’ve taken shots of it, but I really prefer to mix it with something sweet. Therefore, I suggest if you’re juicing wheatgrass for the first time try it with something sweet.

Juice Wheatgrass: Shots

I like to juice wheatgrass with lime and take it in a shot. It only takes three or four handfuls of wheatgrass with a quarter of a lime (washed, unpeeled) and that does just fine. I also like juicing wheatgrass with apple. One apple and again, only three or four handfuls of wheatgrass. Experiment! Find a simple recipe you like.

Wheatgrass is great for the body and I also really enjoy growing it. Refer back to my first post on wheatgrass, the ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass and my second post How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing.

Please, if you’re doing it for the first time, take it slow and consume only a little (1 oz. or less) the first few times if you’re doing it in shots. Try it once a day for a few days. Wheatgrass has a strong cleansing effect and may make you nauseous if you drink too much. If you have a wheat or grass allergy or any health concerns, please consult a heath care professional first.

Juice Wheatgrass With The Omega J8004

Okay, this is how I juice wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer. I  suggest you grow your own wheatgrass, but if that’s out of the question you could buy fresh wheatgrass in a store or a farmers market.

(On a side note, I’m experimenting as I write this with growing sprouts for juicing. I’ll update you later.)

If you grow your own wheatgrass indoors you shouldn’t need to rinse it, unless you see some fine mold at the roots. If you see some mold at the roots then definitely rinse it off before juicing.

Using my Omega J8804 juicer I put a small handful of wheatgrass down the chute. It self feeds, but sometimes needs a little help. Take it easy,  you don’t need to put too much in the juicer at once.

After the wheatgrass I juice something like a quarter lime. Lime and wheatgrass go together great. I’ll do it in a shot and juice enough for another shot or two during the day. I save my surplus wheatgrass juice in a mason jar, tightly sealed and kept in the refrigerator. I don’t keep it for longer than a day.

That’s all there is to it! It’s loaded with minerals, protein, amino acids and vitamins. I always get a boost in energy when taking wheatgrass.

Here’s a great video showing how it’s done with the Omega J8004. I like her recipe too.

Here are a couple of more recipes:

Diplomatic Immunity 3 carrots 1 stalk of celery 1/2 beet with the greens 1/2 handful of wheatgrass 1/2 handful of parsley 1 apple

The Great Grassy Punch (The Healthy Juicers Bible) 14 oz. of wheatgrass organically grown 1 granny smith apple A small piece of ginger Yields 2 shot glasses . .

 

As I said, when you juice wheatgrass it is strong, so start slow. I use just a few small handfuls (bunches) at a time. I’ll say this again too, if you drink too much at one time (straight shots) it could make you nauseous. Let your body get used to it. Try it in one of the above recipes or with a little lime or an apple. Do you need more wheatgrass recipes?

Thanks for reading and happy juicing!

Resource:

The Healthy Juicer’s Bible: Lose Weight, Detoxify, Fight Disease, and Live Long

How to Juice Wheatgrass

How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing

The first time I took a shot of wheatgrass I thought I was going to gag! So why would I ever want to grow wheatgrass? Refer back to my last post, ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass. I must admit, I just didn’t do it right the first time, or the second time for that matter. It took some time and experimentation, but I have a few good recipes now. It’s not hard to grow wheatgrass for juicing and it can be done indoors or outside with the proper seeds, a growing tray, some soil, water and a little sunlight. You can even buy a wheatgrass growing kit to make things easier.

Grow Wheatgrass

The kit even has instructions, but if you don’t want a kit, you can buy the seeds and use what you have around the house to grow wheatgrass. I’ll show you how.

The seeds are sold online and you can get excellent organic seeds here: Certified Organic Hard Red Wheat – 5 Lbs – For Growing Wheatgrass to Juice, Sprouting Seed, Grinding to Make Flour & Bread, Growing Ornamental Wheat Grass & More. Makes Excellent Food Storage. Outstanding Germination Rate.

In addition to the seeds you’ll need soil to grow wheatgrass. I buy organic soil at my local garden store. It has worked fine for me in the past. You can also just use some soil from your garden. My garden has compost made from my juicing pulp. It is excellent!

Trays are next. You could buy a couple of 10″x10″ trays (no drain holes) and these work great indoors and there are larger trays (with holes), 21″x11″x2″ that I use outdoors. I found my large trays at a nursery and the gentleman let me have them for free. So you could try that before buying some. A local nursery might have everything you need and give you trays to grow wheatgrass in for free.

To grow wheatgrass indoors I suggest using a small tray (10×10) or something similar in size. You’ll need one cup of seeds. Let them soak overnight in water. If you’re using a large tray, 2 cups of seeds should be enough. You’ll want to completely cover the soil in a layer of seeds. I found this unusual, but that’s how it works.

Photo A

Prepare your tray with soil and then take the seeds that have been soaking and spread them out on the soil. They lay on top of the soil, uncovered by the soil. See photo A. Then take a couple of paper towels and layer them over the seeds. This is to water them. Spray (soak) the paper towels with water. See photo B.

Photo B

Now all they need is a little light. Surprisingly, (at least to me) it doesn’t require a lot of sunlight to grow wheatgrass. I put mine on a plant cart and have it sitting near the window. There’s no direct sunlight there. Water (spray) the paper towel down occasionally so it doesn’t get dry. My house is dry, so I have to do this 3 or 4 times a day for the first few days. When growing it outdoors, I put it in a mostly shaded area, but it does get direct sunlight in the morning. Too much direct sun might kill it. When I grow wheatgrass outdoors I watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn up.

Photo C

After a few days you’ll notice the seeds sprouting. See Photo C. Leave the paper towels on, just keep them wet. Mine usually start to push the paper towels up after 4 or 5 days and then I remove the paper towels.

Continue to water the soil in the tray. I use a spray bottle when the sprouts are just coming up and a pitcher or hose as it grows higher. Water it once a day to keep the soil damp at the roots. The tray I use indoors doesn’t have holes in the bottom, so I have to be careful I don’t add too much water . When growing wheatgrass outdoors (it’s hot here in the summer) I can water until it seeps through the bottom of the tray and it’ll just drip to the ground.

Harvesting Wheatgrass

The wheatgrass will be ready to harvest when it’s 5 to 7 inches high. If it gets too tall it won’t taste good when it’s juiced. It’ll be too strong or bitter. It’s better to cut earlier than too late. Trust me, it’s harsh when it’s grown for too long.

I take mine outside on the back deck to cut it, because the grass goes everywhere. I use grass shears to cut mine. Cut the grass off near the soil, about an inch up. It’ll have no problem coming back for a second time.

Note:  Watch out for mold. I haven’t had any trouble with mine except when growing indoors in a planter, but if it does get mold you can wash it off before you juice it. And if you have a wheat or grass allergy, check with your healthcare professional before drinking wheatgrass juice.

There are of course different ways of doing things, but this is how I’ve done it in the past and it works for me. It always grows fine and I usually grow too much. I encourage you to experiment. Like my grandmother used to say, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.”

I have beautiful, nutritious wheatgrass for my juicer whenever I want it. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment. Have you grown wheatgrass? How do you like it?

In the next post I’ll go over how I juice the wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer and I’ll have a couple of recipes for you. Thanks again for reading and happy juicing.

How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing

How to Juice Wheatgrass

After I bought my Omega J8004 I couldn’t wait to juice wheatgrass. I only had it a week and even though it’s still freezing outdoors I started growing a tray inside. But what’s the best way to juice wheatgrass?

I’ve seen people juice wheatgrass by its’self and take shots, and I’ve also seen people juice wheatgrass with something sweet, like pineapple.

If you’re familiar with wheatgrass juice then you know it’s strong. I’ve taken shots of it, but I really prefer to mix it with something sweet. Therefore, I suggest if you’re juicing wheatgrass for the first time try it with something sweet.

Juice Wheatgrass: Shots

I like to juice wheatgrass with lime and take it in a shot. It only takes three or four handfuls of wheatgrass with a quarter of a lime (washed, unpeeled) and that does just fine. I also like juicing wheatgrass with apple. One apple and again, only three or four handfuls of wheatgrass. Experiment! Find a simple recipe you like.

Wheatgrass is great for the body and I also really enjoy growing it. Refer back to my first post on wheatgrass, the ABC’s Of Juicing Wheatgrass: Benefits Of Wheatgrass and my second post How To Grow Wheatgrass For Juicing.

Please, if you’re doing it for the first time, take it slow and consume only a little (1 oz. or less) the first few times if you’re doing it in shots. Try it once a day for a few days. Wheatgrass has a strong cleansing effect and may make you nauseous if you drink too much. If you have a wheat or grass allergy or any health concerns, please consult a heath care professional first.

Juice Wheatgrass With The Omega J8004

Okay, this is how I juice wheatgrass with my Omega J8004 juicer. I  suggest you grow your own wheatgrass, but if that’s out of the question you could buy fresh wheatgrass in a store or a farmers market.

(On a side note, I’m experimenting as I write this with growing sprouts for juicing. I’ll update you later.)

If you grow your own wheatgrass indoors you shouldn’t need to rinse it, unless you see some fine mold at the roots. If you see some mold at the roots then definitely rinse it off before juicing.

Using my Omega J8804 juicer I put a small handful of wheatgrass down the chute. It self feeds, but sometimes needs a little help. Take it easy,  you don’t need to put too much in the juicer at once.

After the wheatgrass I juice something like a quarter lime. Lime and wheatgrass go together great. I’ll do it in a shot and juice enough for another shot or two during the day. I save my surplus wheatgrass juice in a mason jar, tightly sealed and kept in the refrigerator. I don’t keep it for longer than a day.

That’s all there is to it! It’s loaded with minerals, protein, amino acids and vitamins. I always get a boost in energy when taking wheatgrass.

Here’s a great video showing how it’s done with the Omega J8004. I like her recipe too.

Here are a couple of more recipes:

Diplomatic Immunity 3 carrots 1 stalk of celery 1/2 beet with the greens 1/2 handful of wheatgrass 1/2 handful of parsley 1 apple

The Great Grassy Punch (The Healthy Juicers Bible) 14 oz. of wheatgrass organically grown 1 granny smith apple A small piece of ginger Yields 2 shot glasses . .

 

As I said, when you juice wheatgrass it is strong, so start slow. I use just a few small handfuls (bunches) at a time. I’ll say this again too, if you drink too much at one time (straight shots) it could make you nauseous. Let your body get used to it. Try it in one of the above recipes or with a little lime or an apple. Do you need more wheatgrass recipes?

Thanks for reading and happy juicing!

Resource:

The Healthy Juicer’s Bible: Lose Weight, Detoxify, Fight Disease, and Live Long

How to Juice Wheatgrass