How to Make Wheatgrass Juice and Add This Superfood to Your Diet
by Greg Bastin on Dec 28, 2019
By Greg Bastin • December 28, 2019
The benefits of wheatgrass are undeniable. This nutrient-packed superfood deserves to be in your diet and you’ll find out why in this article.
When discussing superfoods, wheatgrass doesn’t come up as much as it should.
Its name gives you a good idea of what it is — baby grass of the wheat grain plant. It grows readily in temperate regions and many people even grow wheatgrass at home.
Its reputation as a superfood is well-deserved given its properties. It’s recognized the world over for its high vitamin and mineral content.
It’s hard to pin down exactly what constitutes a superfood, but one thing is for sure. Most people agree that superfoods are exceptionally nutritious. On that basis, wheatgrass certainly makes the cut.
One of the best ways to add it to your diet is by drinking fresh wheatgrass juice. It’s easy to make and most people learn to love the flavor.
Continue reading to find out how to make it and what benefits it provides.
Why You Should Drink Wheatgrass Juice
Wheat grass juice is starting to gain some popularity in the nutrition arena. To the point that many juice bars have started offering it as a regular part of their menu. That’s a good thing because the health benefits merit drinking it daily.
Buying prepared juice is certainly an option. But to get the most out of it, the best way is to extract the juice yourself.
The benefits of wheatgrass come from its variety of nutritious compounds. Many of those deteriorate if the juice isn’t fresh. If you can buy it fresh or grow your own, perfect! That will net the most benefits. If you can’t, an equally good alternative is to buy high-quality wheatgrass juice powder. Here are just some of the benefits that this delicious green juice provides:
- It has high levels of antioxidants
- Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that reduce oxidative stress. The things we eat and drink and even some bodily functions produce toxins. Antioxidants prevent those toxins from damaging your body until they’re expelled.
- It may reduce inflammation
- Chronic inflammation can cause a variety of serious conditions. In studies, wheatgrass showed promising results for inflammation caused by a number of autoimmune diseases. Now, of course, that’s no substitute for professional medical advice but every little bit helps.
- It’s packed with crucial nutrients
- It has very high levels of vitamins A, E, and C. It also contains a lot of iron, magnesium, and calcium. All of these are important for overall health. It also has seven out of the nine essential amino acids. That’s exceptionally high for a non-animal source. Amino acids are necessary for protein synthesis and many other key bodily functions.
- Helps with digestion
- And toxin elimination as well. It has high levels of many enzymes that are important in digestion. Moreover, it supplies the body with fuel to detox. That can help relieve indigestion, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
- It helps with stomach problems
- In traditional medicine, it’s one of the go-to treatments for upset stomachs. Its high fiber content also makes it good for treating loose stools. Also, as mentioned earlier, it’s great for aiding digestion and reducing bloating and gas.
Maybe the best reason to drink delicious wheatgrass juice is just how easy it is to add to your diet. Powdered wheatgrass, which you can find in health food stores, is perfect for a quick juice on the go. If you’re not a fan of juice, feel free to add some wheatgrass juice powder or fresh wheatgrass to your protein shake.
How to Make Wheatgrass Juice?
Now onto the fun part. Once you find out how easy it is to make this juice, you’ll want it all the time.
If you want to grow your own wheatgrass, you can certainly start there. The process isn’t complicated but it does require care.
You’ll have to start with wheat berries. You can get wheat berries online or in health food stores. The packaging will have instructions on how to sprout them. It will take around six to ten days before your wheatgrass is ready for harvesting. Store-bought wheatgrass is a good option too. When they’re about eight inches tall, the wheatgrass blades are ready for harvesting.
Ideally, you should drink the juice within 24 hours of making it. So, when you’re ready to have some juice, follow these instructions.
- ➡️ Harvest the blades by snipping them about a half-inch from the ground. You can use kitchen shears or a knife for this.
- ➡️ Wash the blades with cold water. The simplest way to do this is to rinse them in a strainer.
- ➡️ Chop the blades into smaller pieces. You’re going for a rough chop here of about inch-long pieces. Even if you’re using a blender, this will make it easier and faster to make the juice. Collect about a half-cup to make a glass of juice.
When you have all the blades chopped, use your preferred method for juicing. Most people prefer a blender. In that case, all you really need is wheatgrass and water.
Combine a half-cup of wheatgrass with two to three cups of water in your blender. Blend on high speed for about a minute.
If the taste is too strong, you can use more water. If you want to make something more like a wheatgrass shot, use only a cup of water. When it’s blended, strain the juice through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. If you want the juice to stay fresh longer, add lemon juice to taste.
Another alternative is to use a juicer. There are no specific wheatgrass juicers but any masticating juicer will work. Avoid centrifugal juicers for wheatgrass, as they won’t work.
Juicers tend to be pretty intuitive so follow the instructions in the manual. Wheatgrass blades can clog up the hopper easily, so work in small batches when you fill it. When it's done juicing, you can dilute it with water or add lemon juice.
Straight wheatgrass juice from a juicer has a strong taste. Many learn to enjoy it, but it may take some getting used to.
Of course, you can avoid all this by simply using wheatgrass juice powder. Powdered wheatgrass juice is an excellent alternative for people who don’t love the taste or don’t have a lot of time.
Just ask Patty, who found that she didn’t even need a blender. She just mixes it with a spoon for a quick and easy shot of nutrients. She also loves that there’s no aftertaste or pungent odor of wheatgrass.
Or Rosie, an avid juicer, who loves adding it to freshly-made juices for an extra nutrient boost. He even likes the taste of it on its own. Fresh wheatgrass can have a bitter aftertaste but powdered juice all but eliminates that.
Boost Your Health With Wheatgrass
Considering all the potential benefits, wheatgrass is one of the best investments you can make in your health. All those nutrients and antioxidants can help prevent or alleviate many conditions. And, with such convenient options, it’s easy to work into even the busiest day.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even grow your own. But don’t feel pressured to do that, store-bought grass is good too.
If you just want to dive into wheatgrass juice quickly, try the Opportuniteas organic wheatgrass juice powder. It’s the easiest way to enjoy the benefits of wheatgrass without any of the hassles. The powdered drink mix has had much of the strong taste of wheatgrass removed, making it more palatable for many.