WHEATGRASS: PROPERTIES, CULTIVATION AND DOSAGE
Celebrated American dietician and grass-expert Dr Urp Thomas has spent 50 years of his life studying different types of grass. During his study, he examined a large variety of grass types. At the end of his deep and long research,,, he has concludedng all types of grass, wheat grass is the best of all. It supplies man with all the necessary nutrients. Only 1 kg. of wheat grass can supply nourishment that can be obtained from 23 kg. of carefully selected vegetables. Wheat grass juice is a complete food in itself and anybody can subsist on it alone for the whole of his life.”
Besides chlorophyll, wheatgrass also contains many other nutritious substances. It contains almost all helps activatecontained in it is helpful in activating about 30 enzymes in the body. It contains almost all the vitamins, barring vitamin D and vitamin B, Fresh juice of wheatthanains a much higher amount of vitamin C compared twheatgrass has sweet lime or orange. 100 g. wheat grass contains 18,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin-A. Vitamin E contained in it is beneficial for the heart, the blood-vessels and sexual efficiency. Many physicians consider laetrile contained in it to be an effective and the only remedy for curing cancer. It contains many enzymes and gastric juices which are beneficial to the digestive system in various ways. About 90 to 100 mg. chlorophyll can be obtained from 100 g. fresh wheat grass. Such chlorophyll is always active and of a high quality.
The chemical formation of the wheat grass juice bears a close resemblance to the chemical formation of human blood. Both liquids are alkaline. Both of them have the same pH. And that is why wheatgrass juice is digested and absorbed quickly in the body. It mixes with the blood very soon and reaches out to every cell in the body.
It is a universally acknowledged fact that among all grains, wheat is the best grain for human consumption. It can be grown anywhere and is therefore easily available everywhere. While information regarding other varieties of grass is not easily available. Some of the varieties of grass contain substances harmful to human beings. But the wheatgrass is a familiar variety that is completely safe and contains no harmful substance. Wheatgrass can be grown in any type of environment and during any season of the year.
Wheat grass contains a unique property that enables it to paralyze toxic elements of the body or to eliminate them from the body.
• Alfalfa contains some of the best medicinal properties, but growing it in the home is difficult as its roots spread deeper in the ground. Besides, after sowing the seeds, alfalfa takes a longer time before its grass is ready for consumption. Its taste is also comparatively pungent.
• The taste of barley grass is bitter. Not only children, but even elders find it unpalatable to take it for a long time.
• Paddy grass is generally very dry. Very little juice can be extracted from it.
• Spinach leaves contain minerals in abundance but very little gastric juices. Some people develop diarrhoea after consuming it and therefore they can’t take it in a large quantity. Besides that, as it contains oxalates, people who are suffering from gallbladder stones can’t take it.
• Other green-leafy vegetables such as dill leaves and fenugreek leaves also contain many medicinal properties; but their taste is generally unpalatable. And secondly, they are not easily available round the year.
Taking all these points into account, we can certainly state that wheat grass juice is safe, innocent, palatable and full of benevolent properties.
TECHNIQUE FOR GROWING WHEATGRASS
Now let us discuss the technique for growing wheat grass:
SELECTING A POT
For growing wheat grass very big and deep pots are not required. Take seven pots measuring one square feet and having a depth of about three inches. Take only seven pots because after sowing, wheat grows to the desired height after 7 days. As a substitute of pots, we can also use wooden boxes, lower half of earthen pots, baskets or big tins. Wheat can be sowed in small flower-beds or land basins if there is a compound or a backyard in the house.
SOIL AND MANURE
Very sticky earth is not desirable for growing wheat grass. Barring that, any other type of earth can be used for growing wheat grass. But do not use the earth in which some chemical fertilizer has been mixed. It is necessary to add some manure to the earth in order that the wheatgrass may grow well and may acquire some more nutritious elements. In villages, natural manure of cow dung etc. is easily available but in cities where it is not easily available, we can buy packets of ready-made compost from the market and use it. But chemical fertilizer should never be used.
QUALITY OF WHEAT
For growing wheat grass a better quality of wheat with big grains should be preferred. Wheat grass grown out of big grains is always broad and full of juice. About 100 gms. wheat should be sown at a time. This quantity of wheat gives us about 100 gms. wheat grass which in turn yields 4 to 6 oz. of wheat grass juice. This quantity of juice is sufficient per day for one patient. Before sowing the wheat, they should be sprouted. For sprouting them, first soak them in water for about twelve hours. Then wrap them in a wet thick cloth and tie them tightly for about another twelve to fourteen hours. As a result of this process, they are sprouted well and shoots appear on them.
This procedure of sprouting the wheat prior to sowing them is a useful one. If the wheat are recently harvested or are rotten or have insects in them, they do not grow well. The procedure of sprouting reveals all such things before they are sown in the ground or in a pot. It also helps to anticipate the percentage of the wheat that would grow. While, if they are sowed without sprouting them, it is on the fourth or the fifth day that the picture about the result would be clear and sometimes all the labour soil, manure and other material may just be wasted. Besides that, the patient would not get the adequate quantity of the juice on the appointed day. After soaking them in water and keeping them tightly wrapped, if only 50% of the wheat appear sprouted, it would be easy to decide that double the quantity of wheat is required for sprouting and subsequent sowing. This would ensure an adequate yield in the required time schedule.
Spread the sprouted wheat on the soil bed. Spread them in such a way that the grains are close to one another and remain almost in touch with one another. Now cover the grains with a thin layer of earth and sprinkle some water on it. Remember, water has to be sprinkled only, not to be poured over it. Overdosage of water spoils them altogether. If the water sprinkled on the wheat grass is not just ordinary water, but water treated with magnets it produces better results. Wheat grass not only grows very fast but also contains a higher amount of nutritious elements. This has been proved and verified through several experiments.
TECHNIQUE TO TREAT WATER
WITH MAGNETS
Take a glass of water and a pair of powerful magnets (of about 2000 gauss each). Each magnet has two poles—North pole and South pole. Place the magnets on both the sides of the glass in such a way that the north pole remains on one side and on the other remains the south pole. Put a lid on the glass and leave it in that position for about 12 to 15 hours, at the end of which the water is magnetized.
When the grass grows (Technique to treat water a bit high, give water with magnets) only once during 24 hours. But during summer it might be necessary to sprinkle water 2 or 3 times a day. For giving water to the plant, late afternoon or early evening is generally considered to be the right time.
See to it that the pots do not remain exposed to the sunlight for more than 3 to 4 hours during the daytime. When the sun is blazing in the afternoon, keep the pots under shade.
Bear in mind that only one pot per day has to be prepared. Do not prepare all the seven pots at a time. Sow 100 gms wheat in a pot on the first day. Thereafter, sow 100 gms wheat in a pot everyday for the succeeding six days. On the eighth day you’ll find that about 4 to 5 inches high wheat grass is ready in the first pot. So, on the eighth day, from that pot, cut the grass, with a pair of scissors, as close to the bottom as possible. Extract juice from the grass after washing it properly. Never pull out the grass from its very roots.
Do not allow wheat grass to grow higher than 4 to 5 inches as the proportion of chlorophyll and other nutritious elements starts reducing from the leaves thereafter. Besides that, their softness also reduces thereafter and as a result of that less juice can be obtained from the grass.
After cutting the grass, the earth from the pot should be spread over to allow it to dry in the sunlight. The same earth can be used after about 4 or 5 days. But before reusing it, add some fresh earth and manure.
CARE OF THE POTS AND THE
GROWING WHEATGRASS
It is necessary to protect the growing and fresh and tender wheat grass from insects, birds and rodents.
Use wooden racks to protect the wheat grass from, insects, birds and rodents. Place the pots on the shelves of a wood rack and then cover the rack with a wire network or meshes, so as to allow the plants to get adequate air and sunlight. Wrap the legs of the rack with cloth pieces—soaked in castor oil or keep them in small vessels filled with water so as to keep ants and other insects off the wooden rack.
It is likely that sometimes during summer wheat grass may not grow well due to heat. So, under such circumstances sow maize seeds instead of wheat and extract the juice of maize grass. Maize grass is only slightly inferior to the wheat grass in quality and medicinal properties.
PROPER DOSAGE AND TIMINGS
In the beginning restrict the intake of wheat grass or its juice dosage. Increase the intake of the dosage gradually. In an ordinary illness or for a common ailment 100 gms. wheat grass or 100 ml. juice per day is an adequate dosage. But those who are suffering from some serious or chronic disease should start with 25 to 50 ml. per day and gradually raise the dosage so as to reach a quantity of 250 to 300 ml. per day.
Even after the disease is cured, it is advisable to continue to take 50 ml. juice every day in order to maintain proper health. Any normal, healthy person can also take this quantity of the juice to maintain his good health and avoid illness.
If the dosage or intake is kept high from the beginning, then it is likely in some cases that the patient may complain of nausea, vomiting sensation, cold, diarrhoea or fever or similar other troubles. So, keep the dosage or intake low in the beginning and raise it gradually. But do not get panicky even if the above-listed complaints arise. Dilute the juice before taking it. And if the complaints persist beyond two or three days, stop taking the wheat grass or its juice for a couple of days and resume it only after the complains have subsided.
PROPER TIMINGS FOR TAKING THE JUICE
It is advisable to take the juice early in the morning on an empty stomach. After taking the wheat grass or its juice, do not eat or drink anything for about half an hour. The juice gets absorbed in the intestines within half an hour after it is taken. Those who find it inconvenient to take it in the early morning can take it at any time during the day when the stomach is empty. But those who wish to obtain the gains of both the methods of wheat grass intake should take the juice in the morning only, and should chew the wheat grass at any other convenient hour or at short convenient intervals during the day.