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WheatGrass (Triticum Aestivum)

Wheatgrass is a food prepared from the cotyledons (seed leaves) of the common wheat plant. It is available as fresh juice and powder. It is bright green in color and easy to grow at indoors.

Wheatgrass manages to produce and maintain high nutritious content compared to normal wheat. It is commercially available as spray, cream, gel, lotions and as the herbal supplement. The juice is extracted from wheatgrass sprouts. Wheatgrass tea or smoothie also increases energy levels; reduce coughs, allergies, and illness.

Nutritional Information

30 ml of fresh wheatgrass juice equal the nutritional value of 1 kg green leafy vegetables. 100 grams of wheatgrass or 2.8 ounces contains 20 calories, 2 grams of carbohydrates and 0.06 grams of fat. It also contains Proteins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Enzymes, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin I, Vitamin K and B-Complex.

How to Grow Wheatgrass in Your Home? |Growing Wheatgrass Indoors

Wheatgrass seeds are cheap and readily available in the market. You can buy and plant it in your home for its major applications in health. Though it grows well in summer, requires less sunlight (planted under shade). To know how to grow wheatgrass in your home, here is the step by step procedure that illustrates the plant growth and other factors responsible for it.

• Step-1: Soaking the Seeds

Purchase a bag of organic seeds online or from a store that grows into a healthy and vibrant grass. Before soaking rinse the seeds properly. Rinse with cool, clean water and dry the seeds for few minutes and place it in a bowl.  Soaking seeds inhibits germination and at the end of this process roots sprouts.

• Step-2: Seed Planting and Watering

Now place the seeds in a tray or pot containing soil. Place paper at the bottom of the pot for proper drainage. Slightly press the seeds into the soil and maintain the gap of 1-2 inches between seeds. Water as little as possible and also spray slightly in the evening before you go to bed. Overwatering can damage the plant growth.

• Step-3: Soil and Temperature

Use moist potting mix rich soil for growing wheatgrass. Maintain the temperature about 60F for the seeds to sprout. Once the seedlings reach to a height of (1/2) inch, you can lower the temperature as it grows well in cool climatic conditions.

• Step-4: Fertilize with liquid Seaweed

Wheatgrass can grow easily without using fertilizers. If you wish to use fertilizers, enhance the plant with the addition of seaweed or kelp. It is a liquid fertilizer that contains many nutrients and helps the seeds to thrive faster. This liquid fertilizer makes the wheatgrass juice tastier (pleasant to drink).

• Step-5: Harvesting the Grass

They begin to grow once they mature. Grass should be 7 inches tall and is ready to harvest after 9-10 days of growth. Use sharp knife or scissors to harvest the grass just above the roots. Collect the grass and place it in a bowl. The harvested grass is ready to use now and juiced.

Keep harvested wheatgrass in refrigerator about a week. It tastes good and provides health benefits. Water the grass for the second crop. You can harvest the 2^nd crop when it matures.

Can you Regrow Wheatgrass after Cutting?

Wheatgrass is ready to harvest when it 7-10 inches tall. Cut (3/4) of grass above the soil to promote continuous growth after harvesting. On 1^st harvest, the grass has enough nutrients and for 2^nd harvest, there will slightly decrease in nutrients and similarly for 3^rd harvest. This is because of lack of nutrients in the soil and cannot be supplied evenly for every harvest. You can add organic fertilizers to the soil after every harvest for high yielding. Wheatgrass grows within a short duration of 7-10 days.

Wheat Grass Health Benefits

Vitamins, Proteins, and Minerals in wheatgrass help for the proper functioning of metabolic activities and supplies nutrients to the body.

• Cancer: Wheatgrass has the oxygenating ability, and cancer cells cannot thrive in the oxygenating area. It prevents the cancer cells by cleaning the blood. Juicy wheatgrass helps to reduce the harmful effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer.
• Skin Diseases: It helps to treat skin diseases like psoriasis, allergies, and eczema. It can be used in many ways to cure skin problems. Pour a cup of wheatgrass juice into a warm bath water and soak your body for (1/2) hour. You can also pour it into ice cube tray, freeze and rub it on your skin (damaged areas). It also helps to cure acne problems.
• Reduce Weight Loss: Wheatgrass is low in calories and contains selenium compound. It helps to prevent weight loss by managing the thyroid gland as it is your body’s weight management tool.
• Deals with Diabetes: It is also beneficial for the diabetic patients. The antioxidants like linoleic acids and flavonoids help to lower the sugar levels in the blood when you drink wheatgrass juice.
• Boost your Immune System: Consuming wheatgrass in right amounts can prevent digestive problems caused by harmful bacteria and also cleans the body toxins. It improves RBC (Red Blood Cells) in the body and boosts your immune system.

Precautions | Care

• Store wheatgrass supplement powder in a dry place.
• When you buy wheatgrass seeds make sure they are pure and fresh.
• Maintain the optimum temperature (60F-70F) to grow wheatgrass indoors.
• Follow instructions and warning labels on wheatgrass products before using it.
• Make Proper Use of gardening tools like sharp knife or scissors for harvesting lavender.
• Keep wheatgrass away from pets like cats and dogs as they can eat and spoil the plant growth.
• Do not drink wheatgrass juice more than the required quantities (i.e not more than 30 ml) in a day as it can cause side effects.

Side Effects

Wheatgrass juice is a dietary supplement. Fresh juice is strong, bitter in taste and improves metabolic functions. It may also cause side effects to some people who drink wheatgrass juice which results in Nausea, Headache, Fever, Rashes, Stomach Upset and Constipation. Avoid giving juice for pregnant ladies as it results in several infections and miscarriage of babies.

Consuming wheatgrass juice daily in required amounts benefits your health (especially for the diabetic). Try to grow wheatgrass in your home to have a healthy diet. If you have amazing ideas regarding growing wheatgrass, please share your experience with us.

Recommended readings:

• 12 Best Medicinal Herbs Indoors
• How to Grow Lavender Plant Indoors