There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t see some anti-aging claim splashed across my television screen. These days people are on a quest to douse themselves in the Fountain of Youth, chasing promises of serums and potions claiming to have captured that magical formula that can turn back the hands of time.

And although I do believe that creams and potions can help the cause, I think the “glow” associated with youthful looking skin comes from within – and what we put within!

It’s about putting the right stuff in your body – like wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is one of the best things that anyone can put into their body; not only for healthier, more youthful skin, but for a vivacious feeling of energy. So what is it in wheatgrass that makes it such a powerful anti-aging combatant?

The answer is simply that wheatgrass contains chlorophyll (not bora-phyll, as Billy Madison has insisted), amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes that all aid in the body’s processes.

Chlorophyll is very similar in structure to hemoglobin, the substance in human blood that makes it red and facilitates the delivery of oxygen to human cells. People who swear by wheatgrass juice as a daily tonic insist that the high concentration of chlorophyll provides the greatest anti-aging benefit.

Further, wheatgrass drinkers also report increased energy, better digestion, better sleep, and improved circulation.

Recent studies on probiotic bacteria, which play a major role in healthy digestion and the prevention of disease and cellular aging, have shown that colon health is much more important to whole body health and youthful cells than was previously thought. You can read a whole article I wrote on probiotics by clicking here!

Wheatgrass juice is rich in vitamin B12 because those very same probiotic microorganisms live on the wheatgrass too! It’s a scientific blow to the magical cream distributors, and 1-point for the argument that enzymes and minerals found in the foods we put in our bodies have a bigger impact on our overall health, and therefore the aging process we all inevitably undergo.

OK. How do I get wheatgrass in my body? Does it come in cream-form that I spread on my face?

Sadly, no. But there are a variety of ways to include wheatgrass into your diet. Of course you can take your wheatgrass straight with or without a chaser in its most popular consumption method as a shot.

Pickup our most popular wheatgrass juicer, the Lexen Healthy Juicer, by clicking here. It’s electric and it rocks! It also comes with a 100% money-back guarantee and it qualifies for free shipping!

You’ll also need a wheatgrass grow kit – snatch up an easy and affordable grow kit by clicking here. It’s simple, easy to use, and best of all, in just a few days, you’ll be taking shots of wheatgrass and turning back those hands of time yourself!

Well, it’s September. I can feel the chill in the morning air and the sun is setting far earlier than it used to. It’s sad, but summer was fun wasn’t it?

Together we have discovered new ways to think about this blade of goodness called wheatgrass, once considered nothing more than an acrid shot. I have used it to help me get back on a healthy track by taking it in its traditional form, and I’ve found new ways to use it in my many cooking endeavors.

Wheatgrass has single-handedly re-ignited my love for smoothies, and it’s become my newest cooking ingredient obsession. Oh, yes, summer was fun indeed.

I thought that since summer is coming to a close (at least in my geographical location), that a roundup of some of the most valuable lessons I have learned this summer in regards to juicing, smoothies, and wheatgrass was in order. Let’s take a look back, shall we?

• Wheatgrass pulp is as amazing, if not MORE amazing than wheatgrass itself. It makes an excellent pesto when blended with basil, garlic and pine nuts, or a delightful bread with zucchini and flour.
• Freezing wheatgrass pulp and putting it into a smoothie takes it the next level.
• Growing your own wheatgrass at home is easy for both the lightweight wheatgrass consumer, and the highly addicted like me.
• And once you’ve sprouted your own grass, juicing it doesn’t have to be costly or create countertop clutter.

Gifted with a Lexen Happy Juicer and more lessons learned

Number four on the list is the newest lesson I’ve learned. Recently I was gifted with a Lexen Healthy Juicer, which retails for just $44.95 on 877myjuicer.com. I was initially inclined to believe that a proper juicer needed to be a heavy weight and most certainly electric, but I have since changed my tune.

What I like about this pint-sized juicer is its ability to juice not only wheatgrass but also most leafy greens, and pretty much anything small enough to fit through the feeder. I say this because I tried and successfully juiced oranges, berries, pears and apples, with a promise that it wouldn’t stop there. And if you are worried about the tiny bit of elbow grease required for a manual juicer, don’t be – it really isn’t that bad.

Well the summer of wheatgrass has been a blast; and I am confident that fall will bring even more exploration with the wonder that is wheatgrass!

Recently while rifling through my freezer for smoothie ingredients, my hand brushed the giant Ziploc bag where my wheatgrass pulp resides, and that’s when it came to me: wheatgrass smoothies!

I have been dying to use all the wheatgrass pulp I have accumulated over the summer, so I jumped at the chance to use it in yet another unique way.

Wheatgrass smoothies, yes!

I love smoothies and I love wheatgrass, so it’s shocking to think that I am just now making wheatgrass smoothies. Heck, I’ll put anything in a smoothie – fruits, vegetables, everything but the kitchen sink.

But up until now I hadn’t even thought of using my mass amounts of frozen wheatgrass pulp in one of my daily smoothies.

Why they’re the perfect combination

The beauty of a smoothie is that you can pack in as many fruits or vegetables as the blender will allow, making them one of the easiest ways to meet daily nutrient requirements.

And it’s perfect for those who find vegetables hard to swallow. I know a few vegetable haters myself, and I have managed to sneak some into their lives thanks to smoothies. The beauty of wheatgrass is that it is one of the most nutrient rich foods that Mother Nature has blessed us with, and using it in a smoothie takes it to a whole new level. Wheatgrass completes it!

A quick note on why wheatgrass rocks

I will never grow tired of professing my love for this grass’ ability to blend so well with other ingredients. It’s very rapidly becoming my number one favorite anything-ingredient, and I am having a blast exploring it!

But, I’ve been so focused on using up all my wheatgrass pulp that I haven’t been juicing it all that much. That’s resulted in a wheatgrass pulp shortage around here, which is why I’ve decided to upgrade my sprouting system.

Up until now I had been growing a very small supply. But with my newfound love for wheatgrass pulp, my setup can no longer feed my needs.

On 877myjuicer.com, there are so many options for people looking to sprout their own wheatgrass, from small setups that fit easily on the countertop, like The FreshLife Automatic Sprouter, to something more suitable to my demands such as the Sproutman Wheatgrass Grower. The Sproutman grows three racks of wheatgrass in one shot, which makes this girl very excited!

I think it’s fairly safe to say that I am in love with wheatgrass. But even if your love doesn’t run as deep as mine, I promise that you will love it in a smoothie!

Wheatgrass Smoothie

• ½ cup frozen wheatgrass pulp
• ½ cup frozen peaches
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup water

In blender mix all ingredients until smooth.

Wheatgrass is a great way to powerpack your morning with energy in anticipation of all your daily superhero activities.  Known as a ‘superfood,’ wheatgrass juice offers amazing nutritional benefits to your diet. Also regarded as a booster for general health and well-being, wheatgrass juice is one easy way to ramp up your game.

Including Wheatgrass Daily

Wheatgrass is a great addition to your nutritional life, O.K. But exactly how does one do that?

Below are the pros and cons of adding fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried wheatgrass to your health regime:

Frozen wheatgrass

Often termed as “fresh-frozen,” this type of wheatgrass is grown on the producer’s farm either in trays or in the ground.  It’s then harvested, juiced, flash-frozen, and delivered to you.

• Convenient Yet Nutritious:  Frozen may be the best way to preserve wheatgrass juice nutrition and enzymes while at the same time not compromising your schedule.
• Easy to Use: Frozen wheatgrass juice comes premeasured in .5 to 1 oz shots.  Simply pull it out of the freezer and let thaw for a minute.  Add to water, juice, or a smoothie.  Always add 3x the amount of water (or juice) to 1oz of wheatgrass juice.  Avoid heating frozen wheatgrass juice on the stove or in the microwave as it will destroy the nutrients.

The downside:

• Expensive: The downside of frozen wheatgrass juice is typically the price tag.  Delivered to your door, the price per ounce can vary from $1.50 to over $2.00.  If you’re drinking a shot a day at $2.00, then you’re looking at an additional $60 a month to add to your budget.

Fresh wheatgrass

The idea of growing wheatgrass may seem daunting, but in the end it may be worth it for you to become a DIY wheatgrass grower.

• Easy to Start: there are easy-to-use Wheatgrass Starter Kits that provide all the basics for growing wheatgrass at home. The time between the sprouting and growth stage, when you can juice the grass, is about 10 days.
• Overall Savings: The price tag including the starter kit and manual mastication juicer is $85 (may not include S&H).  In the end, you save by being able to put what you would normally spend on buying juice away.  Do the math and compare to the cost (both money-wise and nutrition-wise) of both frozen and fresh wheatgrass.
• Immediate Nutrition: Growing your own wheatgrass gives you all the ‘right now’ benefits of wheatgrass juice nutrition.  You can’t get any fresher than clipping it from your own wheatgrass garden, juicing, and drinking.
• Versatile: If you have the space, you can transplant wheatgrass from your trays and plant it into the ground, creating your own home-grown wheatgrass garden.

The downside:

• Time-Consuming: Unless you’re a gardener or enjoy puttering around in the kitchen, growing your own wheatgrass may not be for you. Growing, harvesting, and juicing takes time, energy, and effort.

Freeze-dried wheatgrass

• Nutrition—Hmmmm:  With wheatgrass in freeze-dried (powdered) or pill form,there is a general consensus that the nutrition has been compromised (i.e. fresh is mo’ bettah).  The jury is still out on this one, so anyone drinking or eating freeze-dried wheatgrass juice please weigh in the comments below!
• Convenient: Needless to say, freeze-dried or pill form is absolutely the most convenient way to take wheatgrass.  If you’re traveling or just need to carry it in your purse or pocket, it’s  much easier to be mobile with these forms.
• Middling Price tag: Freeze-dried wheatgrass typically comes in a 1 oz package that has about 56 servings.  At $29.99 per package, you’re saving from the cost of frozen, but still spending more than if you were to grow your own.

Ultimately, home-grown or flash-frozen offers the best and most viable nutrition.  But that’s only if you can decide which option both your wallet and your schedule can handle.

Weigh-in: How do you take your wheatgrass, and why? Tell us in the comments below!

I have been on a wheatgrass kick as of late, ignited by a challenge I set for myself after a friend’s wedding and a vacation in very short succession. The challenge was to commit to doing a 1oz shot of wheatgrass four times a week for two weeks!

I’ve come to understand that it takes at least a solid two weeks to start seeing some health benefits and results from any new activity, including exercise and healthier eating and living.

Why wheatgrass as an energizer?

Summer has a way of derailing regiments of any kind. The combination of  hot weather and over-indulgence leaves a noticeable and hard-to-shake sluggish feeling. When I saw the numbers on the scale beginning to rise, I became astoundingly motivated to get back to normal, and I’ve decided wheatgrass will hopefully help me to restore order.

Having been a part of the wheatgrass tribe, I knew what to expect (I’m familiar with the “BAM grass” taste that pretty accurately describes the flavor or wheatgrass). But fear not if you don’t like the flavor of grass (most people don’t) – I’ll have you know that the flavor doesn’t linger in your mouth for very long.

Two weeks of wheatgrass

The first week was rough. I had started exercising and eating healthy again, so I was tired and craving bad things. The wheatgrass gave me what felt like an uphill climb in regards to my mood and energy levels. But, sometime during the second week, it was as if a huge cloud lifted, and all at once I was feeling great! I was energetic and cheerful again (albeit a little cranky from the soreness thanks to my renewed vigor for exercise).

The bummer of a wheatgrass diet: expenses

After two weeks of wheatgrass, I was feeling great, but my wallet was not as jovial. Visiting my local juice bar four times a week for my wheatgrass shots was getting a little too pricey, so in order to sustain this level of wheatgrass consumption I was going to need another solution.

The wheatgrass starter kit: affordable and easy to use

Enter the Wheatgrass Starter Kit, complete with everything one would need to start growing wheatgrass at home. After about ten days your grass is going to need a serious trim, and that’s when it’s time to juice!

To juice your wheatgrass you can opt for a manual mastication style juicer, which serves only to juice wheatgrass, or you can opt for a multipurpose juicer, that also juices your favorite fruits and vegetables. The choice really is up to you and your budget.

Regardless of whether you have just begun a new healthy regime, or are looking to add some je ne sais quoi to your healthy lifestyle routine, you need to consider wheatgrass!

Wheat grass has been said to cleanse your blood, improve the look of skin and hair, fight infection, suppress appetite and in some cases, decrease the size of tumors. With a reputation like that, it’s no wonder that the popularity of this little sprout is growing like gangbusters.

The first time I had a shot of wheatgrass, I wanted to spit it right back up; the overwhelming grass flavor was far too much for my undeveloped palate. Fast forward 10 years and I swear by it. Since I began integrating wheatgrass into my diet, twice weekly, I have noticed a change in the composition of my nails (less splitting) and my hair.

Vanity aside, I’ve noticed that hangovers are easier to overcome and my sweet tooth has been seriously sidelined. Rumor has it that if your body needs the nutrients found in wheatgrass, it will taste sweeter, as opposed to bitter. Perhaps that’s the body’s way of cushioning the blow to ensure the healthy habit continues!

Although the appeal of wheatgrass is undeniable with a laundry list of glowing benefits of ingestion, the price of a shot at your local juice or smoothie shop can be a turn-off. At my local smoothie bar, a single shot comes in at $3 a pop and a double shot at a whopping $5, which can be a very hard shot to swallow.

Many people grow their own sprouts, and I can see why. With user friendly  growing kits ranging in prices that accommodate all budgets, it only makes sense. 877myjuicer.com has a vast array of wheatgrass kits for the novice to the expert grower. The Wheatgrass Growing Kit is the best bang for the novice buck. This kit comes complete with seeds, growing trays, fertilizer, a complete instruction sheet and more, all for an amazing price. Spending $10 per week ($40 per month) visiting my local juice shop for my wheatgrass shots seems foolish, when for a one time fee of $39.99 I could be growing my own grass.

When broken down like that, it makes much more financial sense – allowing me to forget about money and focus on enjoying my wheatgrass. So simple; and I love simple solutions.

I don’t remember the morning program I was watching the other day that stated Colorado and Vermont are two of the thinnest states in the United States and that obesity is on the rise throughout the country.  Fast food restaurants are popping up on every street corner in America.  Why Colorado and Vermont?  They say because they are four season states.  The ability to get out there and exercise throughout all four seasons is more readily available in these states.  I believe, since I’ve lived in Vermont for over 20 years that it is also because there are less fast food restaurants and more local farms and local produce available.  Vermont is the only state that does not have a McDonalds in their capital city.

I remember growing up in Connecticut going to McDonalds at least once a week. There were10 of us in my family and my dad would have to go with a list.  It was a highlight of the week. The other highlight was game night in my home.  The prize for winning Bingo was a Twinkie or a Susie-Q.  However, we also grew up with a tennis court, basketball court and swimming pool in our yard.  Exercise was also available.  And my parents went vegetarian before any of us did and passed that knowledge onto us later in life.  It’s not too late to start good habits for you or your children.

Healthy eating starts in your own home.  The local schools can only do so much with presenting healthy food to your children if you are not willing to support that in your own home.  Obesity rates have doubled for adults and tripled for children since 1980.  Is it any wonder?  Fast food joints, vending machines and inactive lifestyles, contribute to a country with an obesity epidemic. 

What are some other factors for obesity?  Genetics, emotions, age, culture and medical problems all influence weight gain.  As you age, muscle mass decreases and will slow metabolism (I’ve been seeing that one myself).  Because of this, your exercise and eating patterns must be adjusted.  This could be a great time to read those books on your shelf about being a vegetarian or raw foodist.  Our bodies want to move.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Park your car in the furthest space away from the store.  By keeping a journal of your food and how you are feeling before you eat, you can start to recognize your eating habits.  Are you eating just because you are sad, anxious, or angry?  Notice how when your children hurt emotionally, the first thing you may want to do is feed them.  They need emotional nurturing, not a way to deny their feelings with food.  Start a diary with your kids.  This could also help to diagnose food allergies.

We learn about eating and cooking in our own households growing up.  In our family, birthdays were plentiful and also a great reason to get together for pizza, soda and cake.  Do you praise your children with food for good behavior or winning a game?  Most of us don’t recognize the habits we are teaching our children.  Think about your own upbringing.  What were your patterns when it came to food?  How can you help your child learn good eating and exercise habits?  Get rid of the distractions at the dinner table; the newspapers, tv and phone.  Eat slower, even with less talking.  Save the talking for before dinner during preparation and after dinner during clean-up. 

The Mayo Clinic states the following:  “Although there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, most excess weight is caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Children, unlike adults, need extra nutrients and calories to fuel their growth and development. So if they consume the calories needed for daily activities, growth and metabolism, they add pounds in proportion to their growth. But children who eat more calories than needed gain weight beyond what’s required to support their growing bodies”.

Get excited about learning some new things with your kids.  Yoga, raw food, the local farmer’s market, or just the fruit and vegetable isle at the grocery store.  Get out the juicer that you bought yourself and is now gathering dust in the cabinet.  Let the kids choose what fruits they want to throw in.  See who can achieve the best color of juice!  It’s ice cream season.  Some juicers will make really awesome, healthy and fresh ice cream.

Here’s to family health!

Webster’s defines the word sprouting as the following: to grow, spring up, or come forth, to send out new growth:  cause to develop.  When a recipe calls for “sprouted almonds”, that means soaking in water for at least a few hours.  You won’t see a tail in that time from an almond.  However, there are some seed and bean that you will see that cute little tail spring forth.  Sprouting is waking the seed or bean up.  It is also means soaking the bean over night and then rinsing said seed or bean, until it grows a tail.  Some tails are longer than others. Proteins, enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients activate with sprouting.  Beans are a time-honored way to get plenty of protein with low fat, high fiber and no cholesterol.  Steve Meyerowitz says, “Sprouts are a veritable vitamin factory.”

Today I am letting you in on one of the secrets of a living food lifestyle.  It really is easy!  There’s minimal prep time except if you have to sprout something.  However, it does require a commitment.  A commitment to be happy and healthy!  Didn’t you hear the news about the key to the door of happiness?  There isn’t a key!  The door’s not locked!

Yesterday I stopped in to see my good friend Sarah.  She was preparing Halva, the raw version.   Halva is a confection made from semolina. It’s originally from India and made with a variety of ingredients, including sugar, flour and oil.   I’ve never tasted the real thing and I don’t want to now, ’cause the raw is so good!  I believe it took a total of 15 minutes and that included a call from her husband and the time it took for us to taste it.  Let me be honest with you (I seem to do that a lot), it was fabulous.  I’ll be making it this weekend and will share that recipe in another episode.

How about that sprouting lesson?  Today it is sprouted bean mix.  I like adzuki, mung, green and red lentil and fenugreek.   All these make one interesting blend of flavors.  Here’s how easy it is.  Take a handful, a cup (however much you want), of all your beans (a little less of the fenugreek), place in a mason jar, glass bowl or your sprouter.  Soak overnight.  Rinse and drain in the morning into your sprout bag or leave in your sprouter.  I use a sprout bag or the Biosta Sprouter. With the sprout bag you can rinse through it and leave in a colander to drain in the sink.  With the Biosta, fill the top layer with water and then it drains itself through the next two layers, rinsing the other layers as it drains. Then for two or three days, rinse and allow to drain at least 2 times a day, more if you are home.  Too much sunlight and they can wilt and die.  Once you see the tail spring forth, or you taste it and it’s soft enough for you, go ahead and eat it!  You can place this mix on your salad, on a sandwich with avocado and lettuce, in your guacamole, in your green drink, or by the handful.  Great for travel or in the office for that snack at your desk.  And it’s living food!  Living food is filled and surrounded by energy.  By eating living food you are absorbing that energy field.  You are reaping tremendous health benefits.  This mix will last in the refrigerator a week or more.  You can rinse again if the mix starts to get slimy.

Adzuki beans contain protease inhibitors which discourage the development of cancerous cells.  Fenugreek is used as a digestive aid.  This sprout could reduce inflammation.  Lentils are great substitutes for meat and when combined with a leafy green, they are better absorbed by the body.  Mung are rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Potassium.

Again, I ask you…..What are you waiting for?  Another good thing about dry seed and bean?  They will outlast you!  Store in the fridge or freezer.

Happy living trails to you.

Donna, yep I sprouted that, Bergonzi-Boyle

What? You grow grass?  Isn’t that illegal?  Common words I hear when I tell people that I’ve been growing grass for the last 15 years.   They start to walk away from me when I tell them my Dad turned me on to it!

I first saw that beautiful grass at The Optimum Health Institute in CA. My parents were working there and my brother Michael had just started there too.  He designed and built the greenhouse along with my Dad, and also built up his reputation as being one of the master wheatgrass growers in the country.  A greenhouse filled with grass and sprouts is a site to behold.  The energy, the oxygen, the green!  Just breathe and be healed!  Why do we hold our breath?  I have been a practitioner of yoga for over 15 years and I know why. Breathing takes you into the present moment.  You cannot be in the present moment without the willingness to feel hurt.  That is a tough statement to comprehend, let alone “feel”.  But I’ll go into that in another excerpt.  Let’s get back to growing grass….

I watched and listened to my Dad and brother.  “When is my turn”?  I continued to ask myself that. I knew I would get there someday.  With their advice I was able to grow grass in my small apartment some 15 years ago.  Then there was a time I just didn’t have it in me to grow but wanted to drink wheatgrass juice, so I ordered it online.   I never knew when they harvested it.  It just didn’t taste like what I was used to.  I would occasionally be at a juice café and order a shot.  And again, I’d say, “Is this what these people think wheatgrass juice is supposed to taste like”?   Ok, that’s enough of this…..it’s time to start another business.  My reasons?  I wanted fresh cut, organic wheatgrass juice every day and I figured if I did, then someone else out there does too.  It’s easy enough.  I have my Dad and my brother, right?   And Michael even has a DVD with all the directions for growing wheatgrass and sprouts!  I can do this!

For a year I grew wheatgrass and sprouts and delivered an exceptional product to as many customers as I could.   Now I grow on my kitchen counter.  I grow on my dining room table.  I grow and sprout wherever I can, as much as I can.   Sprouting seed and growing wheatgrass may take some time to figure out.  Your environment has a lot to do with all the problems you may encounter.  I’ve learned that airflow is the biggest issue surrounding the mold problem.  Living in the northeast is challenging to say the least.  I now grow pea shoots in my sprouter.  No soil!  I know, that’s crazy.    Don’t tell my brother.

I can’t live without my sprouter, sprout bag, my colander, my green bags(to keep all my produce fresh longer), and some great trays for growing my sprouts and wheatgrass.  I keep a kitchen stocked with seed and a library stocked with books about sprouts and live food.  Because of the size of my kitchen and winter being upon us, I grow one thing at a time.   But there is no reason, with all the new sprouters and tray holders out there, that you can’t grow more than one sprout.  The hardest part is just getting started.  Sprout one thing at a time at first. Get really good at it and then start something else.  The theory behind sprouting and growing is basically the same with a lot of seed and bean.  The principals are the same too.   Keep good air circulation, don’t let the seed dry out, and keep it out of too much direct sunlight (sounds like the directions on how to keep a gremlin)!   Wheatgrass is baby grass. It needs to be nurtured.   And for goodness sake, keep your grass away from the pets!  You’ll have to grow a separate tray for them. My cat loves to chew it right out of the tray. I also juice it for him and give it to him in a dropper.  He loves it!  I’ve seen a dog totally tear a tray of wheatgrass apart, like it was catnip.  What a treat for them!  And during the long winter months, when dogs can’t get outside to chew grass, this is the perfect substitute for them. Wheatgrass juice, it’s not just for humans!  Keep on growing, folks!