Supplies for Growing and Juicing Your Own Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass juice has been touted as a super food for having health benefits including body detoxification, blood cleansing, increasing energy, aiding in weight loss, having antibacterial properties and even enhancing beauty to name just a few.

Many of these benefits are attributed to the high chlorophyll content of the juice. What once was considered a fad for health nuts has proven to have staying power because of the remarkable effects reported by those who've tried it and use it on a regular basis.

Once wheatgrass becomes an everyday staple, many people try their hand at growing the grass to juice themselves because it can be easy and they save a lot of money. I've gathered together the items you'll need to do this here including everything from the wheat berries to juicers and books to learn more about this raw food that so many rave about.

You'll need wheat seeds to begin. These are also called wheat berries. Hard winter wheat is often used including hard white and hard red. Whether you prefer organic wheat berries or not, I've provided links to both types. You don't need a lot to begin, though buying in bulk will save you cash in the long run.

You'll need to sprout the wheat before you place it on your growing medium (soil, hydroponic mat, etc.). This takes hardly any at all and can be done in a jar or bowl or in one of these sprouters linked below. Or you can just purchase a sprouting lid to fit a mason jar you have at home.

I personally use the Easy Sprout. It's perfect for smaller amounts. But you'll need to take your own needs into consideration, especially if you'll be sprouting for more than one or two people. If you're interested in different items for sprouting, visit my hub Supplies for Growing Your Own Seed and Bean Sprouts.

Once the wheat berries have sprouted, you'll need a place for them to grow. Trays are handy since they can contain the growing medium nicely. As you can imagine, many companies sell them in a variety of quality and prices.

Below are few tray types for you to choose from. You can see from the wheatgrass tower that some people make wheatgrass a big part of their diet.

Wheatgrass can be grown in soil or hydroponically (without soil). Hydroponic growing mats can be placed in trays and hold the water needed for the wheat to grow.

You can also opt for other growing mediums. I've listed some popular ones below. According to the Hippocrates Health Institute, experts at growing wheatgrass, potting soil mixed with peat moss works just fine.

Finally, you'll need a way to extract juice from the wheatgrass. You can use either a manual or electric juicer depending on preference and on what you're willing to spend. Many people prefer to buy a juicer that is specifically for wheatgrass.

If you want to buy one that will do fruits and vegetables, make sure to check the manufacturer specifications as to whether it will do greens and grasses.

The books listed here will teach you how to grow your own wheatgrass as well as explain the multitude of health benefits you get from using it. I've also placed a video at the bottom of this article from the Sprout People that gives a quick overview of the process of growing wheatgrass.

If you want to get started right away and you still aren't sure of exactly what supplies to purchase, then a wheatgrass growing kit may be the thing for you. I've placed links to kits with soil and without depending on your preference.

Sources consulted:

• Growing Wheatgrass. Hippocrates Health Institute, 2008.

• Walters, Sheryl. Chlorophyll in Wheatgrass Proven to Fight Cancer. NaturalNews.com, June 10, 2009.

• Wigmore, Ann. The Benefits of Wheatgrass (excerpts from The Wheatgrass Book). Hippocrates Health Institute, 2008.