Wheatgrass: King of Alkaline Foods (From Earthmother - in the raw)

Source (an excellent website):
http://earthmother-intheraw.blogspot.com/2010/06/wheatgrass-king-of-alkaline-foods.html

Whether or not you've ever held the title of Fast Food Queen as I once did, you've likely ingested your fair share of highly processed and chemical laden foods. Let's face it, in this day and age, it's increasingly more challenging to eat a diet rich in whole foods that aren't filled with chemical preservatives, additives and pesticides. Just take a look at the Dirty Dozen list – even fresh fruits and veggies aren't immune.

Unfortunately, most processed foods are acidic and when we consume too many of them, our body's acidity-alkalinity balance is upset. Prolonged acidity is very taxing on our cells and organs, and ultimately leads to illness and disease.

The King of Alkaline Foods

Wheat grass has a high alkalizing effect, which helps restore the balance between acidity and alkalinity in the body. When your body’s pH levels are balanced, you'll begin to notice an increase in energy, stamina and less need for sleep.

Ann Wigmore, author of The Wheatgrass Book, writes:

“Each of us is the keeper of ten trillion little batteries called cells. Like flashlight batteries, our cells hold a charge of electricity. In order for this charge to be strong and steady we need to have a steady supply of proper nutrients. With the addition of wheatgrass and raw foods to your diet, your cells will store a maximum electrical charge, and you will have plenty of energy.”

Rich In Chlorophyll

Wheatgrass contains an abundance of chlorophyll. The structure of chlorophyll is very similar to that of hemoglobin – the protein molecule in red blood cells – which makes it possible for our body to transform chlorophyll into hemoglobin. How cool is that? Drink your wheatgrass and increase your red blood cell count!

Scientists have found chlorophyll strengthens liver functions, neutralizes toxic compounds, as well as eliminates toxins in the blood. Take that, nasty chemical additives and preservatives!

Rejuvenate Your Body

Studies and tests of wheatgrass have concluded that it:

• Stimulates the repair of damaged DNA
• Neutralizes infections
• Assists in wound healing
• Promotes healthy bowel function
• Inhibits the activity of carcinogens
• Reduces or eliminates offensive body & breath odors
• Has a more potent anti-inflamatory effect than aspirin

Okay, so I think we can all agree that there are oodles of reasons to consume wheatgrass. But here's the thing: try as I might, I cannot seem to get past the taste. I quiver, and shiver, and gag. You get the picture.

I've tried combining it with coconut water as well as adding it to various juices and smoothies to make it more palatable. Ann Wigmore strongly advises against this. Great. So what's a girl to do?

Well, a couple of months ago, I was introduced to the Best Organic Wheatgrass. The company name says it all. Really.

I've been drinking their wheatgrass daily for the last month, and no gag reflex. In fact, I rather like the taste! It reminds me of green tea.

So, here's the scoop. Their Easy Pha-max wheatgrass is 100% organic and uses no artificial chemicals, preservatives or other ingredients. It is the only wheatgrass powder in the world grown Aeroponically in 100% oxygen – soil free, fungus free and pollution free.

Wheatgrass is lifted out of its tray with the roots.

One pound or 1/4 tray of wheatgrass = 1 sachet of powder

Why Is The Root So Important?

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, the leaves of wheatgrass have a cooling effect, whereas the roots produce a heating effect. Combining both characteristics neutralizes the effect produced by each individually.

The active ingredients found in the root of wheatgrass, especially cancer fighting agents and 13 amino acids not found in the blades, stimulate damaged cells to undergo cellular repair.

Bonus: by combining the roots with the blades, the taste is not as strong and nauseous as juiced wheatgrass. Score!

After harvesting, the aeroponically-grown wheatgrass is cold dried to maintain its live enzymes and nutrients when combined with water. One Easy Pha-max wheatgrass sachet has the equivalent nutrients of 17 pounds of vegetables. Four packets are equivalent to one tray of wheatgrass. Yowza!

What About Folks Who Have A Wheat Allergy?

Wheat allergies are usually a reaction to the gluten found in the wheat berry. Wheatgrass is a vegetable, cut before the wheat plant forms the grain (berry). Easy Pha-max wheatgrass has no gluten.

Get Healthy With Grass

Get healthy with grass
26/05/2005

http://www.news24.com/Regional_Papers/Components/Category_Article_Text_Template/0,,486_1711680~E,00.html

It's legal and it's good for you. This is the message from Li Smith's new book, Wheat grass - Superfood for a new Millennium. Smith, who lives in Onrus, has been using and growing wheat grass since 1975. She has shared some of the wheat grass secrets contained in her book.

Uses

The uses of wheat grass range from the treatment of high blood pressure, blood diseases and the detoxification of cells.

It boosts the immune system, fights free radicals and carcinogens and prevents the DNA in genes from changing, preventing ageing. The pulp can be used in the treatment of wounds.

'Can destroy cancer cells'

Wheatgrass is classified as a "complete food" and is fast becoming one of the most widely used supplemental health foods.

It contains chlorophyll (nature's most health promoting nutrient), 20 amino acids, several hundred different enzymes not found in other foods, as many as 90 out of 102 possible minerals, vitamins and other important nutrients. Like most whole foods, it is rich in laetrile (vitamin B17) which can selectively destroy cancer cells, but has little effect on normal cells.

Fruit drinks spiked with supplements said to boost energy, potency and body metabolism are all the rage in the United States. Juice bars in Washington and elsewhere offer additives a la carte, charging up to one dollar for a spoonful of ginseng, spirulina, echinacea and other "miracle" products from Asia or Europe.

Grow your own

No matter who you are or where you live, you can grow your own sprouts and greens in water and a little fertile soil right on your windowsill.

Buy wheat seeds at your local supermarket and soak them overnight.

Drain it in a strainer and cover with a cloth for 3 days. Rinse the seeds once a day during this time.

Plant the sprouting seeds in soil in a shallow tray, an old shoebox or beer carton.

Line it with plastic, put soil in and spread out the sprouting seeds. Cover with black plastic, wait 3 days and remove the plastic.

The sprouts will be yellow but will soon turn green in the sunlight. Pick it, chop finely or liquidise and mix with fresh water. Drink a 25 ml tot every day before meals. Immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, a tot of fresh wheat grass juice has the nutritional value of more than a kilogram of spinach or broccoli.

Superfood

A handful of seed costing only a few cents can sprout into enough food to provide balanced nutrition for a whole week. With today's rising food costs and deterioration of the quality of our food, this is indeed a 'superfood'.