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Lately I’ve been on a wheatgrass kick. In the past I’d always seen people getting those little shots at jamba juice and thought the stuff looked about as appetizing as algae.
But somewhere I recently read wheatgrass works wonders on the digestive system, which, at my age, can only be a good thing. That some proponents claim it also prevents cancer, heart disease, hair loss and a whole host of other age-related ailments didn’t interest me much, though it certainly didn’t detract from the idea of downing a single-shot of the algae-looking sludge either.
So I threw one back the other week, followed quickly by a sip of orange juice, which jamba kindly provides, and lo and behold: it doesn’t taste so bad! In fact, two weeks in, and I’m finding I kinda like the taste.
The “father of wheatgrass”, Charles F. Schnabel, liked to say back in the 1930s: “Fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equivalent to 350 pounds of the choicest vegetables.” Now, what “choicest” really means, I couldn’t tell you, but even if he was off by, I don’t know, HALF, and it only equals 175 pounds of vegetables, well, that’s just fine by me, too.
So the questions I put forth is this: Who else likes it? Who hates it? Who thinks it’s all a big crock? And, most importantly, who has seen any real benefits from drinking grass?
Comments (11)
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I used to work at a juice bar and got a little wheatgrass happy. I love the taste(sans orange slice). I also love beet, carrot, and ginger juice over ice. Ginger is exceptionally good for digestion.
posted by Rebecca on 4-19-2007 at 8:15 am
I’ve tried it a couple times, and my wife thinks I’m crazy. The best description of the taste that I’ve heard is “like a newly mown lawn.” I think it has that sort of veggie-sweetness that carrot juice has. The only downside is the impatient stares I get while everyone else in line has to wait for the smoothiemaker to finish stuffing four pounds of grass into a machine that looks like it was designed and built by James Watt, only to receive a thimbleful of green juice the size of a free sample at CostCo. Is it possible to grow your own wheatgrass and juice it in a regular juicer?
posted by Joe on 4-19-2007 at 8:18 am
I’ve had freinds who did this, complete w/ growing their own grass & jucing it themselves. The claims seem fantastic for a reason, they’re entirely made up. While its not bad for you, claims its nutritionally complete are pure fiction.
posted by William the Debunker on 4-19-2007 at 9:32 am
My friend swears by it when she’s pregnant. I went with her to the Juice Bar for the walk from time to time, and once she bought me a shot. I thought, “Here goes”, and chucked it down the gullet without really thinking about the fact that I have a viscous allergic reaction every time I pass recently mowed grass or sit in it. The only time in my life I can remember being sicker to my stomach resulted in the removal of an appendix. Oh man. Wheatgrass is grass…duh me.
posted by foxydot on 4-19-2007 at 9:46 am
Wheatgrass tastes better than it looks. I agree with Joe: the sweetness of carots. You can make your own and freeze it.
posted by Ursule on 4-19-2007 at 10:42 am
I like the fresh stuff. Smoothie King recently switched to bagged wheatgrass and it tastes weak.
posted by CB on 4-19-2007 at 3:12 pm
Never tried it. Doubt I ever will. While I don’t mind the smell of a freshly mown lawn, I don’t enjoy it enough to want it in my mouth.
As for it’s purported health benefits… meh. Life is 100% fatal. Trying to extend it by eating or not eating certain things is overrated.
posted by Dave on 4-19-2007 at 4:46 pm
I was told that just gulping it down like a shot does nothing for you. But swooshing it around your mouth and mixing it with your saliva before swallowing is the most beneficial way of drinking it…something to do with enzymes or somesuch.
posted by ejmmf on 4-19-2007 at 5:48 pm
FoxyDot – thank you! It sounded appealing and I thought I would try some but I, like you, am allergic to grass! Thanks for saving me a reaction (you suffered for the greater good)lol
posted by Jane on 4-19-2007 at 6:11 pm
Just the next fad. You’ll do just as well eating spinach and broccoli.
posted by Slappy on 4-19-2007 at 6:25 pm
One juice that I would almost swear by is a brand called Naked. It’s all natural, so it’s supposed to be better for you. One of the flavors is Green Machine, which is apples, kiwi, and among other things, broccoli and grass. My friends all thought I was nuts until I made them try it. It’s very sweet, and for those who don’t want to down a straight shot of wheatgrass, this might be the next best thing.
posted by Jen on 4-20-2007 at 8:33 pm