Wheatgrass FAQ's

Why do I need a wheatgrass juicer vs. a regular juicer?

A wheatgrass juicer is a specially designed juicer that basically crushes and then slowly presses out the juice. This method is better because it does not destroy the enzymes. If one uses a high-speed juicer to juice wheatgrass there is a danger of two things: the juicer will get clogged up because the grass has so much fiber, and the centrifugal force of the juicer will oxidize the enzymes.

Which is the best wheatgrass juicer?

There is not a single answer to this question. It all depends on what you are planning to juice and which features are important to you. There are so many things to think about when buying a wheatgrass juicer! If you want to only juice wheatgrass you may consider the best option as a Manual Juicer. There are three good ones available each has a good long warranty and is made of stainless steel! The three most reliable manual juicers are:

Tornado Stainless Steel Manual (5-year warranty, longest on the market, best priced stainless steel manual)

Hurricane Stainless Steel Manual Juicer (in our opinion, the best manual juicer on the market, 5-year warranty)

Miracle Stainless Steel Manual (this one is exactly like the hurricane only with a matte finish instead of shiny, and more expensive, 1-year warranty)

Each of these manual juicers comes with a trade in value ($60 if traded in within 12 months of purchase) toward any Electric Juicer, so if you if you are not sure about investing in an electric juicer it is a good idea to first try a manual.

For years we have only offered the metal manual juicers and one plastic one, the Z-Star Manual Juicer.

• Z-Star Manual Juicer actually does a great job on carrots, apples, and leafy greens as well as wheatgrass. It is a good alternative for those who want an inexpensive way to juice a variety of vegetables, fruits, and wheatgrass and who don’t mind a plastic juicer.

Recently, we have started carrying two new manual models in plastic. They are a good alternative for those who want to try juicing wheatgrass as inexpensively as possible.

• Healthy Manual Juicer (by Lexen) – only wheatgrass, does satisfactory juicing

• Typhoon - only wheatgrass, does satisfactory juicing

Sometimes people think that if they get an electric juicer that only does wheatgrass it will be cheaper than a juicer that also juicers other things. The truth is that there are some juicers that only do wheatgrass, but they are more expensive than some of the multipurpose juicers we recommend. Here are the electric juicers that are exclusively for juicing grass:

• Wheateena Red Label – does a great job extracting the juice, pulp very dry, and very little foam (made of cast iron coated with tin)

• Wheateena Workhorse II (commercial rated) – does a great job extracting the juice, pulp very dry, and very little foam. Faster than the Red Label (made of cast iron coated with tin)

• Miracle Pro Green Machine (commercial rated) – all stainless steel, creates slightly more foam than Wheateena’s, very good extraction

• Samson Super Juicer (commercial rated) – all stainless steel, more foam than Wheateena juicers but very fast. Produces 5 oz per minute

Now the next item of importance! If you plan to juice everything like carrots, apples, beets, celery, leafy greens, etc., along with wheatgrass and barleygrass, then the best option is a multipurpose electric wheatgrass juicer. They are versatile with many models able to produce nut butters, sorbets, pasta, do food processing, etc. Here, then, are our recommendations and a brief description of several of the electric multipurpose wheatgrass juicers we carry based on experience and customer feedback (these are our favorites and are listed least expensive to most expensive):

Horizontal Juicers (best for wheatgrass):

Omega 8003 and 8005 - This juicer is the older model horizontal juicer from Omega. It has a 10-year warranty. Many have raved about the Omega. It is one of the most attractive juicers for the kitchen. The 8003 is white, and the 8005 is black & chrome, but they are the same juicer. Also, it does all kinds of nut butters and will juice all vegetables and of course wheatgrass. Omega juicers have a 2 stage juicing screen. Very good feedback on all the Omegas!The later models (8004/8006/8007/8008/NC800/NC900) have some good features (the upgraded auger probably most important, but this older model is still a good, economical choice.

Samson 6 in 1 Juicer - This juicer is much like the Omega 8003-8005 and has a few really good things about it as well. It has a 10-year warranty on parts and motor. It will do all vegetables and wheatgrass!

Omega 8004 and 8006 – Another great choice. These are the upgraded versions of the 8003/8005. The auger is 8 times stronger made out of GE Ultem. Handle design changed slightly. Warranty increased to 15 years.

Samson Advanced – upgraded 6 in 1 similar to the Omega 8004/8006. This juicer’s auger has a stainless steel band around the end, reinforcing it and protecting it from erosion.

Omega 8007 and 8008 – These are newer models from Omega. The feature of these that we like is that both stages of the 2 stage juicing screen are made of stainless steel. Also, these are currently price matched to the Omega 8004/8006. Great value!

Omega NC800HDS and NC900HDC– these are brand new from Omega. They have a wider opening for the feeding chute as well as a pulp adjustment knob that allows for very good extraction.

SoloStar 3C by Tribest - This juicer is known for having a great juice yield! I have one at home and it gets the pulp very dry. I have done carrots, beets, and apples as well as lots and lots of wheatgrass and it has held up great! It has a 15 year warranty. One great feature of this juicer is it comes with a manual adapter so you can use it manually, without electricity.

Vertical Juicers:

These juicers are more expensive than the horizontal juicers. They are great for doing combination juices and larger quantities of juice. They do tend to put a little more pulp into the juice than the horizontal juicers do. They can juice wheatgrass, but you have to work with them a little, especially if you want straight wheatgrass. One of the properties of the vertical juicers is when doing leafy greens, and also wheatgrass or barley grass, they will take the leaves or grass in but no pulp or juice will come out. We recommend putting a carrot or other harder vegetable in which then pushes the pulp through and the juice comes out – at this point it is a mixed juice. Folding the grass when putting it into the machine can also help it to pull all the way though and produce straight wheatgrass juice. Here are some of our favorites:

• The VERT 400 HD is the newest Omega slow masticating juice extractor. Features a juice tap function for easy mixing, continuous pulp ejection and an auto cleaning feature. Comes in Red or Silver.

• Hurom HH Series Premium Slow Juicer & Smoothie Maker - Hurom's HH Series Juicer brings new features including a Pulp Control Lever, Juice Cap, and both fine and coarse strainers. Enjoy easy smoothies, blended drinks, and juicing of bananas, avacados, nuts, and soy.

Double Auger Juicers: In general, these produce about twice as much foam as single auger juicers when doing wheatgrass. They do grind the food to a finer pulp and thus are able to get a better extraction. If you are planning to juice lots of vegetables and fruits and want to also be able to juice wheatgrass these may be the juicer for you. However, they are more expensive than the single auger juicers.

• GreenStar Elite – This juicer is the most versatile double auger juicer. It is more reasonably prices than the Super Angel. It comes with 3 juicing screens, one for vegetables and wheatgrass, one for soft fruits, and one for sorbets and nut butter. It has many parts but these allow a lot of versatility. When we get complaints on this juicer it is usually that there are so many parts to keep track of, assemble disassemble and clean. All the parts is what makes it so versatile, but then you do have to deal with them.

• Super Angel Juicer – All stainless steel! This makes this juicer very durable but also very expensive. It now comes in 3 different options, the Pro, the Deluxe, and the Deluxe Pro

You may have many questions as you research which juicer is best for you! Please contact us at toll free at 866-948-4727 or by email support@trueleafmarket.com and we would be happy to answer any questions. We will try to beat any price you find on a juicer.

General Questions

Do we ship outside of the US?

Yes, we ship outside of the United States, however we do not ship seed or growing medium (soil). Our shipments outside the US would include trays, books, instructions juicers, and non-agricultural products. Please e-mail us for a shipping quote if you live outside of the US. support@trueleafmarket.com

How can I get rid of Mold?

Mold seems to be inherent with wheatgrass growing. It doesn’t thrive when the weather is cold (if you grow your grass outside), but during the heat of the summer, many people have trouble with mold on their wheatgrass. There are several ways that work sometimes to eliminate mold. Put about one tablespoon of azomite into your watering can. Mix well. Sprinkle onto wheatgrass---or use one tablespoon of real salt (mined in Redmond Utah and available at most health food stores). If this doesn’t eliminate the mold, after the grass is ready, cut what you need, put into a large strainer, power rinse, and then juice.

What are sunflower sprouts vs sunflowergreens?

Sunflower sprouts begin with hulled sunflower seeds. Soak for about 6 hours and then sprout. Sunflower greens begin with unhulled seed (Black Oil Sunflower in the shell). Plant and grow exactly like wheatgrass. It takes about ten days until ready and then it is basically a tall green sprout, 5 to 6 inches tall—use like a salad green.

What do I do with my grass before it begins to get old and yellow?

Sometimes a person grows a flat of wheatgrass and doesn’t use it fast enough. It will start to get yellow. Before that happens, it is better to cut the grass and put it into a plastic bag (with some holes) and then it will keep in the refrigerator for one week. However if one knows he will use it fairly fast, it is better to cut only what one needs for that day to make juice.

How does wheatgrass juice taste compared to barleygrass juice?

Wheatgrass is sickeningly sweet, a strong grass taste. Barleygrass juice is very bitter but easier to take for some people. It is better to take both straight, but some people mix with pineapple juice. If one mixes with a juice, it is better to mix with a canned or bottled juice than a fresh one.

How much wheatgrass juice should I take?

Ann Wigmore recommends that a person begin with one ounce per day. It should be drunk within six minutes after juicing. After a couple of weeks one should then take 2 ounces per day and then gradually increase to 4 ounces per day over a period of a month or two. Increasing gradually and slowly will help a person not to detox too fast.

Should I grow the wheatgrass outside or inside?

It is optional. Your wheatgrass will do better if it is in indirect sun and a fairly cool place. The hot sun of the summer will wilt your grass. 65-75 degrees is the optimal temperature.

What are some good books to learn more about wheatgrass, barleygrass and sprouting?

We like our own book on the subject: Wheatgrass, Sprouts, Microgreens & The Living Food Diet. Other good choices are: Wheatgrass, Nature’s Finest Medicine by Steve Meyerowitz. Other books are: The Wheatgrass Book by Ann Wigmore and The Sprouting Book by Ann Wigmore.

Powdered grass vs. fresh?

We believe that one should eat foods with the maximum number of enzymes. Enzymes = Life Force. Those companies that juice and powder wheatgrass or barleygrass, try very hard to not destroy the enzymes however we believe that the absence of water naturally destroys some of the enzymes. Sometimes people get improvement by using the powder but we believe a high state of health can only be reached by drinking the live juice and eating a diet rich in living, whole foods. In summary, the best option is grow & juice your own. If that option doesn't work for you, we do offer a full line of powdered juices, mixes and supplements.

Question we received by email:

Recently looking at your site for information about wheatgrass and we went to the "medical references" page. It struck us that none of the articles cited are more recent than 1959! In medical terms these articles are outdated and virtually irrelevant. Can you direct us to more recent research?

Thank you for your e-mail. We are glad you visited the site, and took the time to contact us. You make an interesting and provocative observation about the timeliness of the articles posted. In reply to your comments, there is a short answer, and a long one.

The long one is food for an article or even book, and we will pass your question along to one of our contributing authors, as the story about chlorophyll is closely tied with big business, the pharmaceutical, and the medical establishment.

For the short, first of all, we do not claim that the list provided on the site is exhaustive, but it does give quite a bit of background material of importance. In fact, a great deal of that work is still quite relevant in our opinion, and becoming more so by the day.

Second, as you well know, in this day and age research dollars are provided usually with the motive to find ways to make more money. Large pharmaceutical or medical companies, and often the universities or laboratories associated with them, are funded based on the evaluation of the applicability of the work to make new products for new markets. Generally now, the direction is ever more towards the 'genetic manipulation' model, huge budgets, expensive technology, and other accoutrements of big business. Chlorophyll, wheatgrass, raw foods, etc. are not 'big ticket' items, and people are not dependent on an outside entity to supply them. Not much of a market in that.

As you noted by the dates of the research articles, they cluster in the 1930's to 1950's. During those years there was a tremendous push, accelerated by the advent of world war two, to find a suitable, inexpensive, effective antibiotic. Molds, sulphas, and in fact chlorophylls were widely researched via formal funding streams as the motive then was more basic to the problems of infection since penicillin was not yet developed, or in its very early stages. Once penicillin showed such remarkable properties, other research fell off.

I think now there is a resurgence of real, formal investigation in the area of chlorophyll and enzymes, and we only have to go to the works of Pines, or Hagiwara, or Howell. However, giving people MORE control over their lives and health at minimal expense and dependency is not really in the interest of most of the large pharmaceutical or medical entities. As you know, the 'Terminator' grain seed (does not reproduce) is the direction large seed companies are going, not really the reverse.

For us, there is optimism that somehow people are becoming researchers themselves, and our site gives people tools and information they need to participate actively in this. For example, Optimum West Health Center has had many thousands of people pass through their doors who have taken an active role in research and put themselves on the line to do it. This is very exciting, humbling, and can give us hope that we ourselves can participate in this life adventure as effectively and productively as a scientist doing 'research'.

Results of efforts made by participants at Optimum Health Institute, for example, are at the least edifying, and in many cases extraordinary. The formal medical establishment, however, views many of these results as incompatible with modern medicine, and sometimes goes to no small effort to quash certain findings.

Given the above, each person studying in an area such as enzyme nutrition or use of chlorophyllins can in fact become a 'researcher of one' and add to a small, but growing body of knowledge.

The book 'One Straw Revolution' by Matsunobu Fukuoka is highly recommended as a viewpoint that, like 'Be Your Own Doctor' by Ann Wigmore, puts the responsibility on each of us to pursue and investigate life in the ways that intrigue us, not necessarily look to others.

We hope you continue your investigations and research in this area, and hope you will share with us findings you would like others to know about.