Wheatgrass “Juice” in a Vitamix
by Robin Russell
Wheatgrass is a nutrient dense superfood high in many different vitamins and minerals. It is especially high in vitamins A, C and E, as well as iron, magnesium, calcium and amino acids. Like all green plants, wheatgrass also consists of chlorophyll, a type of green plant pigment associated with many health benefits (Healthline.com).
Given that it is not very digestible in its whole state, most people consume wheatgrass as a juice. This makes the nutrients more available to the body. Wheatgrass is best juiced in a masticating juicer as opposed to a centrifugal juicer because they are slower and produce less heat that can damage the antioxidants. Wheatgrass juiced in a a centrifugal juicer will also need to be strained to remove pulp and bits of fibre and this step is not needed with a masticating juicer.
If you do not have a masticating juicer but do have a Vitamix or equivalent blender, you make a wheatgrass “juice” by blending it in some water. The amount of water depends on how strong you want the final product to be. I watched a few videos on this and most people just wing in. One video showed a one to one ratio of wheatgrass to water so that could be a starting point if you’re not sure.
A Vitamix does a good job at pulverizing wheatgrass so there is not a lot of pulp left over. You may still wish to filter it through a coffee filter to get a nice smooth end product.
If you are concerned about a Vitamix overheating the wheatgrass and damaging the nutrients, the following measures can help avoid this issue:
- Use ice cold water.
- Add a couple of ice cubes to the water.
- Chill your blender container beforehand.
- Blend only as long as needed to pulverize the wheatgrass.
- Do not blend on the maximum speed.
You can make a large batch of blended wheatgrass “juice” and freeze it in ice cube trays for a quick convenient wheatgrass shot on busier days. Consider using a silicone ice cube try for easier removal of the wheatgrass cubes. Having frozen wheatgrass cubes makes it really easy to add to a morning smoothie. If you like the flavour of wheatgrass you could also use the cubes in a plain glass of water. The green cubes would look very pretty.
If you’d like to watch a video on this, check out YouTube with searches such as:
Wheatgrass Vitamix
Wheatgrass without a juicer
For more information on wheatgrass check out the following article on Healthline.com.