So, what's all the hype about?

In this instance, the hype is all fact. In addition to being loaded with micro-nutrients, wheat grass also contains high concentrations of raw protein, chlorophyll, calcium, Lysine, and vitamin C. Wheat grass is a true superfood and has been shown to provide a range of benefits including:

- Replenishing blood cells

- Restoring balance in the body

- Providing nourishment to critical organs including the kidneys, liver, and heart

- Flushing toxins from the body

- Supplying raw energy

A single ounce of wheat grass juice provides the nutritional value found in 2.4 pounds of raw, fresh vegetables.

This value is derived from the 30 enzymes and the 70% chlorophyll content found in freshly juiced wheat grass. And as most of us don't get the recommended eight servings of fruits and vegetables in our daily diet, being able to obtain the equivalent nutritional value in a one ounce shot of juice is certainly an attractive alternative.

Many people are now growing their own wheat grass in their kitchen, or anywhere there is ample sunlight. Utilizing a wheat grass juicer, or even a household blender (not recommended as you lose much of the nutritional value via the high speed blending process), you can save that $2-$4 dollars you would pay in a juice shop and make your own juice at home.

Wheat grass is the young seedlings of wheat plants. It's fast and easy to cultivate and can be grown in containers ranging from plastic cups to full size plant trays. Follow these steps to grow your own nutrition-rich wheat grass:

1. Obtain a bag of wheat berries (seed). They can generally be found in any natural food store for around a dollar per pound. They keep well, so stock up and store the extra in a darkened pantry.

2. Determine what you want to use to grow the plants in. You can use any container that is at least two inches deep. A used flat from a gardening project is ideal. And if you can find one with drainage holes, even better. Otherwise poke an appropriate number of small holes in the bottom of your selected container.

3. Select the wheat berries you intend to plant. There should be enough to completely cover the surface of the planting container. Err on the side of too many rather than too few. Soak the selected wheat berries, or seed, in clean cold water for eight hours.

4. Add soil to your container to a depth of at least two inches. Any type of good potting soil should be sufficient. Spread the seeds over the top of the dirt. Use enough to completely cover the planting area.

5. Although not strictly necessary, it's helpful to cover the seeds in a light layer of moss of some type. I typically use Spanish moss, breaking it up and sprinkling it over the seeds. But any dry type will do.

6. Water the plants well and cover the container with a thin sheet of plastic. Sandwich wrap or the like can be used as long as light is able to get through.

7. After a couple of days, the seeds should have germinated and the plastic can be removed. Make sure the plants are positioned to get ample sunlight. Mine grow on the counter beneath a kitchen window.

8. To avoid mold (a common problem), mist the plants daily with a mixture of water, baking soda, and kelp extract. Assuming a 16 ounce spray bottle, fill with water and add two tablespoons of kelp extract and a quarter tablespoon of baking soda.

9. Once the grass has reached 3-4 inches in height, it's ready to be harvested. Just cut around 3/4 of it's length to allow the blades to regrow.

10. To juice your harvested grass, you'll need a wheat grass juicer (a fruit juicer will not work due to the high speed process which will destroy the delicate enzymes in the wheat grass). An alternative is to put a half cup of water in a blender, throw in the grass, blend at a low speed, and filter the mixture through a fine strainer. But even this method will destroy many of the enzymes, reducing the nutritional value of the resulting mixture.