About Author:
Ravi Kant
B.Pharm
Maharshi arvind institute of pharmacy, jaipur
rvkantyadav00@gmail.com
1. Introduction:-
Wheat grass consists of carbohydrates, proteins, all essential minerals and vitamins. As wheat grass juice bears a closer resemblance to the " haemogolobin " in our blood, the juice is often called as " green blood" and the therapy using it is called as " green blood therapy" wheat grass juice is complete food. Wheatgrass (baby wheat) juice is an extremely natural food. Since Dr. Anne Wigmore rediscovered the nutritional qualities of wheatgrass juice in 1960, the juice has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world to overcome serious health problems.
However wheatgrass juice is not a panacea. If you continue to consume processed foods, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, burned foods and other toxic substances that can make you ill, a few milliliters of wheatgrass juice each day won't make much difference. Instead, try consuming a predominately (or entirely) raw food diet with organic wheatgrass juice. You will most likely experience a world of improvement.
REFERENCE ID: PHARMATUTOR-ART-1674
Wheatgrass juice consists of over 100 elements. They have been isolated by scientists and concluded that it is a complete food. Only 140g of fresh wheatgrass is the nutritional equivalent of 3kg's of the choicest vegetables.
The solid content of wheatgrass is approximated 70% chlorophyll, and the chlorophyll molecule in wheatgrass is almost identical to the hemoglobin molecule in human blood.
'GREEN GOLD'- WHEAT GRASS THERAPY WITH OTHER DRUGLESS THERAPIES:-
During research on wheat grass effect on diseased human body showed very remarkable results comparing with other methods of medication as follows:
In a way Allopathy always related to a diseased part but wheat grass juice (a natural form) has tendency of cleaning out disease and vigorate energy to fight disease.
-As Nature Cure where fast, juice therapy, hydrotherapy etc. are the best pilot to get best results of wheat grass therapy.
-Acupressure and Acupuncture technique mainly act on relieving pain due to 'nerve block' by giving pressure or pricking needle on particular point. This helps to energies power to break the block through channel where as wheat grass juice has two main properties one as to cleans out dead cell and build good quality of hemoglobin to give more energy to remove disease health problem.
-Magnet therapy also based on to react on to reduces the pain or give energy for a better blood circulation. Here wheat grass has same type of quality in the form of application or intaking.
This shows the relationship of wheat grass as single helps at many cases. The wheat grass approach is more natural, easy and economical compared to the other systems of therapies.
Therefore it is said also that "Wheat is the whole man:brain, nerves, muscle, blood and organic life, all their best"
Modern medicine like allopathy is found to direct devitalizing the intestinal canal and resulting it to a source of disease, which may be the cause of premature salinity and death. Most of medicinal illeffects and disease not only every organ and tissue of body but chiefly in intestinal track towards colon.
There are two benefactor bacteria called B.Befides and B.Acidophilas and a B.Welchi as pernicious bacteria in the intestine. For this wheat grass juice is only best natural medicine as intake or in the form of enema to colon help to encourage the growth of B.Acidophiles and become stronger to eliminate the pernicious bacteria B.Welchi.
Wheat or wheat grass has a very rich quality of vitamin E as an anti-sterility. Intestinal fold usually can be cleaned with the help of fibrous element, which strongly helps through any form of wheat.
The relationship between Wheat Grass Juice and The Human Blood:-
It has been scientifically proved that molecule of human blood- Haemoglobin and that of wheat grass- Chlorophyll are exactly the same. The HEALTHY HUMAN BLOOD is bit Alkaline with pH 7.4 which is the case with the WHEAT GRASS also. Proportion of hydrogen molecules pH 7.4 is same proportion and alkaline in The Wheat Grass. Only the colour of wheat grass is green because of chlorophyll unlike human Blood, which is red.
Wheat grass possesses some of most essential requirements such as like vitamins, mineral, proteins etc which the human body needs. The most potent of the minerals amongst them obtained in wheat grass is Magnesium whereas the human blood contains iron. The Amino Acids, Lysine, Nethionnine also ample storage of Proteins, a rare Carotene, Vitamins A, C, E. Help to activate almost 30 enzymes nourishing every living cell of the human body. The important property of ‘wheat grass juice’ - CHLOROPHYLL. Is a cure-all?
CHLOROPHYLL contained in wheat grass, which I would like to refer to as ‘ GREEN GOLD’ helps to increase the Haemoglobin count in the blood and the circulation of pure blood results in healing process restoring good health. The factor ‘Hemin’ found in the human blood is similar to the Chlorophyll. This maintains a harmonious balance in the human systems.
Benefits: - GREENGOLD with its rich properties help in some extent curing number of sufferings (about 350) can be cured such
General Weakness,
Anemia,
Malnutrition,
Insomnia,
Headache,
Joint pains,
Arthritis,
Kidney disorders
Ear Pain,
Dental Problems,
Weak Eyesight,
Balancing Fat in the body,
Coronary problems,
Balancing Cholesterol,
Menstrual problems,
Anemia,
High Blood Pressure,
Anthroclolasis,
Internal Hemorrhage.
It helps curing the respiratory system like Bronchitis, Asthma, Common Cold and in the digestive systems likeWorms, Swelling and sore Throat, Diabetes, Ulcers in the stomach and intestines, Acidity, Constipation, Indigestion, Nausea, Piles etc.
This also has tremendous power to cure skin problems like Burns Insect Bites, Wounds, Psoriasis and much type Cancers. Wheat grasses paste (chatni) on facial helps in beautification whereas also cure in most of skin problem bymassaging.
This is an ultimate of increase blood count, hemoglobin etc. Wheat grass does not kill germs or bacteria but stops further growth of disease.
2. WHEAT: -
Classification:-
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Class: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Subclass: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Order: Cyperales
Family: Poaceae – Grass family
Genus: Triticum L.– wheat
Species: Triticum aestivum L. – common wheat
U.S.WeedInformation:-
Triticum aestivum L.
This plant can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below. This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. Click on an acronym to view each weed list, or click here for a composite list of Weeds of the U.S.
Folk Medicine:-
According to Hartwell (1967–1971), the seeds are used in folk remedies for cancers, corns, tumors, warts, and whitlow. Reported to be antivinous, bilious, demulcent, discutient, diuretic, emollient, excipient, intoxicant, laxative, useful as a poultice, restorative, sedative, used as a shampoo and vulnerary, common wheat is a folk remedy for burns, cancer, diarrhea, dysentery, ecchymosis, epistaxis, fertility, fever, flux, gravel, hematuria, hemoptysis, hemorrhage, incontinence, leprosy, leucorrhea, menorrhagia, neurasthenia, nightsweat, perspiration, scald, tumor, warts, whitlow, and wounds (Duke and Wain, 1981).
Chemistry:-
Per 100 g, the grain is reported to contain 326–335 calories, 11.57–14.0 g H2O, 9.4–14.0 g protein, 1.8–2.5 g fat, 69.1–75.4 g total carbohydrate, 1.8–2.3 g fiber, 1.7 g ash, 36–46 mg Ca, 354–400 mg P, 3.0–4.3 mg Fe, 370–435 mg K, 0.43–0.66 mg thiamine, 0.11–0.12 mg riboflavin, and 4.3–5.3 mg niacin. The grain contains allantoin plus uricase; sinapic acid has been isolated from wheat germ. The grain is said to cause poisoning in stock, though no toxic principle has been found. Wheat can absorb toxic concentrations of selenium but "selenium" wheat rarely causes poisoning (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962). One kg of grain contains 0.03 mg As2O3; grain also contains Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, and Cu. Amino acid composition is shown in the Table from the Wealth of India.
Essential amino acids in wheat proteins (after Wealth of India)
Inner endosperm (%)
Outer endosperm (%)
Bran (%)
Germ (%)
Whole wheat (%)
|
Arginine |
2.92 |
4.50 |
7.53 |
6.20 |
3.81 |
|
Histidine |
1.65 |
1.74 |
1.68 |
3.03 |
1.65 |
|
Isoleucine |
7.02 |
6.56 |
4.50 |
5.23 |
6.97 |
|
Leucine |
9.14 |
7.98 |
6.52 |
7.33 |
8.27 |
|
Lysine |
1.92 |
2.60 |
3.87 |
5.44 |
2.80 |
|
Methionine |
1.12 |
1.40 |
1.09 |
1.28 |
1.32 |
|
Phenylalanine |
3.95 |
3.43 |
2.45 |
2.47 |
3.68 |
|
Threonine |
2.56 |
2.72 |
2.85 |
6.28 |
2.78 |
|
Tryptophan |
0.93 |
1.12 |
1.83 |
0.90 |
1.03 |
|
Valine |
3.65 |
4.02 |
4.10 |
4.20 |
4.00 |
Wheat germ oil is rich in tocopherols (vit. E) and essential fatty acids. Sitosterol, ergosterol, and campesterol, phospatidic and glyceroinositophosphatidic acids, phytoglycolipid, serine, etc., are also reported. Wheat contains ca 1% pectin. Wheat bran oil is also high in tocopherols, 68% of which is epsilon-tocopherol. Alpha-tocopherol, which has the highest vit. E activity of the tocopherols, constitutes only 11% of the tocopherols in the bran oil. Much more detail on wheat chemistry can be found in the Wealth of India (C.S.I.R., 1948–1976). Fresh forage contains 30–35% DM, of which (ZMB) 8.6–23.3% is CP, 15.1–21.5% CF, 6.1–11.6% ash, 1.8–3.7% EE, and 40.1–66.0 NFE. Straw, on the other hand, contains 92.0% DM, of which 3.1% is CP, 45.4% CF, 10.2% ash, 1.1% EE, and 40.2% NFE. Indian hay (ZMB) contained 5.1% CP, 35.1% CF, 7.2% ash, 1.3% EE, and 51.3% NFE; Indian silage 3.5% Cp, 39.4% CF, 14.6% ash, 0.5% EE, and 42.0% NFE (Gohl, 1981). Leaf protein isolate contains (g/16g N): methionine, 2.39; tryptophane, 1.41; histidine, 1.97; arginine, 9.16; and total lysine.
Description:-
Annual grass; culms simple, erect, hollow or pithy, glabrous, up to 1.2 m tall; leaves flat, narrow, 20–38 cm long, about 1.3 cm broad; spikes long, slender, dorsally compressed, somewhat flattened; rachis tough, not separating from spikelet at maturity; spikelets 2–5-flowered, relatively far apart on stem, slightly overlapping, nearly erect, pressed close to rachis; glumes keeled in upper half, firm, glabrous, shorter than the lemmas; lemmas awned or awnless, less than 1.3 cm long; paler as long as the lemma, remaining entire at maturity; caryopsis free-threshing, soft or hard, red or white. Hexaploid.
Germplasm:-
Reported from the China-Japan, Hindustani, and Central Asia Centers of Diversity, wheat, or cvs thereof, is reported to tolerate alkali, bunt, disease, drought, herbicide, hydrogen flouride, high pH, laterite, low pH, mildew, salt, nematodes, phage, rust, smog, smut, and virus (Duke, 1978).
This species is the source of most US wheat cvs, there being >200 named cvs cultivated in the United States. Many other cvs exist elsewhere. Since so many cvs are available, one should consult the agricultural agent of a particular region to ascertain which ones are best for, that particular area. No attempt will be made here to describe these cvs, except to indicate they are classified in the following manner:
Hard red spring wheats yielding high quality bread flour; Hard red winter wheats producing superior bread flours; Soft red winter wheats yielding flour for cakes and biscuits; Durum wheat hybrids yielding hard kernels made into semolina for macaroni products; red durum hybrids used in mixed wheat flours; white wheats yielding grain for breakfast foods, flour for cakes, pastries, and crackers, and various mixed wheats used mostly for feeds for livestock.
Distribution:-
T. aestivum known only under cultivation; its nativity has been lost. Briggle (1981) states, "The precise origin of the wheat plant as we know it today is not known. Wheat evolved from wild grasses, probably somewhere in the Near East. A very likely place of origin is the area known in early historical times as the Fertile Crescent—a region with rich soils in the upper reaches of the Tigris-Euphrates drainage basin.
Ecology:-
Ranging from Boreal Moist to Rain through Tropical Very Dry to Dry Forest Life Zones, wheat is reported to tolerate annual precipitation of 1.9 to 25.0 dm (mean of 162 cases = 7.9), annual temperature of 4.9 to 27.8°C (mean of 162 cases = 13.4), and pH of 4.5 to 8.3 (mean of 141 cases = 6.5) (Duke, 1978).
Adapted to a wide variety of climatic conditions. Principal wheat-growing areas of the world have similar growing conditions: the Russian prairies, the fertile pampas of Argentina, the Wheat belt of United States, all have fertile dark soils rich in nitrogen; rather hot, cloudless summers; rainfall which, although low, is well-distributed.
A good wheat soil has physical structure which holds together, making good water retention and favorable conditions for nitrate formation. Hot, humid conditions are unfavorable for wheat-growing.
Cultivation:-
Propagation by seeds. Use minimum number of tillage operations to help prevent soil compaction and restriction of root and water penetration. The two principal purposes for preparing a seedbed are the development of nitrates and the conservation of moisture.
In areas where rainfall is limited, as in western Kansas, summer fallowing is the most successful method for storing and conserving soil moisture. Good summer fallow is one in which the soil is kept free of plant growth and the soil surface is kept open to permit rapid penetration of moisture, and cloddy to prevent wind and water erosion.
Avoid excessive turning up of new soil because such tillage dries out the soil. Start first tillage in spring as soon as weeds begin to grow, usually about May 1. After the first tillage, cultivate soil only enough to prevent weed growth and to maintain a rough surface. In some areas stubble mulch tillage method of fallowing is practiced, by which enough residue is anchored to soil surface to protect the crop and soil from wind and water erosion. Contour and stripe planting may be used.
Cultivation of soil well in advance of seeding hastens the decay of organic matter, thus liberating nitrogen and making it available to plants as nitrates. Early seedbed preparation is necessary for highest yields. Crop rotation of fallow, wheat, and sorghum is an excellent practice in some areas. Date of planting wheat seed depends on the locality, type of wheat, and the hessian fly problem. Rates of seeding differ with the type of wheat, size of seed, and locality, varying from 22–100 kg/ha, generally 33 kg/ha is recommended.
Local agents should be consulted about weed control. Irrigated wheat averages 86.25 bu/ha instead of 65.5 bu/ha. Wheat uses about 60 cm of water throughout the growing season. The type of fertilizer used should be determined by a soil test.
The three main types being nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. However, moisture, rather than plant food nutrients, is the limiting factor in production in most seasons under dryland farming. Yield response to nitrogen fertilizer is determined by moisture, soil, type of seedbed, and crop stand. Nitrogen may be supplied with anhydrous ammonia, nitrogen solution, or in dry forms as ammonium nitrate, urea or in mixed fertilizers. Phosphate is best supplied with superphosphate or in a mixed fertilizer. Potassium is best supplied with muriate of potash or in a mixed fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer and potash may be broadcast and worked into the seedbed before seeding or applied at time of seeding by using a combination fertilizer-grain drill, or applied as a top-dressing during the winter just prior to spring growth. Superphosphates are usually placed in the row with the seed (Reed, 1976).
Harvesting:-
Winter wheat is most widely used for temporary pasture crop. It can be grazed without apparent injury to the grain crop, provided it is not grazed severely over an extended period of time or too late in the spring. Pasturing should not begin in fall until plants have become firmly rooted. Grazing should be discontinued just before plants begin to grow erect in preparation for jointing.
Harvesting the grain should be delayed until the wheat is sufficiently mature to store well, with moisture content of 13.5% or less under ordinary conditions. Wheat is harvested with combine properly adjusted to minimize grain losses. Storage bins should be cleaned and treated before grain is placed in them. Seed storage to 3 years in dry storage bins.
Yields and Economics:-
In general, yields of wheat vary from 40.4 to 65.1 bu/ha, with higher yields up to 85 bu/ha obtained with irrigation. Yields depend on climatic conditions, variety or cultivar of wheat planted, size of kernel, and number of kernels per head. Production figures presented by Briggle (1981) showed Iran rather low with 1,100 kg/ha ranging to West Germany with 4,110 kg/ha, cf the US with 2,040 kg/ha. In the US, Ohio was high with 3,162 kg/ha compared with South Dakota at 1,608 kg/ha. In 1979 the world low production yield figure was 160 kg/ha in Jordan, the international production was 1,782 kg/ha, and the world high production yield was 7,000 in U.A.E. (FAO, 1980a). Dibb (1983) compares US yields of 2,100 kg/ha to 1,300 kg/ha in the developing countries and a world reported record of 14,500 kg/ha.
Wheat is one of the most important food plants of man. It enters into international trade more than any other food. World production in 1971 was 303 million metric tons. Major producers are, in order, United States, USSR, China, Canada, France, Italy, Indian Union, Argentina, Australia, and Pakistan. The economic stability of many nations is affected by the exchange in wheat and other commodities (Reed, 1976).
Energy:-
According to the phytomass files (Duke, 1981b), annual productivity ranges from 4 to 18 MT/ha. Chaff is estimated to constitute 25% of the grain. Wheat straw is calculated at 1/2–2 times grain yield, more frequently, 1 1/2 times. However, in some countries, wheat biomass averages more than 6 MT/ha, double this if double cropped. The highest phytomass figure to date in our files is 18 MT/ha/yr. Australians figure that methanol produced from wheat stubble is about 7 times as expensive per GJ as Kuwaite oil, but half as expensive as ethanol from wheat grain (Dollar A 1.25 per GJ for oil, 8.8 for methanol from stubble, 14.1–15.4 for ethanol from grain) (Boardman, 1980). Research reiterated by Palz and Chartier (1980) indicated that straw from winter wheat, summer wheat, winter barley, summer barley, winter rye, and oats all gave calorific values based on moisture-free dry matter of 17.04 (± 5%) MJ/kg, or based on air dry matter 15.06 (± 3.5%) MJ/kg. High N fertilization raised calorific values by ca 425 KJ/kg. Increasing moisture content from 14 to 20% reduced calorific value by 9%.
Since straw available as feedstock is normally air-dry, a calorific value of 15 MJ/kg is assumed by Palz and Chartier (1980) for all cereal varieties and species. The assumed grain straw ratio for:
Wheat is 1.23
Barley is 1.45
Oats is 1.16
Rye is 0.70
Cereals are 1.10
Elsewhere Palz and Chartier assume 17.5 MJ/kg as the typical energy value for the dry matter of herbaceous materials. Reducing Kvech's (1979) numbers by 10% to convert approximately to DM yields for residues, we have the following figures for Kourim, Czechoslovakia, rounded to the nearest MT: Medicago sativa, 7;Trifolium pratense, 4; Vicia faba, 4; Avena sativa, 3; Ollie perenne, 3; Secale cereale, 3; Trifolium repens, 3; Triticum aestivum, 3; Brassica Tapa, 2;Hordeum vulgare, 2; Phacelia tanacelifolia, 2; Beta vulgaris, 1; Sinapis alba, 1; Solanum tuberosum, 1. The harvest index of cereals in general is ca 0.36, meaning that 64% of total above ground crop production is residue, at least 1/3 of which should be left in the field. 'Prior' barley has the HI ranging from 0.48 to 0.41 with increasing N fertilizer levels. Wheat usually runs about 0.30 to 0.35 HI. Rice often has a high HI, while grain sorghum generally has a low HI. The 'Green Revolution' cereals with short straw and high grain yields have relatively high HI. Biomass engineers might prefer a low HI.
The estimated cost of ethanol and methanol from cereal grains is USD 0.35 per liter, and USD0.16 per liter; the overall energy efficiency, i.e. the ratio of the energy value of the gross liquid fuel output to the total energy inputs including feed stocks is 0.34 for ethanol and 0.40 for methanol. For each ton of ethanol produced from cereal grains, there is another ton of dry distiller's residue, valued in the U.S. as animal feed (Stewart et al. 1979).
Briggle's figures show that fertilizer constitutes the biggest energy input for spring wheat, 2,102,000 Btu/ha out of a total energy input of 5,646,000 Btu/ha, compared with 3,401,000 out of 7,478 for winter wheat. Preplanting required 1,025,000 Btu/ha for spring wheat, 994,000 for winterwheat; planting takes 268,000–235,000, fertilizer application 10,000–57,000, pesticide application 18,000–44,000, pesticides 14,000–60,000, irrigation 146,000–953,000, harvesting 257,000–398,000, truck 271,000–368,000, grain handling 7,000–15,000, farm pickup 763,000–800,000, farm auto 220,000–233,000, electricity and overhead, 42,000, miscellaneous 54,000 to 326,000 Btu/ha (Briggle, 1981). Briggle's earlier work (1980) showed wide variation in output/input ratios, the highest ratio (4.64) representing hard red spring wheat yields of ca 4.7 MT/ha (equiv. 15,500,000 kcal/ha) from energy inputs of only 3,350,000 kcal/ha in Idaho, the lowest ratio being 0.43, representing Texan winter wheat yields of ca 2.4 MT/ha. Energy inputs ranged from 2–18 million kcal/ha and yields from ca 1,000 to 5,000 kg. Briggle (1980) adds that wheat is an energy frugal crop, produced with the energy equivalent of less than 5 barrels oil/ha compared to corn at closer to 10 barrels and potatoes at nearly 25.
Biotic Factors:-
Wheats are attacked by many fungi and other organisms. Some cvs are resistant to the various rusts, smuts, and virus diseases. The most important fungal diseases of wheats are the following. Extension agents should be consulted concerning diseases in an area before growing wheat. Also cvs should be selected for growing which are resistant to such diseases. Fungal diseases of wheat: Rusts (Stem or Black rust, Puccinia graiminis f. sp. tritici; Leaf or Brown rust, P. recondita; Stripe or Yellow rust, P. glumarum); Smuts (Bunt or Covered smut, Tilletia caries and T. foetida; Dwarf Loose smut, Ustilago tragic); Mildews (Downy mildew,Sclerospora macrospora; Powdery mildew, Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici); Root rots (Common root rot, Helminthosporium spp. and Fusarium spp.; Take-all root rot, Ophiobolus graminis; Browning root rot, Pythium spp.); Foot rots (Eye spot, Cercosporella herpotrichoides; Snow mold, Fusarium spp.); Blights and Scabs (Head blight or scab, Fusarium spp.; Rhizoctonia blight, Rhizoctonia spp.; Typhula blight, Typhula spp.; Anthracose, Colletotrichum graminicola; Kernel smudge, Helminthosporium spp., Alternaria spp.); Blotches (Glume blotch, Septoria nodorum; Leaf blotch, S. tritici; Speckled leaf disease, Leptosphaeria avenaria f. sp. triticea; Ergot, Claviceps purpurea. Diseases caused by bacteria include the following: Pseudomonas atrofaciens (Basal glume rot or bacterial black-tip) and Xanthomonas transluscens f. sp. undulosa
Diseases caused by viruses include the following: Wheat mosaic, Wheat streak mosaic, Wheat striate mosaic, and Yellow dwarf. Insect pests encountered in various areas include: English grain aphid is the most common aphid affecting wheat, attacking the heads and being very damaging when populations become high prior to the late-dough stage. Other insects and cutworms, darkling beetles, hessian fly, and salt marsh caterpillars, may cause damage during the seedling stage. A great number of species of nematodes have been isolated from wheats in various parts of the world.
Where nematodes are a problem, the agricultural agent should be consulted.
Chemical Analysis of Biomass Fuels:-
Analysing 62 kinds of biomass for heating value, Jenkins and Ebeling (1985) reported a spread of 17.51 to 16.49 MJ/kg, compared to 13.76 for weathered rice straw to 23.28 MJ/kg for prune pits. On a % DM basis, the straw contained 71.30% volatiles, 8.90% ash, 19.80% fixed carbon, 43.20% C, 5.00% H, 39.40% O, 0.61% N, 0.11% S, 0.28% Cl, and undetermined residue.
Analysing 62 kinds of biomass for heating value, Jenkins and Ebeling (1985) reported a spread of 16.20 to 15.16 MJ/kg, compared to 13.76 for weathered rice straw to 23.28 MJ/kg for prune pits. On a % DM basis, the dust contained 69.85% volatiles, 13.68% ash, 16.47% fixed carbon, 41.38% C, 5.10% H, 35.19% O, 3.04% N, 0.19% S, and undetermined residue.
Uses:-
Common wheat, best known and most widely cultivated of the wheats, is cultivated for the grain, used whole or ground. Fine ground, it is the source of flour for the world's breadmaking. Main use is for flour and bread-stuffs known by various names throughout the world. Grain also is the source of alcoholic beverages, beer, industrial alcohol made into synthetic rubber and explosives. Bran from flour milling also an important livestock feed; germ is valuable addition to feed concentrate. Grain fed to livestock whole or coarsely ground. Starch is used for pastes and sizing textiles. Straw made into mats, carpets, baskets, and used for packing material, cattle bedding, and paper manufacturing. Some wheat is cut for hay. Wheat grown for grain crop is also used for pasture before the stems elongate and as a temporary pasturage; it is nutritious and palatable.
3.Wheat Grass:-
(WHEAT GRASS)
Wheat grass therapy is the consumption of a freshly prepared extract prepared from tender wheat grass shoots.
Wheat grass is one of the best sources of chlorophyll, although chlorophyll is present in all green plants. Chemically, chlorophyll is similar to hemin which is contained in haemoglobin of the blood. The only difference between them is that magnesium is in the centre of chlorophyll molecules while iron is in the center of hemin molecules.
Haemoglobin structure & function:-
· Haemoglobin is found in red blood cells.
· The haemoglobin molecule is a tetramer consisting of 4 polypeptide chains, known as globins, which are usually:
· 2 alpha chains that are each 141 amino acids long.
· 2 beta chains that are each 146 amino acids long
· Attached to each chain is an iron-containing molecule known as haem
Oxygen is transported in combination with the iron molecule of the haem group (this is an oxygeation reaction, not an oxidation)
The number and arrangement of hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen molecules is similar. Magnesium found in the protons of chlorophyll is essential for about 30 enzymes of our body and for this reason, wheat-grass is also called green-blood! The pH of both is 7.4, which is why wheat-grass is readily absorbed in the blood. Besides chlorophyll, wheat grass contains vitamins A, B, C, E, Laetrile-B17, carbohydrates, proteins, fat and all the minerals essential for our body. Wheat grass is also a potent germicide.
Wheat grass therapy has been used to cure a variety of illnesses. It has been used very effectively to cure anaemia (drop in the percentage of haemoglobin in the blood). Its germicidal properties have been used to cure many disorders of the digestive system. Extracts of Laetrile-B17 have also been used to cure cancer.
Chlorophyll purifies the blood, boosts the functioning of the heart and has a favourable effect on blood vessels, intestines, lungs and kidneys. Wheat grass can be considered to be a complete food and is safe without any side effects. The best part of wheat grass is that it is almost free when grown at home.2
Wheatgrass therapy is essential for patients suffering from diseases like Asthma, Parkinson's disease, Joint pains, TB, Constipation, Hypertension, Diabetes, Bronchitis, Insomnia, Eczema, Sterility, High BP, Anaemia, Ladies problems, Breast Lumps, Hemorrhage, Obesity and Flatulence and CANCER.
Nutrition value of Wheat Grass:-
30 grams of Wheatgrass is equivalent in vitamins, minerals and amino acids to 1.5 Kilo of fresh green leaf vegetables. Wheatgrass is one of the richest natural sources of vitamins A, complete B complex, B-17, C, E, and K. In addition, Wheatgrass is an excellent source of Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Sulfur, Cobalt, Zinc, 17 forms of amino acids and enzymes.
Wheatgrass has 22 Amino acids, 19 Enzymes and 102 minerals besides Vitamins A, B, C, K etc.
CULTIVATION PROCESS OF WHEAT GRASS
4. Method of growing wheat grass: -
1) Take seven pots of small size with depth.
2) Fill them with normal natural soil.
(Never mix with any fertilizer).
3) Soak about 100gms. Of wheat seeds (grains) of good quality in water for 12 hours.
4) Allow them to sprout.
5) Sow them in one pot each day for seven days by spreading on the bed covered with soil.
6) Sprinkle water (not pour) on fertile organic soil for seven days.
7) Do not over-expose to direct Sunlight.
8) On the eight day, wheat grass would have grown to a length of about 6-7 inches.
9) Cut the grass at root level and pluck. There you are with a bunch of wheat grass for your.
10) Reuse the first pot by adding fresh soil and sprout and continue this process.
By following the above process systematically one would be assured of a regular harvest of a bunch of wheat grass day after day.
Wheat grass may also be grown in water or sand with utmost care.
Properties:-
Wheat grass in appearance is like any other grass- green in colour, soothing and cooling. It tastes sweet. It is detoxicant and alkaline. Wheat grass juice gets easily absorbed in blood. It purifies blood, energies the body and helps to increase the reasistance power.
5. How to use Wheat Grass:-
Wheat grass is cut at the root level and washed with water. To preserve it fresh for about a week, it may be wrapped in food grade polythene sheet and placed in the refrigerator (not in freezer). This can be eaten by chewing or consumed in the form of juice.
The roughage or fiber, which becomes white, may be discarded. However it may be noted that fiber helps for digestion. Fibre has cellulose, polysaccharides composed mainly of pentoses (sugar) and legnin-the only woody part of grass, which has no carbohydrates. This affects the functions of alimentary tract including colon and rectum by providing non-calorific bulk. This interacts with toxic substances that may be canceroglenic, which get diluted in the faeces and get eliminated from the system. Regular intake of wheat grass thus helps digestion, constipation, acidity, colitis problems etc.
Method of administration of Wheat Grass Juice:-
ELECTRIC JUICER
Wheat grass juice may be extracted using an electric mixer, adding a couple of ice cubes. A hand juicer is preferable to get natural value. For, in an electric Juicer, the heat generataed by electric impulses results in oxidations of the juice.
It is not advisable to keep the juice in a refrigerator for a long time, as this would diminish its strength. Fresh juice may be diluted with little water or blended with sweetlime / grapejuice or honey. It is Best TO AVOID ANY SPICES, SALT OR SYNTHETIC SUGAR FOR TASTE. It would be ideal to take food 45 Mts. after the intake of the juice.Wheat grass may also be cut into small pieces and sprinkled on salads or raita etc. One more I would like to mention here is eating wheat sprouts or wheat sprout milk is extraordinary megavitamin for everybody.
How much quantity of juice (Dosage):-
One may start consuming about 30 ml of juice per day and gradually increase to 100 ml., that would be ideal. A 21-day course is recommended for best results. Observance of fast at least for a day during this course, containing to liquid intake only, would be of much help. For some of the severe ailments, natural diet is to be performed over cooked food, during the course of treatment. Other medicines prescribed by other medical practitioners may be stopped gradually but not abruptly.
WHEAT GRASS JUICE
6. Chlorophyll and Blood Re-generation:-
Chlorophyll is the substance which makes green plants green. The chlorophyll molecule has the unique capacity to convert the energy of the sun into chemical energy ( through photosynthesis) which the plant uses to make carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water. Ultimately, all living things plant and animal drive their energy, and therefore their life, from solar energy through photosynthesis.
Yet, chlorophyll is not so unique in its chemical make-up. It is built around a structure known as a porphyry ring, which occurs in variety of natural organic molecule. The most interesting group of molecules which contain porphyry rings are those involved in cellular respiration, or the transportation and consumption of oxygen.
These include haemoglobin , myoglobin and the cytochromes. Haemoglobin is of course, the substance in human blood which carries oxygen from the lungs to the other tissues and cells of the body.
Structures of Heme and Chlorophyll Molecules:-
The two structures are very similar. The most apparent difference between them is that the porphyrin ring of haemoglobin is built around iron (Fe), while the pophyrin ring of chlorophyll is built around magnesium (Mg). The chemical similarity between hemoglobin and chlorophyll was first suggested by Verdel in 1855, and specifically demonstrated in the early 1920s.
In the twenty year that followed, a considerable amount of research was done to see if the two substance were interconvertible in the body. We discuss this research in the following section. we would first like to point out, however, that the claim that chlorophyll and hemoglobin are directly interchangeable is over simplifying the relationship between these two complex molecules.
Early work done in several laboratories suggested that the relationship between haemoglobin and chlorophyll was not only chemical, but biological as well. In 1934 Dr.Rothemund and colleagues reported that the porphyrins from chlorophyll could stimulted the synthesis of red blood cells in a variety of animals , but only when fed in small doses. Drs. Hughes and Latner fed several doses and forms of chlorophyll to anemic rabbits in 1936.
Extremely small doses of purified chlorophyll or large doses of " a crude chlorophyll extract" a very favourable effect on haemoglobin regeneration". They suggested that " the chlorophyll is acting as a physiological stimulant of the bone marrow and is not reall
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