Grasses, Grains, and Seeds

Kamut Grass
Kamut wheat (Triticum durum) is referred to as an ancient grain because it has not been altered using modern agricultural methods. It has a sweet, nutty flavor. The grain itself is extremely high in protein. It also contains a high mineral concentration, namely selenium, zinc, and magnesium. This grain variety is widely considered a high-energy wheat, and provides the body with abundant energy in the form of complex carbohydrates. Kamut grass has low oxidation levels so it loses very little nutritional content when it is ground and processed.

Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) is culled from the common wheat plant. It has roots in ancient Egypt more than 5,000 years ago and was used for its positive effects on health and vitality. It was perhaps even used in early Mesopotamia. It provides well over 100 elements and at least 6 enzymes needed by the human body, in addition to other minerals, vitamins, over 20 amino acids, and chlorophyll. Fresh wheatgrass juice is high in oxygen and is used to provide vitality and mental acuity. In the early 1900s Charles F. Schnabel attempted to popularize wheatgrass and started experimenting with its beneficial effects with a high degree of success. Today it is used as an ingredient in nutritious drinks and shakes and the pungent tasting juice is often drunk by itself. Wheatgrass is touted by some to help in lowering blood pressure and perhaps offers some benefits for those with cancer.

Barley Grass
Young barley grass (Hordeum vulgare) likely offers the most balanced nutrient profile of all green plants. It has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, antioxidants, active enzymes, and chlorophyll. The juice from this extremely nutritious grass contains 11 times the calcium found in cow's milk; it has almost 5 times the iron content of spinach. Remarkably, it has 7 times the vitamin C found in oranges and 80mg of vitamin B12 per 100 grams. It also possesses many antioxidants which are widely known to protect the body from damage caused by free-radicals.

Oat Grass
Oat grass (Avena saliva L. [Fam. Graminae] is widely used as human food, in animal feed, and as livestock forage through the world. This ancient cereal grass has been discovered by paleobotanists to have been around since at least 2000 BC. Traditionally, along with other usages, it has been utilized for anti-aging, cleansing, hives and other skin problems. Today in Europe it is used as a nervous system restorative, to assist in convalescence and to help strengthen a weakened immune system. Practitioners of alternative medicine in use it to treat shingles, herpes zoster, herpes simplex and neurasthenia. Green oat grass is rich in vitamins A, B, C, E and K. It is also rich in iron, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, protein and anti-oxidants, among many other nutrients.

Alfafa Grass
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial, flowering, clover-like, leguminous plant in the pea family. It is widely considered to be the world's richest land plant mineral source and is also widely cultivated as a major forage crop. Alfalfa is high in protein, calcium, many minerals, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Alfalfa has been utilized as an herbal medicine for over 1,500 years. The word "alfalfa" actually comes to us from the Middle East and in Arabic means "father of all foods. In early Chinese medicine as well as Ayurvedic medicine, physicians used young alfalfa leaves to treat a number of disorders related to digestion and the kidneys.

Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) is a genus comprised of close to 55 species of grasses native to warm and tropical regions of the Old World and Oceania. Lemongrass can make a pleasant smelling and tasty tea, often given to children for upset stomachs, coughs, and colds. In recent years, research has been done which found that lemongrass may have an effect on the death of cancer cells. More research is being done on these findings. The essential oil has also been used externally to treat ringworm, lice, athlete’s foot, arthritis, and scabies.

Sprouted Barley Malt
The use of barley (Hordeum vulgar) grain, as a food product at least, dates all the way back to the Stone Age, with some believing that barley might be the oldest grain in the world. Modern research suggests that sprouted barley malt aids in the production of aerobic bacteria in the lower segment of the colon by helping to normalize proper bacterial colonies. This also lowers the risk of infection by invading toxic bacteria. Today, science recognizes that the fiber in sprouted barley malt might lower high cholesterol and prevent stomach cancer although this is not definitive and more studies need to be done.

Soy Sprouts
Soy beans (Glycine max L. Merr.) have been around since ancient times. It is fairly understood that soy sprouts originated in China and from the third century AD, soy sprouts were called dadou huang chüan, which translated to "soybean yellow curls" or "yellow rolls." What these actually were seem to be fresh soy sprouts which were dried and then used medicinally. At this same time, they were generally given to women after childbirth to purify their milk and increase their strength. Modern usages of soy sprouts are in salads and in culinary recipes, although the whole soy bean must be cooked with "wet" heat. Just one cup provides 28% of the recommended daily value of protein which is twice the protein found in eggs and more than beef. Soy sprouts are very high in essential fatty acids, minerals and 6 of the eight B vitamins, and are very high in phytochemicals.

Garbanzo Bean Sprouts
Garbanzo beans or chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) are an edible legume of the family Fabaceae. They are a good source of zinc, folate and protein. They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. There is also a high reported mineral content, most notably phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and zinc. In research from 2008, the sprouts of the garbanzo bean have a significant effect on beta carotene, protein digestibility and protein solubility.

Brown Rice Germ
Brown rice (Oryza sativa) is unmilled or partly milled rice. It is just one kind of whole, natural grain available today. The germ layer, which is activated by soaking brown rice, contains many vitamins and minerals. There is a bioactive ingredient in this that some researchers believe is of great benefit to humans. Although brown rice and white rice have similar amounts of calories, carbohydrates, and protein, the main differences occur in the processing and thus the ultimate nutritional content wit brown rice and its germ being much healthier.

Flax Seed
Flax (Linum usitatissimum), also known as common flax or linseed, is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. Flax is native to the region stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to India. Flax seeds contain very high levels of dietary fiber including lignans, however ingesting large amounts may cause intestinal blockages. Flax seeds also contain an abundance of micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids. Today, flax seeds are known to possibly lower cholesterol levels, especially in women. Initial studies suggest that adding flax seeds to the diet may benefit people with certain types of cancers of the breast or prostate, although evidence on the effect on prostate cancers in largely inconclusive. Flax may also ease the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar levels.