FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Copyright ©2009 by Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman¨

WHEATGRASS

AUTOMATIC SPROUTER

SPROUTING

SPROUTING SEEDS

MISC

How do I get rid of mold?

If you don't stop mold at its inception during days 2-4, it is virtually impossible to arrest. Unfortunately, spraying it with agents such as hydrogen peroxide and grapefruit seed extract, rarely yields positive results. In fact, their overuse burns the grass and ruins the crop. The best thing to do is to harvest early before the mold does more damage. Cut the grass above the mold and wash off the blades. Remember, mold on wheatgrass is similar to mold on bread. Although it is unappetizing, it is not pathogenic. Just cut and wash it off. sink Watering Net.jpgThe best way to deal with mold is to prevent it. Mold spores come in on the seed. Your best bet is to buy seed that is selected and identified for wheatgrass. If stored properly, this seed has the lowest propensity for mold. Try removing the greenhouse cover earlier during days 3-6, and spraying the young shoots twice per day to protect them from drying out. This has the advantage of allowing mold spores to escape from the otherwise enclosed space. A small fan in the growing room (not pointed at the grass) is also very helpful to keep mold spores from concentrating in one location. (For more, read “how to eliminate mold” in the book: Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine.)

Image Caption: Washing the young seeds clean with a strong spray is an excellent way of ridding your crop of mold spores.

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I've got more grass than I can juice and it's getting yellow

It is best to cut your grass while it is still vibrant and green and refrigerate it in a plastic container or a non-polyethylene bag. Cut grass can last more than two weeks in a refrigerator at 38 ºF. I use the green anti-ethylene plastic bags. These bags enhance the shelf life of any vegetable. As an alternative, you can juice your grass and freeze it in ice-cube trays. Many grass lovers choose frozen grass over fresh because of its convenience. And they still get the desired results.

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Don't I have to juice and drink the grass immediately?

Not necessarily. You could consider chilling your fresh squeezed juice to just above freezing temperature, say 34 ºF. Then store it in a pre-chilled thermos. This can extend the viability of the juice for two or more days. Also, if you use a Green Star juicer - the gold standard of the juicing industry - its materials influence the longevity of the juice. You must consider the big picture. If drinking it immediately limits you to say...four drinks per week, and storing it properly raises you to eight drinks per week, then which do you think is better? Even if those eight drinks are only 90% as potent as fresh, eight drinks is more beneficial than four. Many folks have stopped juicing because they thought it was too much work. A small compromise that keeps you on the program longterm is the best strategy

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Is grass grown in soil more nutritious than in water?

Actually, they are very close. A study done on the nutrient content concluded that both grasses were equal (read: Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine). Hydroponically grown grass (no soil) can benefit from nutritional products such as liquid kelp and Ocean Grown. Both add a wealth of minerals that the roots absorb by osmosis. Similarly, soil gardeners can add fertilizer to enrich the soil.

Image Caption: Only 1-2 inches of soil is necessary for a successful crop.

Dr. Chiu-Nan Lai, of the University of Texas System Cancer Center, used soil-free wheatgrass in her research and still reported that "the inhibition of activation of potent carcinogens is quite strong at a reasonably low level of extract." And Robert Nees, former director of The Optimum Health Institute, the largest wheatgrass retreat center in the world, served hydroponic wheatgrass to his guests throughout the 1980's and reported there was no discernable difference. Again, the big picture is paramount to your decision - which approach fits best into your lifestyle? For more information about wheatgrass gardening and therapeutic usage, read Sproutman's Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine.

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SPROUTMAN'S WHEATGRASS GROWER. HOW MUCH SEED FOR GROWING WHEATGRASS?

In my 10x16 inch tray, I use 1/2 lb of seed, which is approximately a little over 1 cup. This in turn yields about 12-16 ounces of juice. The actual yield varies depending on blade height, seed quality, and your gardening skills. Those last two items are crucial, so please take care. The growing chapter in my book WHEATGRASS NATURE'S FINEST MEDICINE is brimming with solid hands-on growing help, short cuts, headache solvers, and tips from the world's most successful growers.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FREEZE DRIED WHEATGRASS VS FRESH?

Freeze dried wheatgrass is made from the same grass as fresh, but it is more concentrated so it is nutritionally superior to its liquid self. But the fresh form of the juice is more bioactive so that makes it more therapeutic. Thus, one is a better vitamin and mineral supplement and the other is more appropriate if you are trying to restore your health from disease. That being said, there is some overlap. Both versions of the product will serve both roles to a certain extent. But now you know the strengths of each.

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SPROUT BAG VS. AUTOMATIC SPROUTER

Dear Sproutman: Why do I need to buy a sprout bag? Can't I just use a jar? I'm afraid your fabric sprouter will get moldy. Au Contrair my dear sproutlette, the jars often mold and the hemp is mold resistant! Jars have given sprouting a bad reputation. If you think about it, they were never meant to be used as a gardening tool. Plants need to breathe and jars have very limited air circulation. And they don't have adequate drainage. It's the incomplete drainage, stagnant air and excess water that promotes mold growth in jars. But you are right to be concerned about fabric molding. Many folks attache a cheesecloth with a rubber band to the mouth of the jar and it definitely breeds bacteria.

Jars are of course difficult to transport, are prone to breakage and accidents ruin your whole crop. They take up valuable kitchen space. And they're time consuming---4 steps; you fill up, pour out, tilt at an angle, and then drain. Avid sprouters have more than one variety growing at a time. But it's cumbersome to handle multiple jars and difficult to get hands in and out. Jars take up precious refrigerator and shelf space. Large jars take up gobs of room even though you may have only a few sprouts in them.

Sprout Bags on the other hand....Are Designed for sprouting. All sprouts get air. Good circulation prevents mold. 100% drainage without tilting or waiting. Water never collects. Saves time. Very convenient. Only 2 steps. Dip in water, hang on hook or knob. Or lay in dish rack or bowl. Lightweight, unbreakable. Great for traveling, camping, boating. Hemp fabric won't shrink or mold. Wide opening for easy handling. Holds equivalent to 3/4 gallon jar. Saves counter space. Saves refrigerator space. Bags expand and contract per volume. Sprout bags will sprout all varieties but are especially good for growing all grains, beans, and even gelatinous seeds.

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CERTIFIED ORGANIC HEMP AND SPROUT BAGS

The sprout bags are all natural, but getting an organic certificate is another story. Why? Because the hemp is grown in Romania. Life in Romania is like a time warp. It's like America in 1950. But that's only part of the story.

As you know, Amerca outlawed hemp in the 1930s. The lost jobs and industry that this amazing plant could have provided American workers is nothing less than a tragedy. Don't get me started---that's another story. Our neighbor Canada grows hemp, and we import the oil and seeds from them. But Canada is not capable of making fabric. The fact is only two countries in the world can make hemp fabric---China and Romania. It has to do with the types of factories and equipment required for converting the plant fibers into thread. Anyway, none of the fabric operations in these two countries are certified organic. Sure, I've got a certificate for the agricultural process that certifies that the hemp was grown without chemicals. That's the easy part. But the factory process is another story.

The fact is, no chemicals are used in the factory processing of the hemp sprout bags, either. Mostly, because it is a very crude product. The fabric strand and openess of the weave are unique. I designed them for sprouting and they are made just for me. They are unlike other hemp products such as clothing, wallets, and accessories. I can personally confirm that the work is all done by hand and machine. No chemicals are used, mostly because they are simply not needed. This crudeness has a downside. It's super slow. They literally make the thread for me and only when I ask. It is a painstakingly slow process for me!

I am disappointed because for all practical purposes, the bags provide the qualities we are looking for when we shop for organic. But the Romanians do not recognize the marketing need for organic certification. And they simply are not capable nor willing to invest the many thousands of dollars that would be required to convert their factory into one that complies with organic standards. In the words of one of my colleagues: "It won't happen in our lifetime."

As an aside, 100 years ago, America had the largest hemp industry in the world. And had it not been snuffed out by the bureaucrats, we would have certified hemp today just like we produce certified organic cotton products in this country. (In case you are wondering, cotton is unsuitable for sprouting.)

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WHEATGRASS - SOIL vs. NON-SOIL

Although wheatgrass is normally grown in open fields and during the 1960s was grown indoors using 1-2 inches of soil, grass can grow without soil. During the 1980's, one of the largest wheatgrass clinics in the world, grew their wheatgrass exclusively without soil. The Freshlife Automatic Sprouter allows the addition of additives to the water such as liquid seaweed fertilizer. A comparison between soil grown and soil-free wheatgrass can be found in Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine.

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WHEATGRASS vs. WHEAT

Wheatgrass is a green vegetable. Wheat is a grain. The grain has gluten, the grass does not. Green vegetables do not contain gluten. Although grass was germinated from grain, it undergoes a complete transformation into a vegetable.

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WHICH SEED IN WHICH SPROUTER?

The sprout bag and the Freshlife Sprouters can both grow any seed. But some seeds prefer light. These are the ones to grow in the Freshlife Automatic Sprouter. They include buckwheat, radish, cabbage, broccoli, chives, alfalfa, clover, pea shoots, sunflower. These sprouts all develop green leaves. The sprout bag is ideal for growing bean sprouts which do not develop greens, such as garbanzo, lentils, all grain sprouts, pea sprouts.

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ORGANIC SEEDS

Being organically grown does not make seeds automatically good for sprouting. While we spend quite a bit of time sourcing organic seeds, we still test every batch to find the varieties that are the best sprouters. Organic certification only indicates the growing methods used by the farmer. It does not indicate a seed's germination, rate of growth, size, taste, color, or sproutability. We test for these attributes which are important to the sprout consumer.

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BASKETS

I first invented the basket sprouter in 1977, but over these 20+ years, the weaving of the bamboo baskets in China has had many problems. Since they are made by hand, there were numerous "quality control" issues that forced us to discard 3-4 out of every 10 baskets. This was mostly because the spaces between the weaves were too open and the seeds would run right through them, losing thousands of good sprouting seeds. Many baskets would also unravel after a few uses and the use of fumigants such as ethylene gas became too difficult for us to circumvent. After many years of frustration, it became economically unfeasible for us to continue providing these baskets.

You can shop for baskets yourself at any Asian food and Oriental supply store. Look for unshellacked bamboo with a bread basket style weave.

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SALMONELLA and E-COLI

All our seeds have been diligently spot tested for Salmonella and E-coli with special equipment Every sack of seed has a 25 gram sample drawn and tested. While this is not a fool-proof guarantee, it has a 99% potential to catch contaminated seed. Since the salmonella scares of the late 1990's, all the different players in the seed industry have set in place safeguards and sprouts today are arguably the safest fresh food in the marketplace. Keep in mind, there are 8 million cases of food borne poisoning in the USA each year. In the sprout industry, there have been 1639 cases----not in one year, but over the entire 40 year history of the commercial sprout industry. In addition, it may be of some comfort to know that there has never been a case of salmonella from home-grown sprouts.

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HOME DECONTAMINATION OF SEED

Decontamination of seed is an optional procedure, but in the Freshlife Automatic Sprouter, it is too easy to pass up. Just add a few drops of grapefruit seed extract to the reservoir.

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USES DIRTY RECYCLED WATER?

Does your Freshlife Automatic Sprouter use dirty, recycled water?

No, but it is true that this was also my first concern. In theory, it would seem to be true, but in practice, it is a non-issue. Here's why. We change the water once per day in this machine which keeps it plenty clean, plus the machine is constantly aerating the water which how reservoirs and ozonators naturally clean water. In the Freshlife, dirty water is very visible, so it is an instant reminder signalling you to change it. If this were the case, Freshlife users would see mold, mildew and we'd get lots of returns. But this is definitely not the case. In fact, the Freshlife has become the #1 selling sprouter in the world (now in 16 countries). That success could not be accomplished with a machine producing dirty, moldy water.

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SPROUTING QUINOA

I like Quinoa as a grain. It is a great nutritional seed. But I do not promote it as a sprout for three reasons: 1) It is hard to acquire the right form of the unhulled seed. Health food stores don't sell it. 2) If you are willing to invest the time to track down the right seed, often the germination is too low for successful sprouts. That leads to potential mold and rot problems, which I consider unsafe in the raw state. 3) Lastly, the sprout from 3 day old Qunioa is a relatively insignificant shoot. Not a lot of food or flavor. If you do grow it for 7 days it turns into a red grass which too chewy to eat. This grain is ready to eat with only very light cooking. I feel that this is the most practical way to include the benefits of quinoa in your diet.

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SPROUTING FLAXSEED

Flaxseed sprouts are very high in oxalic acid (which binds calcium) and because of that, they have an extremely bitter taste. If that wasn't discouragement enough, they are also gelatinous, which makes them hard to manage for most home sprouters. Also, one of the main benefits of flax, its soft fiber, which is great for soothing and cleansing the intestinal wall, disappears during germination. Flax is a wonderful seed with many health benefits and I offer many recipes for it in my book Power Juices Super Drinks and Juice Fasting and Detoxification. But for reasons above, I don't recommend sprouting flax.

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HOW TO TEST YOUR SPROUTING SEED

Unfortunately, "organically grown" only defines a method of agriculture. It does not guarantee good sprouts. For that, you need to test your seed. There is no shortcut around this. The best sprouting seeds out there can be bought by companies who are in the sprouting business. They (hopefully) are using the seed they sell. That is usually insurance that you are buying good seed. To test seed yourself.....

1) Sprout the seed in a sprout bag for 3 days.

2) After 3 days, spread the seeds out on a towel and look at how many have sprouted.

3) If virtually all seeds have visible shoots and roots, then the seed is good. If many seeds do not, then this is a bad crop of seed that will generate mold upon sprouting.

It is also possible that this was once a good crop of seeds that was improperly stored or is just too old.

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR SEEDS AND HEALTH FOOD STORE SEEDS?

They're both organic, right? Organic is something I am totally dedicated to and always have been. But organic only defines a method of agriculture. Organic oats or organic barley found in the health food stores, for example, are totally useless for sprouting. For the most part, health food stores provide grains and beans for cooking, not for sprouting. After all, it is not a gardening store.

What about when a health food store sells alfalfa or mung? True, they sell these seeds for customers who want to sprout them. But these are just commodities to the large distributors who sell thousands of items to health food and natural grocery stores nationwide. They don't bother to test-sprout the seeds, or check their germination, or run tests for salmonella or e-coli contamination. I know; I've tried to sell to these distributors. Price is their overall purchasing criteria.

On the other hand, a sprouting company must use its seed. It must grow them and sell the grown sprouts to its customers. If those grown sprouts don't look good, taste good, and perform trouble-free during the sprouting process, then a professional sprouter cannot afford to use them. You can probably understand, that all alfalfa seeds are not equal. Some grow taller and faster. Some create mold, others don't. Some have 96% germination, some have 86% germination. Some taste bitter, some sweet. Some are prone to root rot, others are resistant. And some may be contaminated with rodent droppings from the fields! If you are a professional sprouter, you are keen to check for all these conditions.

But that's not all, even if the large distributors happen to get lucky and buy great seed by accident, that seed often lives in bulk bins at health foods stores for months. During that time it is absorbing moisture from the air, and is being exposed to light, heat, and oxidation. Germination is depreciated by all these elements. Good sprouting seed must be protected by sealed packaging for best results. Buy your sprouting seed from a sprouting seed company. It may cost more but you will have a delightful, headache-free experience and your diet will be enriched by some of the worlds finest, living foods.

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HOW DO I STORE MY NEW SPROUTING SEEDS?

Seeds need to be kept cool and dry. Steady temperature control is better than large swings of seasonal high and low temps. But some seeds lose germination more than others even under the best of conditions. So unless you are preparing for an around the world boat trip, I recommend you only buy enough seeds to last you a few months at a time. Most seeds that you have purchased within the past year are likely to be good. Although you may have heard that some seeds such as alfalfa can last for many years, that is only true under the best of storage conditions. Moisture, air (oxidation), heat, and light are the enemies of seed.
When you receive your seeds, remove them from their package and store them in a sealed jar. Make sure there is a rubber gasket to create a perfect seal inside the lid. Keep moisture out at all costs. Store that jar in a dark, cool place. Refrigerator? Yes, if you have space, but beware of moisture in the refrigerator. Only some seeds benefit from refrigeration and only in the hottest and most humid climates. So refrigeration is not required. Freezing seeds is okay for some seeds but not for all. (For details, read the storage section of Sprouts the Miracle Food.)

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WHAT KIND OF PLASTIC IS USED IN THE FRESHLIFE

The water barrel and sprout barrel are made out of Styrene Acetylonitrile Resin (SAN), and the water tubes and trays are made out of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). Both of these materials are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for food contact. I don't trust that government agency for much, but I think this plastic is as good as it gets. However, if you search the internet, you can find some negative information on these materials, and also on Polycarbonate which is considered the best of the best (it is the bluish heavy grade plastic water tank you see in office water coolers.)

I have also read that whatever material is used as a container, plastics, paper, fibers, etc &, that they all leach chemicals into the water at some point in time. Is that years? or months? Of course, that does not apply to the Freshlife where the water is changed daily. But I remember reading that SAN leaches 5 - 15 ppb (part per billion) of Styrene. I am told FDA approves materials with a maximum of 30 ppm (parts per million). By that yardstick, we are at a very safe level. When you get into talking at these parts per billion levels, there are so many things in our environment that affect us at that level. Even certified organic food has been found to contain traces of pesticides in parts per billion from ambient air and water pollution. In my opinion, at this level, it is the equivalent to our daily dose of air and water pollution, or the ambient radiation from overhead electrical wires, televisions, x-rays when flying on airliners and ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

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HOW TO PURGE A CLOGGED FRESHLIFE

Is your Freshlife motor not turning? making noise? The motor can get clogged by calcification from hard water or by residue matter from the seeds. If this is the case, you can clear the motor easily yourself. Here is the procedure.

Pour 2 quarts of hot water into the water barrel. Use only the water barrel. No other blue tubes, no lids or any other parts--just the open topped water barrel, only. The temperature of the water is important to the success of this cleaning. The hot water temperature should be approximately 150 degrees. Do not pour in boiling water (210 degrees) because it may harm the plastic. If you do not have a thermometer, then make the water approximately the temperature of a hot cup of coffee or tea---just a little too hot to drink. The hot water dislodges the sediment that clogs the motor.

Pour in the hot water, then immediately plug in the unit and run it for approximately 3 minutes.

If this technique is successful, you will see the water clouding up with released sediment and an increase in the whirlpool of water coming out of the motor. When you see cloudy water, stop and refill the barrel with fresh hot water and repeat the process. Repeat until the water appears clear for full 3 minutes and the motor creates a vigorous whirlpool. That is how you know that you have successfully cleared the obstruction.

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FRESHLIFE WARRANTY REPAIR SERVICE

If this procedure does not result in normal operation, contact the manufacturer for warranty service. Include the serial number on the bottom of the machine. If your unit has to be returned for replacement, you have the option of returning the unit or you can just return the motor itself (a much smaller package). The motor is revealed by unscrewing the three tiny screws around the skirt, about 2.5 inches up from the bottom of the sprouter. Contact Tribest toll-free at 888-254-7336, or 562-623-7150. Or via email at service@Tribest.com and follow their instructions.

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Basic Instructions for Sprouting in a Sprout Bag

1. Soak your seeds in a jar of pure water overnight. (about 8 hours).

2. Moisten the bag and pour the soaked seeds in. Rinse and hang the bag on a hook or knob or lay in dish rack. Dripping stops in about one minute

3. Rinse sprouts by dipping the bag in water for 30 seconds, twice daily, morning and evening.

Commentary: Sprout bags travel well, they never break and since they drain on all sides and breathe throughout, mold and mildew are rare.

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Basic Instructions for Sprouting in Vertical Sprouter

1. Soak your seeds in a jar of pure water overnight. (about 8 hours).

2. Pour the the soaked seeds onto the sprouting tray. Cover the sprouter so the enclosure provides a greenhouse effect.

3. Rinse by showering the seeds with fresh water twice per day. Try not to dislodge the seeds with the force of the rinse water. Allow the seedlings to root themselves into the small holes of the growing tray.

Commentary: Vertical sprouters are ideal for green leafy sprouts such as vegetable seeds (radish, cabbage, broccoli, sunflower, etc.) Make sure your sprouter has enough vertical space for tall sprouts such as sunflower, which can grow 8-10 inches tall.

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Basic Instructions for Sprouting in a Jar

Commentary from Sproutman I discourage the use the jars for sprouting. While they are cheap and available, they were never designed to be gardening tools. In fact, they are the #1 cause of sprouting problems. This is because they create a perfect environment for the growth of mold. They don't drain adequately, or breath sufficiently. Mold and mildew growth are common in jars because of these limitations. I invented the fabric sprout bag as a substitute for jars.

1. Soak your seeds in a jar of pure water overnight (about 8 hours).

2. Pour out the soaking water through a strainer affixed to the top of the jar.

3. Lay in dish rack or dishwasher rack at an angle with the top of the jar leaning slightly down. 4. Rinse with fresh water twice per day. Jars are ideal for bean and grain sprouts which take 3-5 days to mature.

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How to Choose Between Juicers? The Differences between a Single Gear Juicer (SoloStar) vs. a Twin Gear Juicer (GreenStar).

Both of these are high-end juicers and no one should be disappointed with either of these machines, no matter what the situation. Which one you ultimately choose will be determined by your personal preferences regarding the factors below. Please review them and form your own decision.

Price: SoloStar is approximately $200 less than the price of the GreenStar juicer.

Assembly/Cleanup: SoloStar is easier and faster in assembly and disassembly than the GreenStar but only by a few minutes.

Wheatgrass: The GreenStar juices wheatgrass faster than the SoloStar and produces a little less foam.

Vegetables and Fruits: Both machines do virtually the same good job with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Nutrition: It is generally believed that the GreenStar has a slight nutritional advantage over the SoloStar.

Speed: Both machines operate at the same slow, friction and oxidation-free 80 revolutions per minute.

Materials: The GreenStar has two stainless-steel gears while the SoloStar has one melamine gear or auger. The GreenStar also contains magnets and ceramics within its blades that are designed to influence the juice at the molecular level and extends its longevity.

Size: The GreenStar weighs 28 lbs. The SoloStar weighs 22 lbs.

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See my Articles & Information page for other informative topics.

Copyright ©2009 by Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman¨

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