Doing Shots...of Wheatgrass

Girl walks into a bar.

She orders a shot.

The bartender reaches for his lawnmower. Or gardening shears. Or one of those machete-scythes they wield in the jungle and he starts cutting. You get the point. I’m talking about grass, here, wheatgrass, specifically. The kind you drink for health purposes.

Last week, I was a little bit sick: sore throat, earache, and lethargy like lead in the veins. Being sick this time of year really does feel like you’re “under the weather.” As in, the weather is great, and you are much less so.

On Saturday, I rallied for a stroll/hike with a friend through Central Park’s North Woods then peered respectfully over the well-groomed hedges of the Conservatory Garden. That little burst of activity combined with all that greenspace put us in the mood for something extra-healthy. So we headed south toward my favorite vegetarian restaurant on the Upper East: Candle Café on 3^rd between 74^th and 75^th and ordered the aforementioned “treat” at their juice bar.

Wheatgrass, which is the young grass of the common wheat plant, is basically a nutritional supplement, purportedly loaded with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It is said to improve digestion, promote detoxification, and even prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Jenny Makholm, of Candle Café, says that lots of regulars order wheatgrass for the chlorophyll and enzymes. Many consider the wheatgrass juicer to be a veritable fountain of youth.

Others claim it’s all bunk. All I know is that where health is concerned, it’s important to try. Sometimes just doing things or eating foods that are generally perceived to be healthy can inspire you to pursue other things that are healthy. Maybe wheatgrass has miraculous curative powers or maybe it’s a placebo. Maybe, like a placebo, it can have a positive effect simply if you think it can.

For those of you who are reading these words with a crinkled nose, I’m here to say that wheatgrass is actually good. And I’m not some kind of hardcore sprout-head; I also have a “healthy” appreciation for ice cream, potato chips, pizza (see last week’s post), and all kinds of other nutritional evils.

You might think wheatgrass is bitter. (This assumption might be based on the taste test you once conducted as a kid. Come on, I know you secretly nibbled on a blade, once…or was that just me?) In fact, this potable variety is surprisingly sweet. And thanks to the juice press, the extracted juice is not viscous but smooth. Truthfully, it’s tasty enough to sip. It’s brilliantly green with a bit of froth on the top. My friend and I clinked our little glasses together with a chuckle and I proceeded to do a few more shots over the next few days.

I’m feeling better, now, thanks. Whether this is from the fresh air, the wheatgrass or, just the simple passage of time is unclear. I do believe that wheatgrass is at least a slight contributing factor and that intermittent doses throughout the year do promote general health.

There are several places on the Upper East where you can get wheatgrass. In addition to Candle Café, there’s The Green Bean Café (pictured left), a nook on York between 75^th and 76^th, owned an operated by the same folks who run the splendid Beanocchio’s on the same block.

There’s also A Matter of Health on the corner of 1^st and 77^th. Order your shot from the cashiers up front then wend your way through the maze of health foods and vitamins toward the juice counter/deli at the back of the store. There are also two local Jamba Juice stores: on Lexington between 86^th and 87^th and on 3^rd between 60^th and 61^st.

No matter where you go for wheatgrass, you’ll immediately notice its distinctive scent. If you’re like me, this might transport you back to another time and another place…to playgrounds or ballparks either nearby or far away from the UES.

I’m personally reminded of Sunday afternoons when my dad mowed our lawn in Wisconsin. Afterwards, I’d somehow manage to get grass stains all over the seat and knees of my favorite white jeans. Back then, of course I didn’t think about the concept of health; I didn’t know the difference between being young and feeling young. Of course, everything’s relative. Likewise, there are things in our lives we can’t control and many things we can.

And what if the secret to health and longevity really could be found in a tiny cup of green liquid? Well, then bottoms up.