Barley is one of the most economical cereal grains that has been around since ancient times, and is a boon in curing diseases and maintaining good health. Its core molecule is beta-glucan, which is also found in oat bran, and is an insoluble fibre. It is a good source of manganese, copper, selenium, and phosphorus.
I, for one, have experienced its benefits immensely during my pregnancy, when I drank barley water almost daily, to relieve me of gastritis, constipation, and swelling of the feet due to water retention.
The second time that I was extremely grateful to boiled and cooled barley water was during my son’s first year teething. The doctor advised it to flush out toxins during his terrible diarrhoea. It worked wonderfully well. I instantly prepared and gave it when his molars started erupting, and the same signs stomach infections began, this time more manageable.
Health benefits of barley include:
- Treats Gastritis
- Kidney cleansing
- Treats cystitis (urinary bladder inflammation), and urinary tract infections
- Effective diuretic, induces urination, thereby flushing out toxins
- Prevents cancer, prevents harmful elements in the body
- Cures constipation
- Cleanses skin and stops wrinkle formation
- Believe to aid in healthy bones, so useful in arthritis
- Treat cough, pharyngitis, throat inflammation
- During diarrhoea in infants, helps flush out intestinal toxins
- Quenches thirst, and is believed to aid in slimming
- Helps in prevention of gallstones
- Brings down the heat of the body, so given during fever.
- Helps relieve many of the menstruation related problems in women, cramps, heat, acidity, boils, rashes etc.
In descending order of nutrients, different kinds of barley are:
- Whole hulled barley (least polished),
- Pot barley,
- Pearl barley (most polished).
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