Do you know the benefits of barley?

The benefits of barley include nutrients that are capable of improving digestion, lowering cholesterol levels and making the heart healthier. Its consistency is also capable of being a little chewy, including the fact that it contains more vitamins than wheat, for example.

There may be a certain similarity in appearance, but the composition can offer much more to the consumer. Even if it is not consumed in a balanced routine, the body can be fully functional with the grain in question.

Supplying the need for many factors that can add to health, well-being is found with its insertion. Consumption reduces the risks of diabetes, heart disease and many formulations of cancer.

Read the article to understand the benefits of barley!

Understanding more about barley

It gives other attributions to the barley process, its uses, applications, characteristics and properties, as well as presenting its entire history, origin and not forgetting its formulation for the composition of beer. All its vegetables are beneficial for health, as well as minerals and vitamins.

Brazil can also be added as a country that is one of the largest in production, being the main one in South America. This justification is given by the basic ingredients of beer, attributing all the chemical and biological processes that are made with the barley ingredients.

The product ranges from hulled barley to flour and flakes, always with the whole grain, except for pearled barley, which is polished to remove the entire outer layer of bran, including the husk. It is therefore important to pay attention to these facts, especially the distinctions.

Read on to find out more about barley!

Origin and history of barley

Cultivated by Asian and African peoples, barley has been formulated for 10,000 years. Even though it is more accessible than wheat, Rome and Greece used it for the essential needs of athletes, adding the grain for physical strength as well as energy.

As for the Chinese, they use it to symbolize virility, mainly because the ears are full of seeds. Gladiators worshipped it, calling them "barley eaters". In other words, adding many benefits to a healthy constitution.

What is barley good for?

Barley helps digestion, lowers cholesterol and is rich in fiber. It is an antioxidant, helping to build bones and releasing all the energy from the muscles. For those who cannot consume caffeine, it is particularly recommended for its energizing effects.

Ground and toasted, it can replace coffee, with its selected and 100% natural composition. It can be used for breakfast or an afternoon snack, making your diet rich in nutrients capable of balancing the entire internal system, allowing all the vitamins to be restored.

Uses and applications of barley

Used in the production of whisky, barley makes up this drink with the malt taken from it, as well as going through the whole process of making alcohol. Potassium can also be used in health to regulate blood pressure, as it is able to relax all blood vessels.

With magnesium, it maintains muscle health and contains the B-complex for good brain function. The nervous system can receive it, mainly because of the vitamins that will help the whole process to strengthen.

How is barley used in beer production?

Once harvested, the barley goes into the malting process, being tested and classified. Its application in beer is based on its germination percentage, because to be used by a brewery it must have a minimum germination content of 95%.

The inferiority of the grain can be passed on to animal feed, which still needs to be evaluated by a laboratory before it can be used for this purpose. Care must be taken to control humidity and temperature, while maintaining the full constitution for the beer.

Characteristics of barley

Characterized as an annual grain, the barley stalk reaches a height of approximately one metre. Its leaves are invaginated, long and glabrous. It is yellow, furrowed, with its flowers in dense spikes and compacted at the end.

The cobs are still capable of giving a square appearance and adapt best to deep, drained soils. Its medium texture is formulated without belonging to a sandy, acidic soil, not giving all the necessary requirements in this way.

Barley properties

Potentially, barley distributes its nutritional properties as a cereal full of minerals with selenium, as well as having an antioxidant action. It contains no fats and is cholesterol-free. Its composition of 100 grams can give 136 calories, followed by 28.6 grams of carbohydrates.

Its proteins are around 5.52 grams, plus fats and dietary fiber, one with 1.33 grams and the other with 6.04 grams, respectively. All these components are enhanced when it is cooked, without salt or oil.

Benefits of barley

The benefits of barley can be found in its minerals and vitamins, which help the intestines, weight loss, muscles and prevent anemia. Here, magnesium, selenium and manganese are responsible for providing excellent learning and neuronal development.

The nervous system also benefits, regulating blood pressure, improving tooth and bone health and preventing osteoporosis. The diuretic properties are also capable of improving cell oxygenation, stimulating circulation and speeding up metabolism.

Here hormonal control can be enriched, containing a substance that can act on the thyroid glands. The digestive system can also be satiated for longer, and calories will be reduced to promote healthy weight loss.

Read on to find out more about the benefits of barley!

Improves bowel function

The role of the intestine is essential for maintaining good health, especially with important nutrients. The substances also stimulate beneficial bacteria, contributing to overall intestinal improvement.

The elements present in its composition are the prebiotic compounds, which fuel the intestinal process, mainly due to the inclusion of barley to improve all the body's nutrients.

Helps you lose weight

Barley helps with weight loss because it contains nutrients that can aid this process. A balanced diet needs to be implemented, as well as physical exercise, and its insoluble fibers can stimulate satiety, reducing the desire to eat.

It helps to control certain portions, making it easier to eat and with its concentration of chromium in the grains, which burns fats, also reducing appetite, with a low glycemic index, controlling glucose and easing hunger.

Improves muscle health

When magnesium comes into play in barley, it is able to improve muscle health, mainly by regulating and absorbing minerals. It also provides the energy needed for day-to-day activities, keeping everything in perfect condition.

The recommendation can vary according to gender and age, paying attention to the range. Barley acts in a healthy, balanced and varied diet according to the preference of each consumer, filling in what needs to be reformulated.

Source of fiber and selenium

The selenium present in barley has an antioxidant action, mainly to protect cells from free radicals. The fibers have an action that reduces low-density lipoprotein and even bad cholesterol. Bile acids are removed by excretion.

By preventing inflammation, which is not seen with barley consumption, persistent inflammation can trigger other changes in the DNA, causing cells to become uncontrolled and split.

Prevents anemia

Providing iron and folic acid, barley is presented in a non-ionic macromolecular context, conferring characteristics that are extremely advantageous for preventing the development of anemia. It is absorbed by the body with tolerability and toxicity.

As such, it adds everything that anemia can take away, mainly due to the deficiency it causes in hemoglobin levels. These are red blood cells that help transport oxygen to the body.

Prevents the formation of stones

Calculi are avoided by including barley in the diet, because they are capable of forming in the kidneys and depending on the concentration of the crystals in the urine. The main causes can be avoided with balance, because the formation is due to low water consumption.

The urine can become concentrated, causing great damage to health. Well-being can be established with the insertion of barley, preventing this kind of wear and tear on the organism and the body, preventing nutrients from being added.

Improves the functioning of the nervous system

The presence of vitamin B1 is able to help maintain the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and barley contains all of these processes, which is why it is needed by 21% and requires the help of a qualified professional for more information.

Copper is also essential, because the daily requirement is close to 22%. It can also stimulate energy production in the brain, protecting it and eliminating all the damage that can hinder the full functioning of life.

Helps regulate blood pressure

The regulation of blood pressure can be attributed to barley, because a diet with it is rich in nutrients that protect a consumer from heart disease. Here the arterial process is benefited, containing iron and folate to further improve this situation.

By oxygenating the blood, red blood cells can be formed in a healthy way. In a general context, this is important for heart health, further enhancing the processes capable of providing the internal balance that an individual needs.

Improves bone and teeth health

With calcium to contribute to the health of bones and teeth, barley can keep them strong. It is the most abundant mineral in a human being's body, mainly responsible for mineralizing and regulating intracellular events in many tissues.

Here, the skeleton is a reservoir of calcium in the body, given the junction that can house all the mineral and 99% of it. In addition, there is the maintenance and concentration of serum calcium. Therefore, barley should be implemented, considering the whole process to further potentiate.

Prevents osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is common in women who have just come out of the menopause, and barley can help strengthen bones. The large quantities of minerals are responsible for acting with magnesium, copper and phosphorus to restore them.

A balanced diet must be added to the routine, because barley consumption alone will not do the trick. Maintenance can be done with the prescription of a specialist doctor, with a view to the patient's growth and well-being.

Further information about barley

Other information can complement the whole characterization of barley, including questions about its consumption, recommendations, value, risks and contraindications. It can be added to a diet, mainly because of its high fiber content.

It is a good alternative for balancing, alleviating or preventing health problems. It also comes in flour form and can be cooked and mixed into your salad, for example. Porridges and soups can be made with it, intensifying the properties that enrich it. Its content can help prevent constipation, promoting a certain regulation.

The opposite of this system leaves the internal system irritated, causing toxins to harm the body. Eating passes through the digestive system, where water and nutrients are absorbed by the body, leaving the rest to the intestines. In other words, what is left over becomes a fecal cake.

Read on to find out more about barley!

Ways to consume barley

Barley can be consumed in a variety of formats, mainly because of all the nutrients that are beneficial to health. Its bran can be used in breads, cakes, pies, and the grains can accompany risottos or other dishes. Being soluble, it can be used like coffee and may have some similarities with caffeine.

Juices are a great way of strengthening it, as well as tea and capsules. The former can be roasted or macerated, hot or iced. Capsules can be a great option for those who don't want to add it to their diet, but still need its benefits.

Daily recommendation

The recommended amount of barley to include in your diet can expand according to how much you cook. A person can eat half a cup of barley in a 78.5 gram portion. This still includes all the nutrients that an adult needs from the age of 19 or over.

There are also variations between the sexes, general condition and health, so a specialist doctor should be consulted for more information. This process should not be avoided, as it is aimed at well-being, with all the aspects that make an individual even safer.

Can I drink beer as a way of consuming barley?

Since barley cannot be substituted for beer, this information needs to be reinforced so as not to cause other problems as a result of overconsumption. Beer is not capable of providing all the benefits, and it does not serve as a diet.

In addition, no balance can be sustained from the consumption of this alcoholic beverage, because there are high levels of calories. These must be handled well, aiming for full health, not exceeding what should be consumed, varying from person to person.

Can barley flour replace wheat flour?

Providing adequate nutritional value, barley flour can substitute for wheat flour in refined formulations. The power can be high compared to both flours, with barley as the prevailing food.

Prescriptions can also receive it, guaranteeing that this substitution will not be lacking in daily food needs. A nutritionist can be contacted, with all the correct prescriptions that he or she can pass on to the patient.

Price and where to buy barley

There are variations in the price of barley and where to find it, as well as its formulations in flour, roasted or ground form. A 500-gram packet can be sold in a grain emporium, for example, and its average price is R$12.90.

Various websites can pass it on to the consumer, as well as providing all the benefits. Natural products stores and markets offer this service, so you just have to look for what you want. Selected grains can also provide 100% natural barley, with different brands, certain properties, vitamins, etc. However, the principle is the same.

Risks of excessive barley consumption

The risks of adding too much barley can lead to allergies and sensitivities, especially to wheat and malt, as well as the aromas that can make it difficult to eat. Care must be taken because adding barley to a diet can lead to complications without the help of a doctor.

Bloating, digestive problems, considering the time it can take for the body to adapt to consuming a different food. Prescriptions should be passed on, aiming for well-being and full health with the implementation of grain in meals.

Contraindications to barley consumption

The contraindications to barley consumption include people with coeliac disease, as gluten can cause intolerance. Under no circumstances should they consume it, as the risks are great, including obesity and heart disease.

If you experience cramps, fatigue, diarrhoea or malaise, you should stop taking the formula and seek medical advice.

Enjoy all the benefits of barley!

The benefits of barley have been outlined throughout the article, presenting all the nutrients, vitamins, processes and more. It is possible to intensify all the benefits of the grain in a diet, knowing how to regulate it, distribute it, add it to soups, salads, pies and breads.

The best way to consume it is according to each individual's needs, without forgetting to consult a specialist who can help you along the way. The menu can vary from individual to individual, not substituting or adding more than is necessary to increase potential. Full of vitamin A, B, C and K, it contains phosphorus, calcium, zinc, selenium, copper and iodine.

The body's functioning is restored and balanced, leaving everything in perfect condition for a healthy, well-rested life. Although there aren't many studies on the subject, the presence of beta-glucans in barley can prevent cancer. It is therefore a food that can bring many positive benefits.