Recently I was introduced to barley. The word ‘recent’ in the sentence is relative. Yes, I’ve known of barley, from I was a child, drinking it in Horlicks or simple just eating it straight from the glass bottle. Great bedtime snack. I love anything malted whether it is Horlicks, ovaltine biscuits or beverage. So I can safely say I’ve loved barley from I was a child. But who knew it was the barley in Horlicks or ovaltine that gave it that rich, nice, smooth taste or was it the milk.
Did you know barley could be used in place of rice, couscous or any other grain, I didn't. Not until two years ago, when I came across barley in the grains section of the supermarket. I had no clue.
What is Horlicks?
It is a malted milk with 26% of its ingredients being malted barley with a long list of other ingredients such as whole wheat flour(46%) fortified with loads of vitamins and minerals. However, this article is not about Horlicks. I’m here to talk about barley and the health benefits you can gain from consuming this grain.
It is very important for you to note; all foods must be consume in moderation. Too much of any food item can be the death of you, whether healthy or unhealthy foods.
What can barley do for your body?
The wonderful world of barley, a major cereal grain that can be eaten in any meal setting; breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s very versatile. Barley is a member of the grass family. One of the first cultivated grains in history, and still today remains one of the most used grains eaten globally, in our alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cereals, breads, dumplings, cakes other pastries and smoothies.
Barley does wonders for our body. Consuming barley can aid in weight loss, reduce blood pressure, heart, bone and skin health.
The choline in barley also helps in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.
Selenium can also be found in barley which also can help to prevent inflammation. This essential mineral can also lower the risk of colorectal cancer and may also decrease the rate at which a tumor growth.
Barley is very high in fiber which in turn helps prevent constipation and promote regularity for a very health digestive tract.
Barley is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals
What are essential vitamins and minerals? These are vitamins and minerals that perform hundreds of roles in the body, these helps in the boosting of the immune system, skin health, blood health, bone health. These vitamins and minerals aids in the prevention of birth defect, strong teeth and bones, beautiful skin, heart health and much more.
There are 16 essential minerals and 13 essential vitamins. I will list only the major ones and these can be found in barley among others.
Mineral
Calcium
Choline
Potassium
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Sodium
Iron
Vitamins
A
B1,2,3,5,6,7,9
C
D
E
K
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