Why barley is good for you? Being one of the oldest grain on earth barley provides several nutrients to our body. It is  one of the most suitable food during sick conditions for both adults and children. Barley contains beta glucan that slows down absorption of sugar into blood. This makes it safe for people who has diabetes condition.  Barley water is what we should be drinking when we are sick, tired or to boost energy.

How to make barley water?

Take a cup of barley and soak it for an hour or so. For one cup barley add 3 cups water and boil. Let it cook completely. Using finger tips squeeze barley to test whether it is cooked or not. Cooked barley squeezes completely between finger tips. Some varieties of barley takes little longer to cook. This is when the soaking might help.

After cooking barley, remove from stove and strain and collect the barley water using a strainer. Collect barley water completely.  If you use pressure cooker, remove cooked barley from pressure cooker and transfer it to a normal vessel. Add another 2 cups of water and bring it to boil, strain and collect the water.

• One can drink barley water as it is or can add lemon juice, salt and asafetida in it.
• Another way to make barley water interesting to drink – prepare seasoning using little oil, mustard, salt and asafetida. Add this to barley water followed by chopped cilantro. Mix well and drink.
• You can also add diluted buttermilk to barley water (it should be cool) with salt, ginger, chopped mint and cilantro along with asafetida.

Benefits of drinking barley water:

Barley reduces burning sensation during urination and being diuretic it helps pass urine properly.

1. It keeps body cool during summer by increasing sweating.
2. Having barley water after eating spicy food helps burning system. It reduces acidity.
3. Barley also contains some amount of digestive fiber and helps to reduce cholesterol in blood.
4. Barley helps in reducing kidney stones. Drinking barley water everyday helps to dissolve kidney stones.
5. It reduces risk of gallbladder surgery by preventing gallstone development in gall bladder.
6. Including barley in your diet program is good because it helps in weight reduction. It supplies minimal or zero fat and cholesterol. It also contains good amount of dietary fiber
7. Like rice water, barley water is good for skin. Washing face using barley water helps to rejuvenate the skin and gives good complexion.
8. When running with fever and throat infection, drink hot barley water and consume barley porridge. It gives back strength by making you feel better.
9. Barley water also acts as detoxifying agent. It reduces bloating and removes unwanted substances from system. Drinking barley water with lemon juice helps in detoxification of body.
10. Barley helps in balancing gut bacteria. Consuming barley based foods helps to keep gut in healthy shape by eliminating unwanted bacteria.
11. Barley whole grain helps to improve insulin production and reduces blood sugar level. This is the reason it is good for diabetic condition.
12. Consumption of barley on regular basis, helps colon and reduces chances of getting colon cancer.

Barley is affordable food and we need to understand the benefits that we get from consumption of barley. Instead of eating pasta, white rice, processed foods – try barley and get balanced health.

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starting_lunch_with_a_traditional_clam_juice_shot.jpg, Attribution: Sarah Stierch / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)