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Eating hulled
barley on a regular basis:
Lowers blood
cholesterol levels
Protects against
cancer because its high fibre content helps speed food through the digestive
tract, and because its a good source of selenium, shown to significantly reduce
the risk of colon cancer
Is a good source
of niacin, the B vitamin that is cardio-protective
Slows starch
digestion, which may help keep blood sugar levels stable
Provides high
concentrations of tocotrienols, the "super" form of vitamin E
Provides lignans,
phytochemicals that function as antioxidants. Women who consume lignans (also
present in high levels in flaxseed) are less likely to develop breast cancer.
Let barley give
your intestinal health a boost. In addition to providing bulk and decreasing
the transit time of fecal matter, thus decreasing the risk of colon cancer and haemorrhoids,
barley's dietary fibre also provides food for the "friendly" bacteria
in the large intestine. When these helpful bacteria ferment barley's insoluble
fibre, they produce a short-chain fatty acid called butyric acid, which serves
as the primary fuel for the cells of the large intestine and helps maintain a
healthy colon. These helpful bacteria also create two other short-chain fatty
acids, propionic and acetic acid, which are used as fuel by the cells of the
liver and muscles.
The propionic
acid produced from barley's insoluble fibre may also be partly responsible for
the cholesterol-lowering properties of fibre. In animal studies, propionic acid
has been shown to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme involved in the
production of cholesterol by the liver. By lowering the activity of this
enzyme, propionic acid helps lower blood cholesterol levels.
In addition,
barley's dietary fibre is high in beta glucan, which helps to lower cholesterol
by binding to bile acids and removing them from the body via the feces. Bile acids
are compounds used to digest fat that are manufactured by the liver from
cholesterol. When they are excreted along with barley's fibre, the liver must
manufacture new bile acids and uses up more cholesterol, thus lowering the
amount of cholesterol in circulation. Soluble fibre may also reduce the amount
of cholesterol manufactured by the liver.
When barley
provides insoluble fibres that feed friendly bacteria in the digestive tract,
this helps to maintain larger populations of friendly bacteria. In addition to
producing the helpful short-chain fatty acids described above, friendly
bacteria play an important protective role by crowding out pathogenic
(disease-causing) bacteria and preventing them from surviving in the intestinal
tract.
Barley's fibre can
prevent or help with a number of different conditions. For example, when
barley's fibre binds to and removes cholesterol-containing bile, this can be
very beneficial for people struggling with heart disease since it forces the
body to make more bile by breaking down cholesterol, thus lowering cholesterol
levels.
Keeps Colon and
Intestine Healthy: Barley, being an excellent source
of fibre, keeps your body toxin-free. Its grass, which is rich in dietary fibre,
acts as a fuel source to the friendly bacteria of our large intestine. These
bacteria help in fermenting the fibre content of the barley, thereby forming
butyric acid, which is the primary fuel for intestinal cells. It is greatly
effective in maintaining a healthy colon. By keeping the intestine in proper
health, barley helps you to decrease the movement time of feces and keeps your
stomach clean. It greatly reduces the chances of colon cancer and haemorrhoids
as well.
Prevents Gallstones: Barley effectively helps women avoid developing gallstones.
Since it is rich in insoluble fibre, it actually helps you to reduce bile acid
secretion, thereby increasing insulin sensitivity and lowering the levels of
triglycerides. Reportedly, in an article of the American Journal of
Gastroenterology, women have a 17% lower risk of having gallstones as compared
to others not consuming a fibrous diet.
Prevents
Osteoporosis: The phosphorus and copper content in barley
grass guarantees overall good health of bones. The phosphorous content in
barley effectively cures bone and tooth ailments. If you have osteoporosis, it
can be your natural remedy. Barley grass juice is known to have 11x greater
calcium content than milk. Calcium, as we know, is one of the key components in
protecting bone health. The manganese
content in barley works in association with B-complex vitamins, thereby keeping
the overall health intact. We need manganese for normal bone production, as
well as in cases of iron deficiency anaemia.
Supports Immune
System: The vitamin C content in barley is almost twice than that of
oranges. This vitamin particularly strengthens your immune system and reduces
the chances of cold and flu. Iron improves the blood volume and prevents anaemia
and fatigue. It aids in proper kidney functioning and the development of body
cells. Furthermore, it contains copper, which forms haemoglobin and red blood
cells.
Preserves Skin
Elasticity: Barley is a good source of Selenium, which
helps you to preserve skin elasticity, thereby protecting it against free
radical damage and loosening. Moreover, it also improves our heart, pancreas,
and immune system functioning. A deficiency of selenium can lead to cancers of
the skin, colon, prostate, liver, stomach, and breast.
Controls Blood
Cholesterol Levels: Barley’s insoluble fibre yields
propionic acid that helps keep the blood cholesterol levels low. It, being an
excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fibres, is also specifically
recommended by doctors for its naturally low-fat content and zero cholesterol
properties.
Manages Diabetes: Barley works effectively on Type 2 diabetes. However, we can
prevent this type of diabetes by losing weight, getting involved in vigorous
physical activity and including abundant whole grains in our diet. Therefore,
high fibre foods like barley should be included in the daily diet of diabetic
patients. Its grain has all the essential vitamins and minerals, particularly
beta-glucan soluble fibre, that slows down glucose absorption. The December 2006 edition of Nutrition
Research has proved that insulin-resistant men who consumed barley beta-glucan
soluble fibre had significantly reduced glucose and insulin levels as compared
to others test subjects.
Prevents Heart
Disease & Cancer: Barley contains certain types of
phytonutrients known as plant lignans, which are transformed by friendly flora
in our intestines into mammalian lignans. One of these new lignans is called
enterolactone, which helps us to prevent breast and other hormonal cancers as
well as coronary or heart disease.
Protects Against Atherosclerosis:
Atherosclerosis is a condition when the artery walls thicken due to the coagulation
or deposition of fatty materials like cholesterol. Barley contains niacin (a B
vitamin complex) that reduces the overall cholesterol and lipoprotein levels
and minimizes cardiovascular risk factors. Postmenopausal women having high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, or cardiovascular diseases are specifically
recommended to have barley at least 6 times a week.
Prevents Asthma: 14.5 kDa is a barley endosperm protein and a major allergen in
baker’s asthma disease. This is an airborne occupational ailment, mostly
prevalent in confectioneries and bakeries. It proves to be very effective
preventative measure for such kinds of major wheat-flour allergens.
When you think of buying it, you first need
to decide what form you should buy. It is found in various forms, and each of
them has varied nutritional value. Whole grain barley has the ultimate
nutritional value, found in its grain, leaves and even the extract of the
grass.
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