Benefits of barley syrup

barley

Barley is known scientifically as Barely Hordeum vulgare . It is a widespread plant, due to its ability to withstand cold, heat and drought. The barley plant belongs to the Nigella species, similar in shape to the wheat plant. The stem ends with a spike bearing barley, and it has hermaphrodite flowers, which contains male and female organs. It has been used for the manufacture of bread, pastries and biscuits, a food rich in protein, dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, copper, vitamin B, beta glucan and various antioxidants. Barley can be drank as milk, healthy, called barley water, or barley syrup, can be prepared at home by adding well washed barley to pre-boiled water, left on stove for half an hour, then filtered and then placed in the refrigerator.

Food composition of barley grain

The following table shows the dietary composition of each 100 g of barley barley:

Benefits of barley syrup

The benefits of barley syrup include:

• It treats the urinary tract, cleanses the kidneys, and leads the urine; which saves the body from toxins, bacteria that cause urinary tract infection, especially cystitis, and it breaks up kidney stones.
• Helps to get rid of excess weight: Barley syrup is rich in fiber, such as beta glucan, which fills the stomach, which gives the feeling of satiety, and reduces the amount of food eaten by the individual.
• Reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood: Barley water contains insoluble fiber, rich in beta glucan, which reduces the absorption of cholesterol from food in the stomach and intestines.
• Protects cardiovascular disease: This prevents atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
• Improves digestion and treats digestive problems. Barley is rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, which prevents constipation, hemorrhoids, gastritis, helps to balance salts, restore fluid lost by the body when it comes to diarrhea, protects colon and rectum cancer, in the gallbladder.
• Reduces sugar levels in people with diabetes: The soluble fiber in barley inhibits glucose absorption after eating, helping to control blood sugar and insulin resistance. It also plays a role in preventing the risk of obesity, thus preventing diabetes from Type II.
• Moisturizes and cools the body and gives it a feeling of recovery during the summer.
• It protects against osteoporosis, it is rich in minerals that strengthen bones.
• Maintains the freshness of the skin and prevents the appearance of wrinkles, because it contains antioxidants.
• Treats cough, rough throat.
• Helps treat depression in the elderly.
• Enhances body immunity, prevents sleep disorders, and Parkinson’s disease, because it contains a proportion of melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain.

Benefits of barley

The benefits of eating barley include:

• Used in feeding animals.
• Used in the manufacture of alcohol.
• Used as an alternative to coffee.
• Increases the beneficial bacteria that live in the large intestine, thus enhancing their health.
• A study suggests that barley may treat bronchitis, but there is not enough evidence to confirm its effectiveness.
• Hemorrhoids may be treated when applied to the skin, but there is not enough evidence to confirm its effectiveness.
• Increases body energy and stamina.
• Boosts memory, learning.
• Maintains cellular membrane structure, helps absorb fat, transfers nerve impulses, relieves inflammation.
• Increases the beneficial bacteria that live in the large intestine, thus enhancing their health.

Side effects and precautions

Eat barley as a safe food, but eating a large amount of cooked barley sprouts can harm people with impaired immunity, pregnant women, children and the elderly, and should avoid eating barley  supplements in the following cases:

• Celiac disease, because the presence of gluten in barley may increase the symptoms of the disease.
• Eat herbs, or medications that reduce blood sugar, such as willow bark, ginger, or cucumber, to avoid low blood sugar level.
• Sensitivity to other grains, including maize, rice, rye, wheat, and oats.
• Planning for surgery within two weeks, to avoid blood sugar disorder during and after surgery.

Allergy to barley

Barley has a protein gluten, so it is taken by people who suffer from the sensitivity of gluten causes the emergence of the following symptoms:

• Itching in the eye.
• stomach bloating.
• asthma.
• Irritation and swelling of the mouth and throat.
• Nasal congestion.
• Eczema.

The symptoms of allergy include:

• Reduction of Blood pressure.
• Difficulty breathing and chest pain.
• Weak pulse.
• The crust of the skin.