Barley benefit and harm for men. Barley porridge: its benefits and harms. How to cook barley to save benefits

What could be tastier than aromatic mushroom soup with pearl barley? A variety of dishes with the addition of this unpretentious cereal has firmly entered the national cuisine of many peoples. It is often added to soups, goulash, as it makes their consistency thicker and gives additional flavor. Boiled cereals can be used instead of the usual side dish. By the way, in the old days barley porridge was served only to the noble classes. But over time, culture has firmly entered the daily diet of soldiers. It is also widely used in brewing: a rich malt extract for a hoppy drink is made from sprouted grains.

What is pearl barley?

Round barley grains are nothing more than industrially processed barley. The groats are sifted into five groups (the larger the number, the finer the grain), and then the barley grain undergoes a peeling procedure in a grinder. The next production steps are grinding and polishing, after which the flour is sifted and the grains are sorted.

This agricultural crop has been known since ancient times: historically confirmed facts of eating cereals date back to the era of Ancient Egypt. Barley grains about 11 thousand years old were found by archaeologists during excavations in Jordan. Some peoples used culture as a currency. In Russia, cereals began to spread thanks to Peter the Great.

Externally, the peeled and polished grains have a slight resemblance to pearls, or pearls, hence the name of the variety of barley groats.

Round grains of barley groats contain a huge amount of useful trace elements:

The benefits and harms of barley porridge

Useful properties of cereals

Pearl barley actively lowers cholesterol levels, helps cleanse blood vessels, reducing the risk of diseases. The effect of cleansing blood vessels is achieved through a harmonious combination of b-glucan polysaccharide, insoluble fibers and propionic acid.

The use of porridge from barley grains helps prevent arthrosis and arthritis, which affects many people over 45 years of age. Low-calorie cereals contain a large amount of calcium: this simultaneously stops the natural process of destruction of the joints and does not put additional stress on them.

Pearl barley is prescribed simultaneously with drugs that promote the destruction of gallstones. Grains reduce the production of bile acids and lower the level of triglycerides in the body. To prevent the formation of stones, it is recommended to use a decoction of pearl barley grains - this is a great way to reduce the level of harmful toxins in the body.

This cereal can be safely called “female”: studies by British scientists have shown that when consumed in the pre-climate period of cultures rich in fiber, it reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by half.

Pearl barley contains a large amount of fiber. It is not absorbed by the body, but it helps to improve the digestion process, so it is recommended in case of problems with the gastrointestinal tract: patients with stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and colitis should certainly eat this valuable product. Also, the fiber contained in porridge helps cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. After surgery, people are advised to take a decoction based on milk or water in the proportion of 250 g of cereal per 500 ml of liquid three times a day.

A well-known way to increase hemoglobin is the use of pomegranate. But pearl barley also copes with this task perfectly.

Contraindications for the use of pearl barley

Pregnant and lactating mothers should stop eating this grain, as gluten can cause intestinal problems.

Those suffering from allergies to grain components or hypersensitivity should also exclude barley porridge from the diet.

The heavy digestibility of cereals is the main reason why cereals are not recommended to be introduced into the diet of children under 4 years old.

In order not to harm the reproductive system, men are advised to use it in limited quantities.

When dieting, it is important to include in the daily minimum those foods that contain complex carbohydrates. They help to quickly cope with hunger and keep the feeling of satiety for a long time. The use of pearl barley accelerates metabolic processes, and the composition of the culture includes substances that resist the deposition of excess fat. Barley also has a slight diuretic effect.

Fiber perfectly cleanses the body, it generally contributes to the functioning of the digestive system. Also in the grains, scientists have found proteins that improve the condition of muscle tissue. And thanks to natural collagen, the appearance of the skin of a slender beauty will not suffer at all from the loss of extra pounds.

For losing weight, experts have developed a mono-diet lasting 5 days. During this period, it is recommended to consume 750 g of porridge, dividing the indicated amount into several parts. In order not to harm the digestive system, you need to drink at least 2 liters of water.

A more gentle diet option:

In the morning: a serving of porridge (200 g) and a green apple;

In the afternoon: porridge (200 g) + boiled beets (4 tablespoons) + boiled fillet or fish (100 g);

In the evening: porridge (200 g), prunes (4 fruits) and low-fat kefir (1 cup).

The traditional way

Cooking porridge from dry cereals will not work. It is recommended to soak it in cold water, and rinse the swollen grains before cooking: this way the taste of the finished dish will be better.

Water is added to the prepared grains (no more than three glasses). Salt is added only at the end of cooking. If you plan to add milk, this is best done in the middle of cooking. And butter will add additional flavor to the dish if it is put into porridge in two stages: at the beginning of cooking and in the finished dish.

For cooking you will need:

Groats - 1 glass;

Water - 5 glasses;

Butter - 30 g;

Salt to taste.

After soaking, the cereals are poured with water and boiled for about an hour over low heat. Drain the water, add oil and leave to infuse for another 10 minutes.

Barley porridge with milk

The prepared washed cereals (1 tbsp.) Are poured with water (2 tbsp.), Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has completely evaporated. Then add warmed milk (2.5 tablespoons) and bring to a boil. After that, put sugar, mix and put in a preheated oven for half an hour.

Recipe for weight loss

Sugar, salt, oil and other components traditional for barley porridge cannot be used if you want to lose a couple of extra pounds. You also need to be patient: the cooking time grows by about five times.

So, you will need:

Pearl barley (200 g);

The cereal should be poured with a liter of water and left for at least 12 hours. Then add another 600 ml of water and cook for half an hour over low heat. Cooked porridge is covered with a towel and left for another quarter of an hour.

Barley porridge is an affordable natural storehouse of vitamins that should not be neglected in your daily diet.

Diets and healthy eating 09.01.2018

Dear readers, cereals from cereals have traditionally been part of our diet since childhood. Grains are nutritious and each of them is useful for the body in its own way. And today we will talk about the benefits and harms of pearl barley. Surely she is familiar to everyone since childhood, but not everyone knows about its composition and benefits for our body and therefore they do not appreciate it as much as it deserves.

A few facts

Barley or barley groats is one of the types of barley groats. Its second type is also the well-known barley groats. Perlovka is barley grains that have been peeled and polished. These are white or yellow-white round grains, which are large or small. In Soviet times, five sizes of pearl barley were distinguished, and before the revolution in Russia, small groats were considered the most valuable.

Cleaned, ground and polished, these grains resemble pearls, which were previously called pearls, hence the name - pearl barley.

Pearl barley is very popular in Russian cuisine, according to legend, Peter the Great respected barley porridge. It is an affordable, inexpensive and well-stored cereal, and during the Soviet Union it was willingly used for cooking in schools, canteens and in the army. Perhaps that is why there is an attitude towards pearl barley as a product not very valuable. But this is not so - the benefits of pearl barley are undeniable, and it deserves to be part of a healthy diet.

Pearl barley is used in the cuisines of Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Italy as a side dish and soup cereal. The French and Germans introduce pearl barley into sausages and pate. Japanese scientist Yoshihie Hagiwara studied cereals for many years and believed that "among cereals, barley is the best source of nutrients that the human body needs for growth, recovery and health."

Let's see what the barley looks like in the photo. What are these light, strong and full of vital energy grains.

The composition and calorie content of pearl barley

Compound

The composition of pearl barley is the richest, hardly any other cereal can compare with it. 100 g of pearl barley contains 73 g of carbohydrates, 11 g of protein, 1 g of fat. Also includes:

• cellulose;
• amino acids;
• polysaccharides;
• vitamins - A, B, D, E, H, PP, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9;
• minerals - phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, iodine, selenium, etc.

There is more fiber in pearl barley than in wheat, and protein in terms of nutritional value is in no way inferior to wheat. Rich in fiber, barley porridge will be a good cleanser for the digestive tract, because it helps to remove toxins, toxins, salts of heavy metals.

There is silicic acid in pearl barley, which also eliminates toxins and is beneficial for the body. Among the amino acids there is an indispensable lysine - it promotes the production of collagen and normalizes the functioning of the heart. Of the minerals, there are a lot of phosphorus, potassium, calcium and iron in pearl barley, and there are also about ten other rare and useful elements.

Barley calorie content

The calorie content of pearl barley is 320 kcal. The calorie content of barley boiled in water is significantly less - about 100 kcal. Boiled barley is hearty, satisfies hunger well and can be classified as a dietary product.

Barley calorie table per 100 grams of product

Health benefits of pearl barley

What is useful pearl barley for the human body? Why should you include it in your diet? Because it is a simple, affordable, nutritious and valuable product.

The beneficial properties of pearl barley are numerous. It is a natural powerful antioxidant. Pearl barley contains a lot of vitamins A and E, as well as selenium, and in this combination they help eliminate free radicals. in general, it is very important for the body, and in pearl barley it is three times more than in rice groats.

Pearl barley contains many valuable amino acids. Among them, lysine stands separately, which has an antiviral, anti-infective effect, protecting against herpes. Lysine is good for the heart and for tissue repair. In addition, it helps to produce collagen, which is needed for skin elasticity and prevents wrinkles.

The benefits of barley are also due to the polysaccharide b-glucan contained in it. There is a lot of this compound in cereals, and it well lowers cholesterol in the vessels. Therefore, with problems with cholesterol, barley porridge should regularly appear on the table. It will protect the heart from a possible heart attack.

There is enough silicic acid in pearl barley. It is valuable in that it eliminates toxins and destroys sand and stones in the kidneys, urinary and gallbladder.
Pearl barley is rich in phosphorus, the lack of which greatly affects the body. Normal metabolism, absorption of calcium, and brain activity depend on phosphorus.

Barley has 11 times more calcium than milk. Therefore, cereals are useful for bone tissue, and together with other minerals in their composition, they will prevent osteoporosis, arthritis, and arthrosis.

In diabetes, barley will help lower the level of glucose in the blood, normalizes metabolism.

Another useful property of pearl barley is that it can eliminate allergic reactions or greatly facilitate their course. Allergy sufferers should definitely include pearl barley dishes in their diet.

Barley has a good antibacterial effect. After soaking this cereal in water, hordecin remains - an antibiotic with antifungal action.

Barley fiber cleanses the body well, and there are substances in the cereal that prevent fat deposits from accumulating. This is a dietary product, and we will talk about weight loss on pearl barley a little later.

Barley decoction is also used for medicinal purposes. It has a softening, enveloping, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect. The decoction will help with gastric inflammation and for recovery after abdominal surgery.

I suggest watching a video about the benefits of barley porridge, its composition and method of preparation.

Barley for women's health

What is useful pearl barley for women? As we already know, lysine prevents the formation of wrinkles, as a result of which the skin retains elasticity and smoothness. In addition, British scientists have found that in women in the premenopausal period, regular consumption of barley porridge reduces the risk of breast cancer by half. Phosphorus in pearl barley is useful during menopause.

Antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium contribute to the overall rejuvenation of the body. A decoction of barley is suitable for hands and face, relieves the skin of dryness. Crushed and steamed barley is used to make masks and tonics.

Barley for weight loss. Barley diet

What are the benefits and harms of barley for weight loss? Pearl barley in the form of porridge helps in losing weight. The body is cleansed of toxins, the skin retains its elasticity, and fat deposits do not accumulate in the body.

The difficulty is that the pearl barley diet is a mono-diet. That is, every day you need to eat only barley porridge and drink plenty of water. In addition to water, mineral water, green tea, herbal decoctions are suitable. On such a meager menu, not everyone can hold out. Moreover, with such a diet, sugar, salt and oil cannot be added to porridge. However, it is allowed to add some spices, pepper or curry. You can also eat fruits, but with a low sugar content.

Mono-diet on barley porridge is carried out for 4-5 days. According to reviews, as a result, you can lose weight up to 4 kg or more. It is important to cook such porridge correctly. 200 g barley is poured with a liter of water and soaked for 12 hours. The cereal swells, then it is poured with 3 glasses of water and boiled over low heat for about half an hour. When the porridge is ready, it is removed from the stove and wrapped in a towel for 15 minutes.

A softer diet (lasts 7 days) includes barley for breakfast with prunes and a green apple. For lunch, you can add a vegetable salad and quite a bit of boiled fish to the porridge. For dinner - a little low-fat cottage cheese and kefir. It is important to drink plenty of pure water.

Barley when losing weight cleanses the intestines from mucus and toxins, normalizes digestion, and fights constipation. Thanks to proteins and amino acids on such a diet, there is no feeling of weakness and hunger. By the end of the diet, excess fat and swelling disappear.

The barley diet is not the easiest, and you need to approach it carefully. You can not eat such porridge too much, it can disrupt digestion. Also, a pearl barley diet can be harmful for those who do not tolerate gluten well.

Barley for children

Is it possible to give barley porridge to children and from what age? Barley porridge can be given to children little by little from the age of three. As with all food products, barley must be used in moderation. Too much barley porridge can be bad for digestion.

Harm and contraindications

The benefits and harms of barley for the body are incomparable. Of course, there are many more benefits, but it is important to know about the possible harm. Barley contains gluten. This means that it should not be used by those who have flatulence, hyperacidity, and during pregnancy. Contraindications are also frequent constipation and exacerbation of stomach ulcers. Rarely, but there are allergies to pearl barley and intolerance.

How to choose and store pearl barley

When choosing cereals, you must first look at the color of the grains. White, yellowish, golden indicates the good quality of the cereal, but if there are black blotches, you do not need to take it.

Grains in the package should not stick together. There should be no impurities in the cereal. Do not buy barley with a rancid or unpleasant odor - this is an expired product.

Pearl barley should be stored in a dry, ventilated room. A cardboard box or containers for storing cereals will do. Barley is stored at home for up to 10 months.

Barley Recipes

Barley decoction

How to prepare a medicinal decoction of barley? 250 g barley pour 1.5 liters of hot water (you can take milk). Bring to a boil, cook for 20 minutes. The broth will be like liquid sour cream, and it does not need to be filtered. Take 100-150 g three times a day. The decoction is stored for a day. Helps after abdominal operations and inflammation in the stomach.

How to cook barley porridge

Barley porridge cooks faster if you pre-soak the cereal. In addition, cereals can be different, and some types are cooked longer.

The name of barley porridge speaks of a special attitude towards it. Not every product will be called a jewel. Pearls used to be called pearls. Peeled and polished barley grain looks a bit like river pearls, but barley porridge was valued not for its appearance, but for its nutritional value and useful properties.

In barley porridge, the benefits and harms are incomparable. With caution, barley grain should be used with individual intolerance to the protein components of pearl barley and with the body's tendency to constipation. Losing weight should take into account the high nutritional value of porridge. Barley porridge in terms of calories has no equal among grain products. 100 grams of porridge contains 350 kcal. This is where the contraindications end...

The biggest disadvantage of pearl barley is the complexity of its preparation. Large dense grains require long heat treatment and special skills of the cook.

Barley porridge: benefits

Barley grains contain almost the entire useful set of nutrients and vitamins vital for the human body for growth, development and functioning.

• Vitamin A, which is most often called carotene, is necessary to strengthen the body's defenses.
• Vitamins of group B contribute to the acceleration of metabolic processes, have a beneficial effect on the activity of the nervous and circulatory systems.
• Vitamin E gives the skin a fresh, firm and youthful appearance.
• Potassium and magnesium, which are very abundant in pearl barley, support the work of the heart muscle, improve the elasticity of blood vessels.
• Calcium keeps bones strong.
• Sodium is involved in water-salt metabolism, prevents the movement of fluid from blood vessels to tissues.
• Phosphorus improves mental and muscular activity, strengthens bones.
• Iron is essential for proper oxygen metabolism and the creation of hemoglobin.
• Manganese has a beneficial effect on the processes of growth, development and reproductive activity of the body.
• Zinc provides activation of immunity, development of the sexual sphere.
• Selenium ensures the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.

The benefits of barley porridge are not limited to a set of vitamins and trace elements in the composition. An energetically valuable product with a high content of easily digestible vegetable protein diversifies the menu of children and people actively involved in sports. For the elderly barley can be a real salvation, especially if there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The soft enveloping effect of barley porridge is indispensable for gastritis and peptic ulcer disease.

How to cook barley porridge?

Alas, the love for barley porridge, which in the old days was called "royal", cannot be considered universal. This is due to a simple inability and unwillingness to cook porridge correctly. Dense barley grain requires a special approach and careful attention. It is worth deviating a little from the recipe that has been tested for centuries, as the cereal is brewed into an inedible solid “shrapnel”. So disrespectfully called barley men who overate porridge during army service. Now, by the way, barley is introduced into the diet of soldiers only as part of the first courses, excluding it from the list of side dishes for the second course.

1. Traditional Russian dishes were cooked in the oven, that is, they were not fried or boiled, but languished in a moderately hot place, acquiring an amazing aroma, taste and texture. On a conventional stove, the simplest device will help to achieve the effect of leisurely languor: a water bath. For the most modern and advanced cooks, a multifunctional multicooker is suitable.
2. Pearl barley must be soaked before cooking. Pokhlebkin recommends taking a liter of cold water per glass of cereal. In ten to twelve hours, barley grains will swell, double in size, having absorbed a large amount of water. The most impatient cooks brew cereals with hot water in a thermos. Such a pre-steamed barley can be cooked quickly, literally in about fifteen minutes.
3. Cooks who want to get authentic porridge, the very one that, according to rumors, Peter I adored, should not rush. The soaked grain is poured into two liters of warm milk, brought to a boil and kept on an open fire for 5 minutes.
4. The dishes with porridge are closed until the end of the process and placed in a large container with constantly boiling water. So the porridge will languish at a moderate temperature for several hours, without burning or boiling away. Cooking will not require any special efforts, except that you will have to check the presence of water in the steam bath from time to time.
5. Long languishing leads to caramelization of milk and absolute boiling of cereals, which turns into a soft paste of a pleasant golden-cream color. It is worth flavoring barley with a piece of butter or a small amount of cream, stir and eat, enjoying every sip.

Downy barley porridge

It is said that the first Russian emperor loved “downy” porridge, that is, especially tender and airy. After preparing the stewed porridge, it was rubbed through a sieve, achieving an ideally delicate texture, and mixed with grated cottage cheese. Such a product has the right to be called "Royal" porridge and decorate the diet of people who care about their health and the taste variety of the daily menu.

With porridge prepared in this traditional way, salt, sugar or other additives are consumed individually, some gourmets generally prefer to do without spices. A familiar and inexpensive grain product is fully revealed, striking with a deep and rich natural taste.

I’m not sure if this is true, but rather unexpected healing properties are attributed to barley porridge:

Barley porridge: benefits for weight loss

Nutritionists strongly recommend using barley porridge for weight loss, although its calorie content is quite high. Barley groats are an invaluable source of vegetable proteins. Such protein is completely absorbed, while animal proteins are only partially absorbed. A sufficient amount of protein in the diet with a limited intake of fats and carbohydrates contributes to proper weight loss without loss of muscle tissue.

There is a lot in pearl barley, which helps to remove toxins and excess fats from the body. After eating a portion of barley porridge, a person is satiated, does not feel hungry for a long time, since slow carbohydrates in pearl barley require a long time for splitting and assimilation.

Diets for weight loss often sin with an imbalance in the diet, the body does not receive the necessary substances. What is useful barley porridge during a diet? Saturated composition and a complete set of amino acids, nutrients and trace elements necessary for a person. Pearl barley improves brain activity, regulates the endocrine system. Barley dishes are indicated for disorders in the cardiovascular system, diabetes, cholelithiasis. For allergy sufferers, pearl barley porridge will be a salvation, because its composition reduces the effect of allergens.

Pearl barley is one of the most useful and popular cereals, after buckwheat and rice. It contains a storehouse of nutrients, minerals and vitamins that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Pearl barley is represented by barley grain, peeled. Outwardly, it is very similar to pearls and that is why it was called “river pearls” in ancient times. Despite its external unattractiveness, porridge or rich soup with the addition of barley will help charge the body with a mass of useful substances and trace elements. You can see this cereal on the shelves of any store, moreover, at a fairly low price, but in terms of vitamin content it is not inferior to chicken meat.

How to choose and cook pearl barley, what useful substances are in it, the calorie content of this product and many other interesting facts you can find out by viewing this article to the end.

Caloric content of pearl barley (100 gr)

Barley is considered a product of medium calorie content, although its nutritional value is about 320 kcal in dry form. The core contains a huge amount of complex carbohydrates (they are able to quickly and permanently satisfy the feeling of hunger, they do not transform into body fat), which bring nutritional indicators to such a high level. But it is worth paying attention that the fat content is almost zero (1 g per 100 g). Therefore, very often they resort to eating this porridge during a diet or a healthy diet.

Chemical composition

Vitamins: vitamins B group, A, E, K

Minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, phosphorus, sulfur, manganese, copper, selenium, iron

Active substances: fiber, amino acids

Beneficial features

The presence of a large amount of fiber is considered one of the most beneficial properties for the human body. Like a sponge, it is able to cleanse the intestines of accumulated toxins and toxins, improve peristalsis, and prevent the development of diverticulosis. After improving the work of this part of the digestive system, there is an acceleration of metabolic processes and a general strengthening of the microflora, which entails a positive effect on all systems and health in general. By the amount of dietary fiber and calorie content, pearl barley is quite similar to corn.

During pregnancy, it is very useful to eat dishes based on pearl barley. This will help improve digestion throughout the gastrointestinal tract, enrich the body with essential vitamins and minerals, amino acids will help the fetus develop properly. Iron will prevent the development of anemia and maintain hemoglobin levels at the right level. Regular use of pearl barley has a positive effect on the entire work of the cardiovascular system, strengthens the heart and normalizes blood pressure, this will help the expectant mother to endure stress more easily.

Lysine, antioxidants, vitamin A and E have a positive effect on all processes in the liver, improve the functioning of the pancreas. Regenerative processes inside the cells of this organ are accelerated, which allows for better blood filtration.

Germinated barley is very often used by vegetarians as a source of essential amino acids to speed up metabolic processes. It has been proven that such a product will help to avoid the development of diabetes. But, before you start taking it, you should make sure that there are no inflammatory processes in the stomach, get a doctor's advice.

Barley for weight loss

Pearl barley is great for weight loss. Its calorie content fluctuates around 300 kcal, which is not a little, but all the carbohydrates in the core are considered complex and can satisfy the feeling of hunger, while not being transformed into subcutaneous fat. Fiber and protein, which can also be found in barley in sufficient quantities, are able to use many body systems for digestion, which will also use up internal energy.

After eating such a product, the release of sugar is slow, so the feeling of a "full stomach" comes quickly. Proper bowel function, which is simply ensured with regular use of porridge, enhances metabolism and speeds up the process of losing extra pounds. The main thing is not to season all dishes with fatty meat, large chunks of butter or sugar. It is very useful to cook cereals with various vegetables (which have a huge supply of fiber), it can be red bell pepper, asparagus or Brussels sprouts. Also, barley porridge, due to its enveloping property, will help to avoid the development of gastritis or other inflammatory processes in the stomach or intestines, which very often happens during regular dietary holidays, in pursuit of a beautiful figure.

How to cook

If you still decide to get all the benefits of this product, you should clarify how to properly prepare pearl barley.

The first thing to do is pour the washed grains with water, leave for at least 4 hours (the water should cover the barley).

After this time, take a medium-sized saucepan, pour in the washed cereal again, pour water at the rate of 2.5 tbsp of water per 1 tbsp. grains, bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for about an hour. Porridge increases in volume up to 5 times. After the barley is almost brought to readiness, it must be sent to the oven for 15 minutes to reach. As a result, you should get crumbly porridge, but you need to carefully watch so that it does not get digested.

If you are cooking barley with milk, you need to pour the already swollen grains into milk (approximately 1.5 l), bring to a boil and continue to cook over low heat until tender. The finished cereal is easily cracked, does not crunch on the teeth and does not taste like raw flour.

Contraindications and harm

• It is harmful to use barley porridge for people with frequent flatulence or diarrhea due to the presence of β-gluten, which can aggravate the situation.
• Pregnant women should use cereals with caution, as this can cause an upset.
• It is contraindicated to include in the diet of children under 3 years of age. Its coarse-grained texture may be unsafe for children's health, there is a risk of inhalation.
• Use with caution in people with frequent allergic reactions.
• It is harmful to consume a large amount of pearl barley at one time, it is very difficult for the stomach and can cause various painful consequences.

Proponents of proper nutrition, talking about the benefits of barley porridge, immediately recall its rich composition. And there really is something to brag about cereals: porridge retains a lot of vitamins, antioxidants, micro and macro elements, amino acids and other useful substances inherent in barley. Among them it is worth highlighting:

Vitamins of group B, K, PP, D;
vitamin E and beta-carotene (vitamin A);
phosphorus and chromium - their record content;
potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc;
a large amount of lysine is the main benefit of barley;
more fiber than in wheat;
natural antibiotic - gordecin;
selenium (three times more than in rice).
It is not worth talking about the benefits of vitamins, because they affect the nervous system, metabolism, immunity, and the condition of hair, nails, teeth. The lack of vitamins is noticeable immediately, but those who periodically use pearl barley are not threatened with vitamin deficiency or hypovitaminosis. Phosphorus, which is contained in barley porridge in impressive quantities, is priceless for the body: it normalizes metabolism, the endocrine system and activates brain activity. Athletes also need this element, as it increases the intensity and speed of muscle contractions.

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What barley is useful for women is the abundance of lysine. It promotes the production of collagen, which slows down aging and allows you to stay visually young and beautiful longer. In addition, lysine can have a powerful antiviral effect in the fight against various colds and herpes. Gordecin gives barley an antibacterial and antifungal effect. Selenium in porridge is a powerful antioxidant.

In addition to the fact that pearl barley strengthens the body as a whole, it can also contribute to weight loss. Of course, if you cook porridge with various additives and spare no oil, then the dish is unlikely to turn out to be dietary, but the calorie content of the cereal itself is relatively low - only 315 kcal. But what barley is useful for losing weight is an effective cleansing of the body. It quickly and easily removes all toxins, toxins, qualitatively cleansing the inner surface of the stomach and intestines.

On the other hand, an abundance of barley porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner will do more harm than good even to a healthy person. The whole problem is in the special substance gluten, which in large quantities provokes the leaching of calcium from the body, and this can lead to rickets in children and brittle bones in adults. Poor absorption of vitamins can adversely affect human health and have worse consequences. This is how useful properties and contraindications are combined in pearl barley, so it’s good that it’s cooked in moderation and properly.
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WHO NEED BARLEY

Happiness in health is known to every person suffering from any ailment. And pearl barley is an excellent product that can significantly bring a person closer to this happiness. It not only gently strengthens the immune system, but can also help cure many diseases. Some doctors prescribe an official diet, which necessarily includes barley porridge. In these cases, the question of whether pearl barley is useful disappears by itself, because a decoction based on it has so many useful properties:

Antibacterial;
antifungal;
anthracite;
enveloping;
antipyretic;
antiviral;
anti-inflammatory;
antispasmodic;
emollient;
diuretic.
Based on this, the benefits of barley for women, men and children become obvious. However, porridge can bring the greatest benefit, of course, in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, because it envelops the stomach, fills cracks, absorbs all harmful substances and cleanses the inner surface of the intestine, increasing the absorption of nutrients. Eating barley is also desirable for such diseases:

Fungal, colds and viral infections;
hepatitis;
arthritis;
prostatitis;
diabetes;
kidney and liver diseases;
haemorrhoids;
cough, sore throat, runny nose;
oncological diseases.
In these cases, the benefits and harms of pearl barley will not compete: improvements from taking porridge will be noticeable from the first day. On the other hand, before giving barley porridge to young children, it is better to consult a doctor. It's all about gluten again - this substance is too harmful for a growing organism. Considering that it is present in all cereals, all of them are contraindicated for children under one year old and undesirable for children under three years old.

It is considered optimal to take pearl barley no more than 2-3 times a week, even for adults. It is undesirable to eat it for pregnant women, as well as for people who are prone to obesity, constipation, and increased acidity of the stomach. Pregnancy also excludes the use of barley porridge. Barley has both benefits and contraindications - this is obvious, but you should not give up a useful product completely - it is important just to make the right and balanced diet for every day. ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Ingredients 3 servings
Pearl barley 250 g
Fat beef 600 g
Onion 2 pieces
Butter 50 g
Parsley chopped to taste
Bay leaf 3 pieces
Coriander seeds to taste
Cumin (jeera) to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
print recipe
Instruction
2 hours

1. Rinse barley, pour cold water over it and leave for 3-4 hours.
2. Cut the meat into small cubes (with a side of 1 cm).
3. Fry the onion until golden brown and add garlic, meat to it and fry over high heat for 5–10 minutes, stirring, so that a crispy crust appears on the meat.
4. Then spread the meat with onions in pots, add spices, salt.
5. Drain the water from the barley and spread it evenly over the pots.
6. Fill the pots with boiled water so that it covers the contents of the pot by 1 cm.
7. Put the pots in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 170 and bake for another 1 hour.
8. Then leave the pots in the switched off oven for another 30 minutes.
9. Put butter in the finished porridge and sprinkle with your favorite herbs. ____________________________________________________________
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