Amazing Health Benefits of Barley

Barley is a grain which has a slightly nutty taste and a chewy consistency. This versatile grain is very nutritious and offers great health benefits, including improved digestion, weight loss, reduced cholesterol levels and a healthier heart. Some of Barley’s health benefits are listed below:

1. Offers multiple nutrients: Barley is rich in vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. It is available in several forms, including hulled barley, barley grits, flakes, and flour. If you consume Barley as a whole grain, then it provides fiber, molybdenum, manganese, selenium, copper, vitamin B1, chromium, phosphorus and niacin. Barley also contains lignans, a group of antioxidants linked to a lower risk of cancer and heart diseases. The best way to consume barley is after soaking and sprouting, as this process increases vitamin, mineral, protein and antioxidant levels.
2. Helps you to reduce weight: Barley reduces hunger and promotes the feeling of fullness. It is high in fiber, particularly a soluble fiber known as beta-glucan. This soluble fiber creates a gel-like substance in the gut, which slows the digestion and absorption of nutrients. This reduces your appetite and promotes fullness. It may also help you to reduce belly fat which is associated with metabolic disease.
3. Improves digestion: Barley contains high fiber content, which improves intestinal health. Barley mostly contains insoluble fiber that does not dissolve in water, adds bulk to your stool, and accelerates intestinal movement. In addition, the insoluble fiber content feeds friendly gut bacteria, which in turn produce short chain fatty acids.
4. Prevent gallstones: Gallstones are solid particles which can form spontaneously in your gallbladder. This is because the gall bladder produces bile acids which digest fat. Barley provides insoluble fiber, which prevents the formation of gallstones and reduces the possibility of gall bladder surgery.
5. Lowers cholesterol: Barley is a source of beta-glucans which reduces bad cholesterol by binding bile acids. And your body acids eliminate bile acid in the form of feces. So your liver then uses up more cholesterol to make bile acids, in turn lowering the amount of cholesterol circulating in your blood. Besides, barley also increases good cholesterol and reduces triglyceride levels the most.
6. Reduce heart disease risk: Barley lowers low cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels. High blood pressure and high bad cholesterol (LDL) levels are the two major risk factors for heart disease. Thus reducing them also lowers the risk of heart diseases.