Pearl barley, the benefits and harms of which have long been known to everyone, is indispensable in our diet, although many, to put it mildly, do not like it, in particular men who enjoyed it in the army. It’s not for nothing that pearl barley is popularly called “peasant”.
Groats are made from barley, its name comes from the word "pearl", which means pearl. And this is due to the fact that its shape and color resemble this beautiful stone. We will devote our article to this particular product and try to figure out what pearl barley is. The benefits and harms, useful properties and contraindications of this useful product will also be examined by us.
Structure
It has long been proven by Japanese scientists that barley is one of the most valuable products for our body, which is necessary for maintaining health.
Pearl barley, the benefits and harms of which are also well known in traditional medicine, contains vitamins A, B, E, D, PP. It is also rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, chromium, nickel, potassium, iodine, bromine, phosphorus. Barley is a rich natural source of amino acids, it contains lysine, which slows down the aging process, maintains skin elasticity and is involved in the production of collagen. Also, this substance has an antiviral effect, in particular it fights against those viruses that cause herpes.
What are the healing properties of pearl barley
The benefits and harms in this case are ambiguous, because this porridge helps with various diseases due to its rich composition. So, for example, in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract due to the high fiber content, this cereal helps to get rid of constant constipation, as well as cleanse our intestines from unwanted deposits.
Water in which barley was soaked is also very useful. It contains hordecin, which has the properties of an antibiotic and cures of various fungal diseases.
The benefits and harms of pearl barley are well known to people suffering from stone formation in the kidneys, gall and bladder, due to the silicic acid contained in it , which adversely affects all kinds of toxins, sand and stones that settled in our body.
Doctors recommend eating barley porridge to people who have just had surgery on their stomachs, as well as those who have high cholesterol in their vessels.
This product has a beneficial effect on the immune system, on the protective functions of the mucous membranes due to the provitamin A contained in it.
How to cook pearl barley porridge
Most of us do not like this healthy dish just because we cannot cook it correctly, so below we will describe how barley porridge is prepared.
In order to achieve friability and "goodies", you should try hard. Before cooking, cereals must be washed under running water to wash off the dark coating. Then it should be soaked in water for the night - so pearl barley, the benefits and harms of which are still known to our ancestors, will boil faster. After that, you can proceed directly to the cooking itself. To do this, take one glass of cereal and one liter of water. It is very good to cook barley in milk preheated to 40 ° C. Next, you need to wait for the porridge to boil and continue to cook it already in a water bath for about 6 hours. You can fill with butter, cream, fat milk, or onion-carrot frying.
Pearl barley diet
Below we will understand what constitutes a diet, which includes pearl barley, what benefits and harm from its use, whether it brings the desired results.
In the first days of use, nausea, dizziness, a constant feeling of hunger may appear. But this, we repeat, only in the early days. In order not to harm your health, follow some rules.
Pearl barley diet rules
- Drink as much liquid as you can, it is better if it is mineral water without gas.
- Exercise for the best results.
- After the diet ends, when you exit it, introduce other foods into the diet gradually.
- Cooked pearl barley should not even be seasoned with salt.
There are two types of pearl barley diet:
The five-day diet is more effective, since the diet includes only pearl barley, calorie content, the beneficial properties of which are great for those who want to quickly say goodbye to extra pounds and significantly improve their health. You can only diversify drinks, for example, green tea or herbal decoctions can come to replace mineral water without gas.
The benefits and harms of pearl barley to fight extra pounds are incommensurable, since there are practically no contraindications to the diet. It is forbidden only to follow the pearl diet to people who have serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular, gastritis, stomach ulcers and 12 duodenal ulcer in the acute stage. Otherwise, it can be observed by all, without exception.
The seven-day diet is characterized by a wide variety of products, so, for example, if you follow it, you can use green apples and prunes in your diet for breakfast, add vegetable salad and low-fat meat for lunch, and diversify dinner with low-fat cottage cheese and kefir.
The benefits and harms of barley
What is the use of pearl barley for weight loss? The first thing you should feel is lightness, because you got rid of extra pounds, slag, fat, which have been accumulating in your body for a long time.
Among other things, the skin should also improve and rejuvenate. But there is also some harm from its use.
Contraindications and harmfulness
It would not be desirable, but the topic of harm still has to be addressed.
- You can not use pearl barley regularly to people suffering from gastritis with high acidity.
- Do not lean on porridge if you are tormented by constant constipation.
- It is not necessary to give pearl barley to young children and pregnant women because of its content of gluten (gluten).
- It is undesirable to abuse porridge for men. This can lead to digestive upsets.
Pearl Barley Masks
- For skin elasticity and wrinkle tightening, use this mask. Take pearl barley and grind it into flour. Add some water or a decoction of chamomile. Hold for half an hour, then rinse. Perform this procedure 2 times a week - and the result will not be long in coming.
- For oily skin, make such a simple mask. Take 2.5 tablespoons of pearl barley flour, one tablespoon of tomato juice and one egg white. Mix well and drip 2 drops of any essential oil. Wash with warm water after 20 minutes. Use the mask 2 times a week - and the skin will become soft, velvety.
- Mix pearl barley with milk in equal amounts. Apply on face for 12 minutes. Such a mask will give the skin elasticity and relieve bumps.
- Take 4 tablespoons of pearl barley flour and add the same amount of freshly boiled water. Stir well, let cool slightly. Then take some grapes, remove the seeds and mash them. Mix all the ingredients, apply the mask on the face for 17 minutes, rinse. This is an excellent procedure for smoothing wrinkles.
- Take 4 tablespoons of pearl barley flour and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to it. Then, in a well-mixed mixture, add 2 tablespoons of hot water. Stir everything until smooth and apply on face for 25 minutes. This mask smoothes wrinkles and gives the skin elasticity.
Barley porridge deserves to be called one of the most useful, but, as you know, everything should be in moderation. If you learn how to cook it correctly, then it will bring not only benefits, but also pleasure in its use.