why barley must be included in our daily routine???

Barley is a wonderful, easily found and multipurpose whole grain cereal having nut like flavor used by the people as a healthy and nutritious diet especially for kids. It resembles like wheat and found everywhere in nepal.
Jau  or barley was first originated in the regions of Ethiopia and Southeast Asia where it was used as a healthy and energetic food for humans and animals as well as making alcoholic beverages, staple bread and etc. It was also used in ancient times in various other types such as barley water, barley tea and etc for medicinal purposes. It has been started cultivating to a great level in many other countries like Germany, South America, Spain, Canada, United States, India, Russian Federation, France and etc.

BENEFITS OF BARLEY (JAU)

Here are some well known and outstanding health benefits of the barley so that we can add this amazingly health nourishing diet as a healthy and energetic diet to our daily diet plan carefully. It has been famed all over the world nutritionally as it contains very healthy nutrients such as molybdenum, selenium, manganese, dietary fibers, copper, B group vitamins, chromium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and so many. Some of its nutritional health benefits are as follows:

Keeps Heart Healthy

Insoluble dietary fibers found in the barley produces propionic acid after getting digested which has cholesterol lowering property by inhibiting the action of enzyme involved in producing cholesterol in liver thus keeps heart healthy and well functioning.

Reduces Total Cholesterol Level

Jau is also rich source of beta glucan means soluble dietary fibers which has cholesterol lowering property by getting binded with bile acids and removing out of the body. After the loss of bile acids liver uses more cholesterol for making required amount of bile acids to digest fat. In this way, it helps in reducing total cholesterol level in the blood.

Keeps Blood Pressure under Control

Jau keeps blood pressure under control thus reduces the chance of heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

Makes Digestive System Healthy

It makes digestive system better by boosting its natural and proper functioning. Reduces Risk of Digestive System Disorders. Its high amount of dietary fibers assists in the proper passage of fecal matter thus decreases the risk of constipation, hemorrhoids (piles), colon cancer including other digestive system disorders.

Reduces Risk of Stones Formation

Its richness of insoluble dietary fibers reduces the risk of gall bladder stones means gallstones formation.

Restricts Growth of Cancerous Cells

Since barley is a high fiber food, it protects body from the abnormal growth of cancerous cells especially women or postmenopausal women from breast cancer.Regular intake of fibers rich diet reduces the risk of any type of cancer in the body such as colon, rectum, stomach, prostate and etc.

Prevents from various Hair Problems

Healthy hair needs some essential nutrients on daily basis to get strength and prevented from hair problems such as hair thinning, hair loss, early hair graying, dandruff, weak hair follicles and so many. Regular consumption of the barley provides such hair benefits.

Prevents Early Hair Graying. Copper mineral found in barley has capability to form hair pigment called melanin which provides hair a natural color thus prevents from early graying of hair.

Precautions, Side Effects and Disadvantages

• Sometime barley flour can cause asthma among sensitive people.
• Eating barley sprouts during pregnancy and breast feeding may cause some problems us should be avoided.
• It should be avoided by the people suffering from the celiac disease as gluten sensitivity may cause the condition worse.
• As it has tendency to lower down the blood sugar level thus should be avoided before and after any surgery as it may interfere with the blood sugar control during surgery.
• It should also be avoided by the person on medications of diabetes as it may interact with sugar control.
• It is avoided while taking any medicine by mouth as it may decrease the effectiveness of medicines because of high fiber content.
• Barley flour dust may cause irritation to the eye, sinuses, nose and etc to some people.

How to Enjoy ???

It can be enjoyed in many ways however; it should be washed well under running water to remove dirt and debris. Before cooking it should be soaked in the water or boiled. It is used to make bread, barley flour to make breads and muffins, barley flakes, stews, soups, cooked barley with mushrooms and etc recipes with sliced berries fruits.

How Much Barley to Eat a Day ???

As we that every thing has both aspects, positive and negative, it needs some careful precautions to get it’s all the nutritional health benefits as well as get prevented from its adverse effects. However, a normal and healthy person can have at least 25 to 40 g of whole grain fiber diet on daily basis but it is good to be consulted by the doctor before including to daily diet plan.