Oh Barley....

So many of us may be aware of the presence of Barley in our diets: in our beer! But this past week I have discovered that barley is a nutritious and delicious cereal grain with a whole heap of benefits to including in one's daily diet.

Barley boasts to being the oldest grain and for good reason... Archeologists have found evidence of barley growing wild as early as 17000BC!!!! The grain has been cultivated for more than 6000 years and was the principal "bread grain" of most ancient civilizations (Chinese, Greek, Egyptian, Roman...) up until the 14th century. The fact that it is one of the most drought and saline tolerant cereal crops most likely aided to its significance in ancient life.

But barley is not just ancient, it also has been proven to be very beneficial to one's health. Being high in both soluble and insoluble fiber means that it has been shown to aid in all forms of digestion issues. Barley has also been shown to decrease arterial plaque, lower cholesterol, and both prevent and cure gallstones.

The grain has 8 essential amino acids, making it a delight for those not getting complete protiens (vegetarians, people with severe food restrictions because did I mention, its gluten free). Barley is high in magnesium. According to some research I found on the internet, the magnesium content reacts with the body's enzymes in a certain way to control glucose levels, making it very beneficial to type 2 diabetes patients. Some other contents in this small package of goodness: selenium (a mineral), tocotrienols and lignans (both anti-oxidants). Some other claims I read on the internet: barley aids in cell growth and repair, can help with children's asthma, and should be consumed regularly by all. On islamonline.net, Howard Lutz is quoted as saying that barley, "Improves stamina, sexual energy, calirty of thought and reduces addiction to thing that are bad for you." Not being a medical professional, I am not backing any of these claims up, but I am inserting a little barley into my regular diet.

So I found this recipe for Barley Water. Actually, I saw it on the Barley episode of "Good Eats," and then looked it up online. In Britain, Barley water is apparently a popular soft drink. So popular in fact, that Robinsons brand of Barley water has been the official drink of Wimbledon since 1935. Barley water gives you all the nutritional benefits of Barley and tastes delicious too! (I think it tastes just like an orange julius!)

2 quarts water
1 cup hulled barley
2 lemons
1 orange
1/4 cup honey

Place the water and the barley into a medium saucepan; cover, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the barley comes to a boil, decrease the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. While the liquid is cooking, peel the lemons and orange, being careful not to cut into the white pith. Juice the fruits and place the juice along with the peel into a 3 quart pitcher and set aside. After 30 minutes, strain the barley through a fine mesh strainer into the pitcher. Discard the barley (ie: save it for later!!!). Add the honey and stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled.

So that is all I've got for now! Enjoy a little more barley in your life and I'll be back with something else delicious soon!

Cheers! LiA