Beautiful Barley
My first experience with barley was a couple of years ago at the home of
LocalHarvest founder, Guillermo Payet. He was cooking up a batch for a home
brew, or was it for his chickens? I can't remember. Anyhow, what I do remember
is it's hearty aroma and warming flavor. Little did I know at the time, but
barley has many health benefits as well. The consumption of grains like barley
offers protection against heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of
cancer. Barley is loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber – in fact, barley is
far ahead of other grains with 13.6 grams of fiber per cup! In addition to
this, barley is a good source of many antioxidants, and minerals.
Colon Health
Not to put too fine a point on it, but one of the great things about fiber is
that it provides bulk for our stool and therefore makes for a more rapid
transit of fecal matter through the intestines. Rapid transit means less time
for cancer-causing compounds to snuggle next to our colon cells, thus
decreasing the risk of colon cancer. In addition to acting as a bulking agent,
fiber feeds "friendly" bacteria in our gut. Friendly bacteria play a crucial
role in our intestines: they compete with disease-causing bacteria, boost the
immune system, prevent allergies, protect against bladder infections, and more.
Heart Health
The consumption of whole grains like barley has been associated with a
reduction in the risk of developing heart disease. In fact, in 2006 the FDA
announced that food products containing whole grain barley may claim that they
reduce the risk of heart disease. Barley's fiber is dense with beta glucan, a
substance that lowers cholesterol by attaching to bile acids and removing them
from the body. This results in a significant reduction in total cholesterol,
and LDL levels. Barley is also a good source of the B vitamin niacin, which
helps to protect against heart disease by reducing cholesterol as well.
Cancer Prevention
Lignans are abundant in barley. Lignans are converted by the friendly bacteria
in our intestines to enterolactone. This compound offers protection against
hormone dependent cancers. Research with pre-menopausal women has shown that
those with a greater intake of fiber from whole grains like barley have a
significant reduction in the risk of developing breast cancer as compared to
women with little grain fiber in their diets.
Marvelous Minerals
Barley is a good source of selenium, copper,
phosphorous and magnesium. Selenium intake is associated with a reduced risk of
colon cancer. Copper is involved in the production of collagen and elastin,
components of the connective tissue of bones and joints. Phosphorus is used in
the formation of the matrix of bone, DNA, and cell membranes. Magnesium is as a
co-factor for more than 300 enzymes in the body.
Reap the Benefits – Add Barley to Your Diet
Try substituting barley for other grains when baking, or when eating cereals. It is also great in soups!
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