5 Amazing Health Benefits of Barley Water

Barley is a fiber rich grain. It falls under the same category as whole wheat, whole grains and oats. Barley is also rich in vitamin B-complex, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, protein, amino acids, dietary fiber, and various antioxidants. You can reap the health benefits of barley not just by adding it into your diet, but also by preparing -barley water, a healthy drink with myriad benefits.

How to Make Barley Water

• Rinse barley with water, and then soak it in water for at least 4 hours.
• Strain it and mix 1 cup of the soaked barley in 3 to 4 cups of water.
• Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer (covered) for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the grains are cooked and softened.
• Allow it to cool.
• Now simply pour it in your cup and let the grains remain settled at the bottom of the pan.

Drink 1 to 2 cups of barley water daily for good health. To improve its taste and boost its health benefits, you can add a raw honey and lemon juice to it.

1. Barley Water Treats UTIs

Drinking barley water is a great remedy to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs). Being a natural diuretic, it increases urination to help flush the infection-causing bacteria and toxins out of the body.

Moreover, barley water helps cleanse the kidneys and acts as a good anti-inflammatory for the urinary system. Thus, it is also used to treat issues like cystitis, kidney stones and high creatinine levels.

To combat a UTI, drink several cups of barley water daily until you get rid of the problem.

2. Supports Weight Loss

Barley water is a great health drink for those striving to lose weight. Its high fiber content, especially beta-glucans, helps keep you satiated for a long time, so you do not indulge in mindless or binge eating, simply out of habit. Barley water is also good for digestion and stimulates metabolism of fats.

3. Digestive Health

Barley water contains insoluble fiber that can help the good bacteria in the gut thrive and lower the population of disease-causing pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract. A healthy colon and intestine can lower risk of problems such as gastritis and diarrhea.

4. Barley Water Makes Your Heart Healthy

In addition to lowering cholesterol, drinking barley water also helps prevent atherosclerosis, a condition that causes thickening of arterial walls that puts blood flow at risk and increases the chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

Barley water also helps lower high blood pressure, another contributing factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

5. Controls Diabetes

Barley water is good for diabetics, because it helps stabilize blood glucose levels. The beta-glucans (a type of soluble fiber) in barley help slow the absorption of glucose after a meal and reduces the rise in glucose and insulin.