Buying barley grass - What you should know

Barley grass is rich in vegetable protein, fibre, chlorophyll, B vitamins, carotenoids, vitamin C and minerals. Barley grass neutralizes toxins in the body and helps cleanse the liver. It protects against infections, stabilizes blood sugar and is recommended for gastrointestinal problems, high cholesterol, asthma and much more.

Barley is a grain with a long tradition that was already known to the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Vikings. The discoverer Christopher Columbus brought barley to the American continent in the 15th century.

Today, the type of grain occurs in various wild and cultivated forms and is processed into baked goods in this country. The barley grass we know is the leafy shoots of the 'Hordeum vulgare', the most common type of barley grown in agriculture. The barley grass powder is obtained from this.

Scientific studies show that barley grass is one of the most valuable foods on earth.

Due to its combination of vital substances and high nutrient density, barley grass is also said to have healing effects.

Barley grass is said to have a soothing effect on intestinal diseases and can lower cholesterol levels. Cancer-inhibiting substances are said to have also been discovered in the green stalk from the sweetgrass family. The intake of barley grass is therefore highly recommended.

The current boom in green smoothies made from green vegetables, fruits and herbs offer an additional area of application for the versatile barley grass.

What makes barley grass so valuable?

• Barley grass is the forerunner of the later grain barley - it grows rapidly from the barley grain in the earth and looks like a long blade of grass.
• But the optically inconspicuous barley grass has it all: It scores with its richness of vitamins, minerals and nutrients as well as secondary plant substances and antioxidants that protect human cells from free radicals. There are not many foods with so many plus points and such a balanced abundance of vital substances such as barley grass.
• For example, a Japanese scientist, Yoshide Hagiwara, examined more than 200 green leafy vegetables and compared them with one another. Barley grass came off the best because it contains more minerals, trace elements, vitamins and chlorophyll than others.
• In terms of bioflavonoids (growth regulators and colouring agents) and enzymes (ferments), barley grass was also the test winner.
• And that's not all: Dr. Hagiwara attested that barley grass had a calcium value several times higher than that of cow's milk and contains five times as much iron as the vegetables spinach and broccoli.
• He also found that barley grass contains significantly more vitamin B1 than whole wheat and seven times as much vitamin C than oranges. Vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are also contained in barley grass as further fitness boosters.
• Thanks to its folic acid content and pantothenic acid, carotenoids and beta-carotene as well as organic sodium, barley grass has earned the nickname 'superfood'.
• In addition to this, barley grass contains just as much zinc as animal sources rich in zinc. The researcher pointed out that the ingredients in barley grass are not only of high quality, but the leaves of the young barley grass plant also have a particularly balanced concentration of nutrients.
• The protein contained in barley grass not only contains all eight essential amino acids that can't be produced by the body but also 18 of the 22 amino acids available. Since a vegan diet often does not contain enough protein, many vegans and vegetarians like to use a dietary supplement made from barley grass.

Barley grass powder is recommended for:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Increased risk of blood clots forming
• An increased level of LDL cholesterol
• Blood sugar problems, including hypoglycaemia and diabetes
• States of exhaustion
• Inflammation
• Migraines
• Stomach and intestinal problems

Barley grass brings the acid-base balance into balance

The acid-base balance of people in the western world is often out of balance. This is mainly due to the modern diet with acid-forming foods. This includes industrially processed milk and grain products, sausage and meat products.

An alkaline balance through vegetables - especially green leafy vegetables - is usually neglected this way. Acidification of the organism can cause typical diseases of civilization and general malaise, which barley grass can counteract.

As a highly alkaline food, barley grass makes a valuable contribution to bringing the acid-base balance back into balance. One to two servings of barley grass powder per day, mixed with water or orange juice, harmonize the pH values in the body, replenish the mineral deposits and protect the cells from harmful influences from food. Calcium, copper and iron make barley grass so valuable, as well as the magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium it contains.

Barley grass revitalises the skin's elasticity

Saggy and tired-looking skin not only makes a person less attractive, but it is also an unmistakable sign of an unhealthy lifestyle or illness. A lot can be fixed with barley grass - because of its ingredient proanthocyanidin.

Oligomeric proanthocyanidins are secondary plant compounds that benefit cellular health. This is because they attack directly in the cell, e.g. the place where diseases originate.

The proanthocyanidins or oxidants contained in barley grass can protect cells from toxins and free radicals and also strengthen the immune system. As a result of taking barley grass, you will have a lower susceptibility to inflammation and infections.

Using barley grass to repair the skin is made possible by the fact that proanthocyanidins have beneficial effects on both connective tissue and the complexion. They not only protect the skin cells but also the fibre proteins in between. These are responsible for how elastic and firm the texture of the skin is.

The proanthocyanidins contained in barley grass ensure that the collagen is refreshed so that the skin regenerates and regains its previous elasticity. The walls of the blood vessels are also partly made of collagen. In this respect, drinks made from barley grass powder can also be used for the prophylaxis of cardiovascular complaints.

Barley grass supports healthy cholesterol levels

Barley grass is also recommended as a preventative against harmful LDL cholesterol in the blood. This means that consumption of barley grass powder is also used to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

A high LDL cholesterol level can lead to clogged arteries. A study in the US found that just 15 grams of barley grass powder per day significantly lowered cholesterol levels within a month. As a positive side effect, it turned out that the consumption of barley grass also reduces the number of free radicals in the blood.

In order to lower the cholesterol level sustainably, it is advisable to ensure an optimal supply of vitamins C and E in addition to barley grass. In particular, the combination of barley grass and fruits and nuts containing vitamin C, as well as vegetable oils containing vitamin E, can have a positive effect on high cholesterol levels. Green smoothies with fruit and barley grass powder are tasty health drinks that can be prepared quickly.

Not only can barley grass lower the cholesterol level, but also its oxidation, which is dangerous for the organism. Researchers in Taiwan came to this conclusion. Their recommendation is that oxidation can be reduced by about a third of olive oil is used as a cooking fat in addition to the consumption of barley grass.

Barley grass powder - Ideally suited for diabetics

Type 2 diabetics often have numerous health risk factors. Therefore, there have been various barley grass studies that focused on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

In many cases, high blood pressure and obesity also come with this. A clinical study published in 2010 emphasizes the beneficial effects of barley grass on diabetes.

For two months, the participants in the study consumed 12 grams of barley grass powder a day. No further measures were taken. Compared with the control group, which did not consume barley grass, a significantly lower blood and cholesterol level was found in the barley grass group with type 2 diabetes mellitus after two months.

This makes the green drink made from powdered barley grass a recommended dietary supplement for people suffering from diabetes.

Barley grass in ulcerative colitis

This painful, chronic bowel inflammation shows many annoying symptoms, which can range from severe stomach aches and flatulence to intestinal bleeding to faecal incontinence. A consequence of this is an undersupply of the body with nutrients and vital substances.

If ulcerative colitis is treated with medication using conventional medicine, side effects often arise. However, the unpleasant symptoms of the disease can be relieved by using barley grass, which has no side effects.

In a study performed in Tokyo, scientists compared 18 patients with ulcerative colitis.

• Half of the subjects took anti-inflammatory drugs for four weeks, the other half consumed 30 grams of a food supplement made from sprouted barley or barley grass per day for the same period of time.
• The barley grass group saw significant improvements after the end of the test. Their symptoms had decreased significantly as compared to the other group who did not take barley grass: They had fewer, less painful diarrhoea attacks.

One of the researchers believes that the barley grass supplement also helped minimize the clinical activity of the disease. Barley grass, for example, which also favours a higher number of friendly intestinal bacteria, can also be used as accompanying therapy for ulcerative colitis.

Less intestinal problems thanks to barley grass?

Barley grass is said to be able to help people with intestinal problems in 6 different ways. Since sprouted barley or barley grass not only activates the intestinal flora, the plant, which is rich in vital substances, could in many ways contribute to the recovery of the intestine:

• Barley grass or sprouted barley promotes processes in the digestive system in which an intestinal bacteria-friendly environment develops and the intestinal bacteria that are useful for humans multiply.
• In ulcerative colitis, the intestinal flora is disturbed and toxin accumulates in the organ. Barley grass can reduce its effects and therefore the tendency to inflammation and other symptoms of the disease.
• A substance that promotes chronic inflammatory processes in the intestine and thus one of the causes of ulcerative colitis is the epithelium NF-kappa B, which occurs in almost all cells and tissues. Barley grass is also used to reduce this transcription factor.
• Diarrhoea is less common because barley grass or sprouted barley can regulate the water content of stool.
• Another plus point for barley grass: A special protein and the fibre hemicellulose, are both helpers for new cell structure and cell repair of the intestinal mucosa. This research result on barley grass also comes from Japan.
• The amount of chlorophyll in barley grass unfolds the full effect of this substance formed by photosynthesis. One more reason to consume powdered barley grass as a drink for prevention, especially since it can also be used against anaemia. The chlorophyll contained in barley grass has a structure similar to that of the iron-containing protein complex haemoglobin.
• Barley grass is also recommended for candida fungal infections. And not just because of its overall positive effect on intestinal health. Another reason is the low sugar content in barley grass. This is lower than a juice made from wheatgrass. The sprouted barley mentioned is barley grains that are soaked in water for two days until they germinate, then are dried and ground.

Anyone wishing to undergo therapy with barley grass and activated barley should discuss this with a specialist.

Mood brightener barley grass

According to advocates of barley grass, your general well-being can be considerably increased by consuming the natural product barley grass powder. Of course, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels also have a positive effect on general well-being. An antidepressant effect is also attributed to barley grass. In contrast to barley grass, medication such as antidepressants can often lead to side effects such as obesity, digestive disorders and cardiac arrhythmias.

To achieve a more confident mood with barley grass, it is advisable to support its consumption with a diet high in tryptophan. This is responsible for the production of the happiness hormone serotonin.

There are also experience reports on how barley grass helps neutralize toxins in the organism and, for example, to cleanse the liver. There is a gap between the knowledge of users and science, and as always with naturopathic products, caution is advised. This even applies to the purely natural product barley grass and the benevolent response that it triggers among many users of barley grass products.

Nonetheless, those who supplement their diet with barley grass point to an overall sizeable list of ailments and diseases that have been relieved by barley grass, including asthma, migraines, arthritis and general fatigue. So if you have signs of a burnout, you could view this as an invitation to take a closer look at barley grass and its benefits or to prescribe yourself a health cure with powder made from barley grass.

Ingestion of barley grass powder

Make sure that your barley grass powder is organically grown and has no other additives.

The barley grass product is made as gently as possible so that the valuable vital substances are retained. Healthy barley grass powder does not contain any colourings, flavourings or preservatives.

Barley grass powder is perfect for people who don't like swallowing pills.

If you want to try the effects of barley grass powder yourself, you don't have to worry about side effects and interactions with barley grass. After all, barley grass is a natural food with no side effects. A higher dose of barley grass is also digestible and recommended.

Due to its detoxifying effect, it is recommended to start with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per day, mixed with water or fruit juice. Gradually, the consumption of barley grass powder can be increased to two tablespoons a day without experiencing any side effects.