The chemical composition of barley is very rich. Barley contains a large amount of the polysaccharide glucan, which has a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels, significantly lowering it. In barley groats there is an optimal ratio between proteins and starch, a high content of vitamins and minerals. Barley contains a large amount of provitamin A, B vitamins, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, and a large amount of silicic acid.
Barley broth is used in folk medicine for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Barley porridge is an excellent dietary product that does not irritate the intestinal mucosa. It is an excellent remedy for recovery after abdominal surgery. A decoction of barley is useful for coughing as an anti-inflammatory and expectorant. Due to the large amount of fiber and ballast substances, porridge and barley soups are contraindicated for people suffering from colitis and diseases of the pancreas.
Barley is used to produce products such as barley and pearl barley, as well as barley beer. Beer is the oldest drink of the Neolithic era. In ancient Egypt, barley was used to brew beer and bake bread. Porridge and soups are prepared from barley and pearl barley. They differ in that pearl barley is whole peeled polished barley grains, and barley is crushed. Barley groats contain more fiber, as they are not subject to grinding. And pearl barley was named so precisely because of the smoothness and grayish-pearl color and the oblong shape of the grains, similar to river pearls. …
