It is considered the oldest grain crop that is known to mankind - references to its cultivation date back to the historical times of the ancient world. For example, traces of this cereal have been found in Egyptian burials dating back to five thousand years BC. Barley was familiar to the ancient Ethiopians, who used it not only as a source of food, but also as a raw material for intoxicating drinks. This cereal was also grown in the Babylonian lands, on the territory of India, Asia, China, it was the most important culture of Ancient Rome. There is evidence that in the territory where Switzerland is now located, barley was known as early as the Stone Age.

The current sown area of ​​barley ranks fourth in the world, second only to wheat, corn and rice. This cereal owes its great popularity in agriculture to its short vegetative period, due to which it has time to ripen in fairly cold areas. Therefore, barley crops can be found even high in the mountains and far in the expanses of the northern regions. This culture is resistant to frost, withstands droughts and is undemanding to the composition of the soil.

Barley is used in a variety of industries. The bulk of the harvested grain turns into groats (for example, ordinary barley groats are made from barley). Barley flour serves as an additive in baking many types of bread. Bread is not baked entirely from barley flour - it crumbles a lot and stale too quickly. Barley flour is also used to produce a coffee substitute that does not contain caffeine.

A significant amount of grain goes to the production of raw materials for breweries - at the same time, grain is germinated to obtain malt. Also, barley grain serves as a raw material in the production of food grain alcohol (in the manufacture of such well-known alcoholic beverages as Scotch whiskey and English gin).

In addition to being used in the food industry, barley serves as the basis for the production of feed. Unrefined barley grain is added to feed for pigs and horses, as it surpasses even oats in nutritional value. Barley straw is also used as food for livestock. Sometimes, to obtain green fodder, barley is specially sown.

How to select and store barley products

When choosing barley products in a store, it makes sense to pay attention to barley groats. Indeed, in its production, unlike pearl barley, grinding and polishing technologies are not used, which has a positive effect on the preservation of nutrients and fiber. If you choose cereals in transparent packaging when buying, you can evaluate the quality of processing and the absence of impurities. The presence of moisture droplets inside a bag of pearl barley or barley groats is highly undesirable; pathogenic microorganisms quickly develop on wet groats (you can even get poisoned with such a product).

Barley porridge, being packed in polyethylene, is stored for a short time and becomes rancid. Cardboard containers should be preferred, in which the product will retain quality throughout the entire shelf life, which is from six to twelve months. The freshness of pearl barley can also be determined by the presence of a smell: the old pearl barley either does not have it at all, or it is musty.

Barley groats, depending on the degree of grinding, are divided into numbers from one to three; stores usually sell a mixture of all numbers. This cereal retains its useful properties throughout the entire shelf life (up to fifteen months). For long-term storage, it is better to pour it into a tightly closed container and keep it in a dark, dry place. Periodically, the groats are sorted out, checking to see if bugs have wound up in it.

barley calories

The calorie content of barley in the form of food grains is 288 kilocalories. After processing and turning into barley groats, the calorie content increases to 313 kcal. You can reduce the energy value of barley groats if you cook it together with other products. For example, barley porridge with potatoes “gives out” only 150 kcal, and cabbage soup with it is reduced in calories already up to 48 kcal.

Pearl barley is somewhat more nutritious - its calorie content is 320 kcal. Being boiled in water, barley porridge retains only 109 kcal, which is already a sufficient indicator for dietary food, while barley soup contains only 43 kcal per hundred grams. Excessive use of dairy products and butter in cereals from barley can, of course, significantly increase the calorie content of final dishes and reduce their dietary properties.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of barley groats

Composition and presence of nutrients

Barley is a real storehouse of vitamins, macro and microelements. It contains a high content of fiber. And also, it contains vitamins of group B, PP, E, H, choline, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, potassium, sodium, calcium, potassium. The cereal contains iron, iodine and zinc, copper, selenium and molybdenum, silicon and manganese, chromium and fluorine, aluminum, titanium and zirconium.

Useful and medicinal properties

The inclusion of barley cereals and soups in the diet is recommended for those who are overweight. In this case, the fiber contained in it becomes a particularly useful element, which serves as an intestinal irritant and is practically not absorbed, increasing peristalsis.

In acute inflammatory bowel diseases, a mucous decoction of barley or barley groats (especially coarsely ground) is extremely useful. The positive effect of the barley diet is noticeable with eczema, psoriasis, pyoderma.

A decoction of barley flour will help with a cold. For skin diseases, a bath with a grain decoction is used. Barley skin is known for its diuretic properties.

In fevers, barley water has a cooling and moisturizing effect. It is used both in pure form and with fennel and parsley.

Hot barley ointment will help get rid of freckles. Gout will recede if you prepare a healing bandage of barley, vinegar and quince. Barley malt improves metabolism, helps get rid of boils and acne.

In diabetes, malt extract is useful.

Barley is also used in cosmetology in the production of shampoos, balms, creams.

Application in cooking

In addition to preparing porridges from barley or pearl barley, there are a lot of recipes and variations, barley groats are used in cooking soups, fish soup, and preparing a side dish. There are some features that should be considered when using barley groats.

In R. Akhmetov's humanitarian aid, I always find a package of barley groats. Mom doesn't know how to cook. At the request of my father, I made a selection of recipes with barley groats.

Salad of beets and barley groats

A delicious and hearty barley groats salad with beets and cucumbers can be a side dish, as well as a full breakfast or dinner. Undeservedly bypassed by culinary attention, barley groats in this dish perfectly complement vegetables with their taste and beneficial properties.

How to make barley groats salad:

Boil the beets in their skins until soft (about an hour). Cool, peel and cut into very small cubes.

Cucumbers and onions are also cut into small pieces.

We mix barley groats with cucumbers, beets and onions. Add chopped parsley, olive oil to the barley groats salad and salt to taste.

Barley porridge with meatballs

Ingredients:

• Barley (or wheat) groats - 6 tbsp. l.
• Water - 1.5 stack.
• Salt
• Allspice
• sweet paprika
• Minced meat - 150 g

Cooking:

Porridge from barley groats and grated potatoes

Boil liquid porridge from barley groats, add grated raw potatoes to it and, stirring well, cook for 15 minutes or bake in the oven. when serving, pour porridge with lard fried with onions.

Shchi of stewed cabbage, beans and barley groats with pork

Pour the pre-soaked beans, sliced ​​pork with cold water and cook until the beans are ready.

Add barley groats and cook cabbage soup until the groats are ready.

Put sauerkraut, bring to a boil and season with garlic crushed with salt.

Serve with sour cream and herbs.

Barley groats casserole

Barley porridge is cooked. Butter or margarine is rubbed with sugar until it dissolves, egg yolks are added. Dried apples are boiled in sugar water. Combine chilled porridge, prepared butter and apples, mix well, add whipped proteins. The resulting mass is filled into a mold sprinkled with breadcrumbs and baked in the oven at medium heat. They eat a cold casserole with fruit and berry sauces.

Barley porridge with chicken fillet

Ingredients:

Complex porridge "Dubinushka" (from the hungry 90s)

Ingredients for "Porridge" Dubinushka "":

Which is cut into portions.

Barley porridge "Cuba"

Barley groats - useful and unusual!

What kind of cereals do we usually cook porridge for ourselves? Most of our compatriots are accustomed to using rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, semolina, millet in their diet - this is usually limited. Porridges from wheat, as well as barley and barley groats are prepared much less often - this is not so usual.
Barley groats contain a lot of useful complex carbohydrates, starch, a sufficient amount of protein and dietary fiber; eat fats - even saturated fatty acids; natural sugars. Vitamin set: vitamins A, E, PP, D, group B - especially a lot of folic acid; mineral composition: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, fluorine, boron, molybdenum, cobalt, silicon, chromium, etc.
Recipes with barley groats or ready-made porridge can be varied. It can be served as a side dish for various meat dishes or separately, baked in the oven, and also cooked various cereals, casseroles, soups. And, of course, use it with milk or melted butter, as we all cook at home. This cereal has a great energy value and excellent taste. We want to offer you some delicious and original recipes using barley groats.

Barley porridge "Cuba"

Barley grits

Ingredients:

• Barley groats - 2 stack.
• Water - 4 stack.
• Salo - 60 g.
• Mushrooms (can be dried - 80-100 g) - 200 g.
• Onion - 1 pc.
• Garlic - 3-5 tooth.
• Salt (to taste)
• Cumin (to taste)
• Black pepper (ground, to taste)

Pour water into the pan, salt, bring to a boil, pour in the cereal and cook until tender. Wash mushrooms, cut and fry with salt and caraway seeds for 15 minutes. Pepper, add chopped garlic, hold on fire for another minute and pour into the finished porridge.
In a frying pan, fry the bacon, add the chopped onion and fry the onion until golden brown, and the lard until the state of cracklings. Add to the pan to the porridge with mushrooms (along with the melted fat). Mix.
Put the porridge in a baking dish and put hot in the oven. Bake at 200 degrees until golden. The porridge turns out fragrant, crumbly and insanely tasty.

Barley patties with cottage cheese

Barley groats 1

Ingredients:

• Barley groats - 1 cup
• Cottage cheese - 180 g.
• Sugar - 1.5 tsp
• Egg - 1 pc.
• Ground crackers - 3 tbsp. l.
• Oil - 3 tbsp. l.
• Sour cream - 1/2 cup
• Water - 3.5 cups

Rinse the barley groats quickly in warm water, put them in a colander, let the water drain completely, transfer the groats to a bowl with salted water and put to boil, stirring occasionally. When the porridge thickens, leave it on very low heat for 30-40 minutes. for prejudice. Add grated cottage cheese, raw egg, granulated sugar to the finished porridge and mix everything. Divide the mass into meatballs, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in a frying pan with butter. Serve separately with sour cream or fruit sauce.

Krupenik from barley porridge

Barley groats 2

Ingredients:

• Barley groats - 500 g.
• Water or milk
• Yogurt - 1.2 l.
• Sour cream - 3 tbsp. l.

Cook steep porridge from barley groats in water or sour milk. Put the porridge in a bowl, mix with yogurt and 3 tablespoons of sour cream. Bake in the oven. Serve with soup or borscht.

Porridge from barley groats

Barley porridge will not only cleanse your body of toxins, but also enrich it with essential vitamins, macro- and microelements.
Cooking time - 35 minutes.

Barley groats 3

Ingredients:

• Barley groats - 3 sachets
• Zucchini - 300 g.
• Onion - 1 pc.
• Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
• Vegetable oil - 4 tbsp. l.
• Sea salt
• fresh greens
• mint leaves

How to cook:

1. Boil the barley groats until cooked, as indicated on the package.
2. Chop the onion. Peel the zucchini, cut into small cubes and fry.
3. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, peel and cut into slices.
4. Combine porridge with vegetables, season with oil, salt and heat for 7-10 minutes.
5. When serving, decorate with finely chopped greens and mint leaves.

Barley porridge with mushrooms

Barley groats 4

Ingredients:

• Barley groats -200 gr.
• Water-2 glasses
• Mushrooms-300 gr.
• Carrot-1 pc.
• Onion - 1 head
• Vegetable oil-4 tbsp. spoons

Instruction:

Soak barley groats in cold water until swollen
Cut mushrooms into slices, onions and carrots into small cubes. Fry vegetables and mushrooms, stirring, in oil.
Pour water into the bowl for cereals, heat it in a double boiler. Pour the cereal, salt and cook for 20 minutes.
Add vegetables and mushrooms, stirring and cook the porridge until tender.

Vegetable soup with barley groats

Ingredients:

• Carrot 60 g.
• Vegetable broth 1500 ml.
• Bulb onion 25 g.
• Sunflower oil 20 ml.
• Barley groats 40 g
• Potato 30 g.
• Celery root 15 g.
• Salt 5 g.
• Sour cream 80 g.
• Dill 10 g.
• Parsley 10 g.

Peel the carrots, grate on a coarse grater, fry with onion in fat, dip in hot broth, add washed barley groats or blanched millet, sliced ​​​​celery strips, potatoes, salt and cook until tender.

When serving, put sour cream into the soup, sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.

In conclusion, I would like to recall that barley is a very famous culture, and not only in cooking, but also in the exact sciences. In the ancient Arabic system of weight, barley grains were used as a standard for a long time: one carat was equal to 5 grains of peeled barley - their weight was 0.048 g

Barley is rightfully considered the most ancient crop cultivated by mankind. Mentions of this cereal can be found on the pages of the Bible and other ancient treatises. Due to the benefits for the human body, barley was used by ancient healers, this is evidenced by archaeological finds in the territories belonging to Ancient Rome and Jordan. Cereal grains collected 5 thousand years BC. e. scientists recovered from Egyptian burials, which confirmed the fact of their use as the main product of food and medicinal raw materials.

In modern agriculture, the sown areas of barley occupy the 4th place in the world after wheat, corn and rice. A short growing season, the undemanding nature of the plant to the composition of the soil, the ability to withstand drought and frost make it possible to grow a crop even in the northern regions.

The benefits and harms of barley for our health, due to the presence in the cereal of a vast amount of biologically active components: vitamins, dietary fiber, macro and microelements, have been used for many millennia to maintain a full existence and human health.

In medieval Europe, barley was considered a peasant food, while wheat was eaten only by the "upper" strata of the population. Only much later, potatoes replaced barley dishes on the tables of the poor.

Benefits of barley - 10 health benefits

1. Regulates the digestive tract

   A distinctive feature of barley groats is that it contains about 10% of vegetable protein, which our body absorbs completely. Also, one grain of cereal includes 5 - 6% fiber, an important component for the normal functioning of the intestines.

   Our tables often contain low-fiber foods that are not able to give a long feeling of satiety, as a result, we overeat and gain unwanted kilograms. Barley, rich in dietary fiber, contributes to the rapid saturation of the body and, in addition, fiber helps maintain optimal microflora in the intestines, participating in the synthesis of essential substances for the body, such as vitamins, amino acids and hormones.

   The use of cereals in the diet will have a positive effect on the activity of the intestines, barley helps to accelerate the promotion of the content of the large intestine and allows you to quickly cleanse the stomach, while eliminating the risk of constipation and hemorrhoids.

   Nutritionists claim that eating barley dishes helps a person feel better and live much longer. After all, it is rough food that helps the coordinated work of the entire digestive tract. No wonder in ancient Rome barley porridge was considered a dish of gladiators.

2. Helps maintain a stable body weight

   Barley grains, due to the presence of dietary fiber (B glucans), active enzymes and amino acids, prevent the process of increasing blood sugar peaks, which helps to reduce fat accumulation. Compared to other cereals, barley has fewer calories, so barley cereal porridge is recommended to control body weight.

   When preparing barley porridge, cereal grains swell and increase in volume, and when they get into the stomach, they allow you to get full faster and not feel hungry for a long time, which will make it possible to refuse frequent snacks and not gain excess weight.

3. Reduce symptoms of arthritis

   Copper is present in the chemical composition of cereals. This element is especially important in the diet of people suffering from arthritis. Having the ability to disarm free radicals, copper promotes the process of regeneration of body cells, and also participates in the synthesis of collagen, without which the process of building skeletal bones is not possible. For people suffering from arthritis and osteoporosis, eating barley dishes will help get rid of brittle bones and remove the risk of osteoporosis.

4. Prevention of colon cancer

   In the 20th century, scientists discovered a group of phenolic compounds in barley - lingans, which have antitumor activity and can resist the development of cancer in the body. Scientists have found that people who regularly include barley and other cereals in their diet are less prone to prostate, breast and colon cancer.

   As a prophylactic at home, you can prepare a decoction of barley cereals. Pre-washed grains are poured with water at room temperature at the rate of 200 grams of grains 2 liters of water and infused for about 6 hours. The settled mixture is brought to a boil and boiled for 15 minutes, then filtered and taken three times a day before meals.

5. Benefits for gallstones

   On the pages of an old Russian magazine about herbs, you can find a description of the beneficial properties of barley groats for gallstones: “Barley broth is useful in severe bile diseases ...” Barley grains filled with insoluble fiber help reduce bile acid secretion, which reduces the risk of formation in the gallbladder stones.

6. Anti-inflammatory qualities

   The composition of barley grains contains a wide range of active biological substances, enzymes and vitamins: copper, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iodine, copper, vitamins B, PP, D. Nature has generously endowed the plant with such a rich list of useful substances, thanks to which cereals have anti-inflammatory, softening and enveloping properties.

   As an anti-inflammatory agent, a slimy barley decoction prepared from coarsely ground grains is used. A handful of cereals is poured with water so that it covers all the seeds, let it brew for 3-4 hours, and then bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and wait until the mass cools down, filter through a sieve and take 2-3 tablespoons. If desired, you can add a decoction of silent honey and a few drops of lemon juice. Such a tool will be useful for skin diseases: eczema, psoriasis and pyoderma. It is also used to treat fungal infections on the skin.

7. For the endocrine system

   High levels of fiber favorably distinguish barley from cereals such as wheat, corn and rye, only oats can compete with it in terms of dietary fiber. This feature allows us to consider the culture a good dietary food product and an excellent prophylactic agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus. The use of barley dishes helps to normalize the level of insulin in the blood, and accelerate the excretion of glucose.

   Studies conducted in this area have shown that people who eat barley dishes have significantly reduced insulin and glucose readings, compared with other subjects.

8. Strengthens the immune forces of the body

   There is an undeniable truth - "Proper nutrition is the guarantor of increasing the body's defenses."

   Barley grains, loaded with phenolic ligans, support the "friendly" intestinal microflora, supporting the body's immune forces. In addition, the presence of vitamin C in cereals, a powerful antioxidant (its amount is 2 times more than in an orange), will strengthen the defenses, reduce the likelihood of contracting the flu and colds. The presence of iron will prevent the development of conditions of anemia, anemia and malnutrition. So, do not refuse a plate of barley porridge during the period of colds and colds.

9. Benefits for the female body

   British scientists noted in their studies that the consumption of food rich in fiber, which includes barley, has a beneficial effect on the health of premenopausal women. Data from one study claims that such a diet reduces the development of breast cancer by up to 59%.

   High levels of vitamin E in the cereal will have a positive effect on maintaining the healthy state of the skin of women, protecting its cells from oxygen deficiency and activating the production of additional collagen, which will certainly give not only the skin, but also hair and nails a fresh, healthy look.

10. Help with childhood asthma

    Infusions and decoctions of barley groats are an effective remedy for asthmatic attacks in children. The combination of vitamin C and E in cereals saturates barley drinks with powerful antioxidant properties aimed at normalizing the functioning of the respiratory system and reducing the spread of wheezing. These homemade remedies can reduce your chances of developing an asthma attack by 50%.

Barley - harm and contraindications

According to the results of the study, barley has no special contraindications for use and cannot harm the body, except that some people may have individual intolerance to its components.

Barley, like all other cereals, contains gluten, which is not recommended by doctors for people who cannot tolerate this component. Otherwise, for those who adhere to a healthy diet and monitor their health, cereal will be a desirable product in their daily diet.

7 healing recipes with barley

1. We normalize the chair

   In case of problems with the stool, the following composition is prepared: 4 - 5 finely chopped pears (can be grated), mixed with half a glass of barley and 1.5 liters of water.

2. Eliminate coughing attacks with bronchitis and pneumonia

   We grind barley, oats and millet grains in equal amounts with a coffee grinder, add 2 tablespoons of raisins and pour everything with 1.5 liters of water. The resulting mixture is boiled until the liquid is completely evaporated. Let the mixture cool down and add a spoonful of honey, chicory and a little baked milk to it. We take it warm.

3. Strengthen the immune forces of the body in the postoperative period

   For those who have undergone surgery, strengthening the immune forces becomes a particularly urgent problem. For this purpose, the following remedy is prepared: 40-50 grams of ground barley cereals are poured into half a liter of hot water, the remedy is infused for 5-6 hours, and then boiled for 15 minutes over low heat. Strained drink is taken up to 3 times a day before meals.

4. Supplement for babies with artificial feeding

   For small children who are artificially fed, a decoction of barley is prepared. Pre-crushed 1 teaspoon of cereals is poured into a glass of water and boiled until the grains are completely softened. The resulting broth is added to ready-made milk mixtures. Pediatricians recommend such complementary foods until the baby reaches one year.

Barley is mentioned 20 times in the pages of the Bible.

Roman gladiators ate cereal dishes, thereby building muscle mass.

The well-known barley and barley porridge is prepared from barley.

Fishermen use steamed barley as bait for fish.

Cereal flour is used in the production of cosmetics - women's powder and eye shadow.

Barley groats have a rich set of useful properties and substances necessary for the body. This is one of the oldest cereal plants cultivated by man. It is used in cooking, for feed and technical purposes, as well as in the brewing industry.

plant description

Under the name Barley, a whole genus of cereal plants is hidden, but most often ordinary barley is grown for food purposes. Other representatives of this genus are cultivated quite rarely, more often they grow in the wild. Barley varieties are annual, biennial and perennial grasses.

Barley, along with wheat, is considered one of the very first cereals that man began to cultivate and eat. It happened in the Middle East at least 10 thousand years ago. He has a fairly large habitat - from the island of Crete and the northern coast of Africa to the Tibetan mountains.

Archaeological finds confirm the widespread distribution of barley as a cereal crop, not only in Asia, but also in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs, ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. It was also grown in the northern countries - Norway, Finland.

Beneficial features

Barley grits are grains of an annual plant. Due to its unpretentiousness, barley groats were considered cheap and unprofitable, so in the Middle Ages it was replaced by more expensive wheat. And although barley has enormous beneficial properties, porridge from it has lost popularity, it has become considered a fodder product, an affordable peasant dish.
Porridge made from barley retains almost all the useful properties of this cereal, since the grains are minimally processed. Therefore, it is rich in fiber, ahead of even oatmeal, which is considered the recognized leader in this matter.

A soluble type of fiber can significantly improve the general condition of the body, reduce cholesterol and blood sugar. These properties make barley grains very useful for those who are prone to rapid weight gain and seek to normalize it.

The composition of barley is very harmoniously balanced, it contains a lot of vegetable proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins E, PP, B4 and B6, as well as trace elements:

• potassium;
• calcium;
• iron;
• phosphorus;
• copper;
• chromium;
• manganese;
• zinc.

Such a rich composition provides barley groats with the highest nutritional value among other food cereals - 324 kcal per 100 grams.

Carbohydrates, which are part of barley seeds, belong to the so-called long-term carbohydrates, which fully saturate the body and give a feeling of satiety for a long time. They are digested for quite a long time, so they do not cause a sharp increase in blood glucose levels, so it is useful to include barley groats in the medical or dietary menu for diabetes mellitus, significant physical exertion.

The trace elements contained in barley bring many benefits to the body as a whole, strengthening bones and blood vessels, participating in the process of hematopoiesis. The grains also contain lysine, an amino acid that is available to humans only from plant foods. Among its properties are the stimulation of the production of its own collagen and the support of the immune system.

A decoction of barley has significant enveloping properties, which makes it very useful for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by irritation of the mucous membrane. It also has a general strengthening, tonic effect on the body, which is especially necessary during the recovery period after serious illnesses.

Contraindications

Barley in any form is beneficial to the body, but in some cases it can be harmful. Contraindications to its use are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage.

Although barley dishes contribute to weight loss, their abuse can cause the opposite effect - rapid weight gain. Therefore, it is better to include barley in the menu about 1-2 times a week.

Important! Barley contains up to 22.5% gluten, so it should be excluded from the menu for those who suffer from intolerance to this substance or celiac disease.

Application of barley grains

Barley groats are gradually gaining popularity again among those who monitor their nutrition and health. Although most people perceive barley groats only as a product for making porridge, you should know that malt, decoctions, and a coffee drink are also made from barley.

Barley porridge

What cereal is made from barley? Surprisingly, two types of cereals are made from the grains of this cereal - barley and pearl barley. The difference lies in the way the grain is processed, which affects the beneficial properties of the resulting cereal.

Barley grits

Porridge made from crushed barley is usually called barley. In this case, the grains are not polished, they are only broken into small pieces. Thanks to this, they retain the bulk of the fiber. At the same time, porridge from a cell turns out to be softer than barley, therefore it is suitable for a children's and dietary diet. Another advantage is its lower cost.

The beneficial properties of barley groats include:

• the ability to alleviate allergic reactions;
• enveloping effect, useful in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• anti-inflammatory, diuretic properties;
• the highest content of vegetable fiber among other cereals, which contributes to the maximum absorption of nutrients and a long-lasting feeling of satiety.

Barley groats contain a lot of protein-containing gluten, as well as essential amino acids.

Pearl barley

Perlovka is polished whole grains of barley. They are divided into large and small fractions. Small barley is digested a little easier, boils faster. It is used for cooking soups, cereals, cooking meatballs and casseroles. Porridges are also cooked from large barley, but more crumbly, be sure to pre-soak the cereal for several hours in cold water.

Barley porridge in its useful properties is very similar to barley. Their main difference is the processing method, as a result of which barley loses some of its fiber.

Classic barley porridge recipe

Barley porridge can be prepared in many ways. Barley is usually cooked for 1 to 2 hours, barley groats - only 40-45 minutes. Properly cooked porridge will surprise you with its rich taste and become one of the favorites in the family for a long time.

1. The cereal must be rinsed in cool water to remove specks and dust.
2. In order for barley porridge to cook faster and the grains to be softer, the groats are pre-soaked for several hours. Ideally, it is left in water all night, observing the proportion - a liter of cold water is taken for 1 glass of cereal.
3. Barley groats are perfectly complemented by milk, so after soaking it is poured with 2 glasses of milk for crumbly porridge and 4 for viscous. In the classic recipe, porridge was left to languish in a water bath for 6 hours. Using a slow cooker, you can reduce this process to 40 minutes.
4. Ready porridge should be seasoned with butter. Barley loves it very much, the more oil is added to the porridge, the brighter its taste will be. This is the case when "you can't spoil porridge with butter."

Barley porridge on the water goes well with mushrooms, meat, cracklings, fish or vegetables. It goes well with most spices and fresh herbs.

Barley malt

Certain requirements are put forward for malting barley, both to external features and to its technological properties. The first group includes the following indicators:

• barley, from which malt for beer will be made, should have a uniform light yellow or yellow color. Green color indicates the immaturity of the grain, and dark yellow, interspersed with black or brown, indicates improper storage. Most likely, such barley was soaked or affected by microorganisms, due to which it lost its germination and malt qualities;
• in the smell of high-quality barley there should be no impurities of rot or mold. As a rule, it is quite fresh, slightly reminiscent of the smell of straw. To hear it, you need to warm a few grains in the palm of your hand, and then grind them;
• grain purity is determined by the absence of impurities (damaged or diseased grains, other cereals, weed seeds, etc.) and pests.

Technological characteristics include grain germination, moisture and protein content, as well as extractivity - the amount of substances that pass into solution as a result of processing.

You can also make malt from barley at home. Germinated barley can be used as a dietary supplement or as a raw material for brewing homemade beer.

First of all, you need to check the purchased cereals for germination. To do this, about a hundred of the largest grains are selected from the total mass and poured over them with a glass of water. Floating specimens are replaced with new ones until all drown. Then the barley is laid out on fabrics, covered with damp gauze and left warm for 2-4 days. After that, you need to calculate how many grains did not germinate. Each will be equal to one percent. If the overall germination is more than 90%, then the raw material is well suited for creating malt.

For the preparation of malt, it is important to rinse the barley well and separate all the floating grains, as well as rubbish and impurities. Then the remaining raw material is poured with water 5 cm above the grain level and left for 14 hours. At the same time, after 7 hours, the water must be replaced with fresh water. At the end, you can disinfect the grain by flooding it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 1-2 hours.

Having disinfected the barley, the grains are laid out in a thin layer (4-5 cm) on pallets.

They need to be stirred every 2-3 hours. A day later, it is covered with a damp cloth and left in a warm room (15-20 degrees). The grains are stirred and moistened every day. The malt is ready when the sprouts reach a size equal to 1.5 grain lengths. Its shelf life is only 3 days. You can increase it by drying the malt.

Before drying, it is again treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (0.3 g of potassium permanganate per 1 liter of water) for 20 minutes. Then the malt is dried at a temperature not exceeding 30-40 degrees. A well-ventilated attic, or a warm room with a fan running, is suitable for this. Drying takes 3-4 days, after which the sprouts are removed from the grains, rubbing them between the palms, and sent for storage in linen bags.

coffee drink

A very tasty coffee drink is obtained from roasted and ground grains of barley and rye. It can serve as a full replacement for coffee in cases where caffeine is contraindicated. Such a drink is very useful, as it retains most of the properties of barley and rye.

It can be used to improve digestion, reduce weight, prevent diabetes, and improve overall health. At the same time, barley coffee, unlike regular coffee, does not contain caffeine, so it does not excite the nervous system. Thanks to this, it can be drunk at any time of the day and at any age.

Barley coffee drink has no contraindications, it can be consumed even during pregnancy and lactation, if there is no individual intolerance.

It is not difficult to prepare such a drink at home. To do this, you need to fry the grains of barley and rye in a hot dry frying pan, and then grind. From the resulting powder, you can brew coffee according to the following recipe:

• 1 st. l. powder;
• 150 ml of water.

The powder is poured into a Turk, poured with water and boiled for 2 minutes, after which it is allowed to brew under the lid for the same amount. To get a richer color, you can add half a teaspoon of ground chicory to the coffee mixture.

It is interesting! As already mentioned, barley goes well with milk, so the water in the recipe can be replaced by a third with milk or added to an already prepared drink. This will brighten up the taste and make it softer.

Cream, honey or sugar is also added to the finished coffee to taste.

Despite unfair oblivion, barley groats are gradually regaining their place in cooking. Its beneficial properties and rich composition make this cereal one of the most valuable plants for nutrition, which must be included in the diet not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of many health problems.

All materials on the site are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any means, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!