2015-08-22
Joybynature.com Team
Aug
22

Some plants just give and give and barley is one of them. Not only is it the source of the barley grain which is used a food across the world and is a component in numerous food products, it also provides us with a great natural powerhouse known as barley grass. Barley grass refers to the soft, green shoots of the young barley plant from which Barley Grass Powder is derived. It has been grown and used for more than 5,000 years and was valued by the Greeks and Romans. While it was largely used for other purposes like feeding livestock, in recent times it has received a lot of attention due to its rich nutritional content – barley grass contains 11 times more calcium than cow’s milk, 5 times more iron than spinach and almost 7 times the amount of vitamin C found in oranges. When you examine these facts about barley grass, you have to wonder how on earth we managed to ignore this amazing food for so long!

But now that we do know about the amazing contents of barley grass, here are a few more of its health benefits which will leave you impressed:-

  1. It can help to clean up and detoxify your body

Our modern lifestyles cause a lot of exposure to harmful chemicals, pollution, contaminants and adulterants. All these toxic materials can accumulate in the body and cause a lot of trouble. But barley grass can lend a helping hand when it comes to cleaning up the body as it is a potent detoxifying agent.

Due to the presence of helpful minerals like copper, selenium and zinc, barley grass can help in getting rid of heavy metals (like lead and mercury) from the body. Moreover, barley grass is rich in chlorophyll and beta carotene which can dislodge the mucus from the body and also assist in liver detoxification.

  1. It protects your body from free radicals and signs of aging

Free radicals are oxygen starved scavenging particles that are the result of metabolic processes. These free radicals swarm through the body and suck the life out of living cells, causing a wide range of diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and causing the body to age prematurely.

Barley grass is a very good free radical combatant due to its impressive anti-oxidant content. It contains three sources of anti-oxidants – vitamin E, beta carotene and the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD). Together, these three can beat the harmful free radicals, stop signs of premature aging and protect your body from a whole host of diseases.

  1. It protects your skin from harmful radiation

Who doesn’t love the sun? Not many people, of course. But hidden in the sun’s nourishing rays is harmful UV radiation which has been linked to skin cancer. Barley grass can shield your body from this dangerous radiation due to the action of SOD and can also help in improving the condition of already damaged cells.

  1. It can treat ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease in which the lining of the colon gets unnaturally inflamed and a lot of ulcers are developed. But barley grass can be a natural treatment for this troublesome disorder as it stimulates gut friendly bacteria and lowers the rampant inflammation. It also gets rid of the chemicals in the colon that are at the root of causing ulcerative colitis.

  1. It can help you get rid of harmful addictions

If you find you are addicted to alcohol, smoking, drugs or coffee, barley grass can help you drop your unhealthy addictions. A certain acid present in barley grass known as glutamic acid reduces the cravings you get and thus helps in resisting the addictive urges you get. So if you’re looking to quit that habit of yours, barley grass can surely be a trusty companion.

A word of caution about barley grass usage – people suffering from celiac disease should avoid barley grass as it contains gluten. Also, pregnant or nursing women must consult their physicians first before consuming barley grass.

To learn more about barley grass, click here

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