1. Barley is rich in essential nutrients

Barley is a food that contains many vitamins, minerals and other beneficial plant compounds. When consumed as a whole grain, barley is an excellent source of fiber, manganese, molybdenum and selenium. In addition, it also contains large amounts of copper, vitamin B1, phosphorus, chromium, magnesium and niacin. Besides, barley also contains a lot of lignans, a group of antioxidants that significantly reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

2. Barley helps reduce hunger and lose weight effectively

Barley can reduce hunger and promote a feeling of fullness, thereby helping to lose weight effectively. The reason why barley has the ability to reduce most hunger pangs is thanks to its high content of soluble fiber, called beta-glucan. This type of fiber tends to form a gel-like substance in the intestines, slowing down the body's digestion and absorption of nutrients, thereby curbing appetite and promoting a feeling of fullness quickly. Friend.

3. Barley helps improve health and digestion

Most of the fiber found in barley is insoluble fiber, which helps food move through the intestines easily and reduces the possibility of constipation. On the other hand, the soluble fiber content in barley provides a rich food source for intestinal bacteria, which in turn produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Scientists have discovered that SCFAs have the ability to nourish intestinal cells, while reducing inflammation and improving symptoms of intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers colon and Crohn's disease.

4. Barley helps prevent gallstones and the risk of gallbladder surgery

The high fiber content in barley can also help effectively prevent gallstones. In most cases, gallstones do not cause any symptoms. However, over time, the gallstones will grow larger and get stuck in the cystic duct, causing severe pain. When this dangerous symptom appears, the patient is required to undergo gallbladder removal surgery.

The insoluble fiber found in barley is effective in preventing the formation of gallstones, thereby reducing the risk of gallbladder surgery.

5. Barley helps reduce cholesterol

The beta-glucans found in barley have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) by binding to bile acids. The body will eliminate bile acids through feces. The liver then has to use more cholesterol to create new bile acids, thereby reducing the amount of cholesterol circulating in your blood.

6. Reduce the risk of heart disease

In fact, barley has the ability to prevent certain risk factors, including reducing bad cholesterol levels and reducing high blood pressure. Consuming an average of 8.7 grams of soluble fiber per day can reduce blood pressure levels by 0.3-1.6 mmHg.

7. Prevent diabetes

Regularly adding barley to your diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels and improving insulin secretion. This comes in part from barley's high magnesium content, a mineral that plays an essential role in the body's insulin production and sugar usage.

8. Prevent colon cancer

Eating a diet rich in whole grains reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including some cancers, especially colon cancer.

Soluble fiber has a special effect in reducing food digestion time to clean the intestines, thereby protecting against colon cancer. In addition, this type of fiber can also eliminate toxic substances in the intestines that cause cancer.

9. Versatile and easy to incorporate into your daily diet

Barley is quite cheap and extremely easy to incorporate into your diet. Due to its high fiber content, this food has become an excellent alternative to refined grains.

Besides, you can also add barley to soups, stews, salads, breads, or breakfast cereals. To add uniqueness to your dish, you can add barley to desserts, such as barley pudding or barley ice cream.

According to Vinmec International Hospital