Health Benefits of Barley Grass - Its Uses And Side Effects

The Nutritional Profile of Barley Grass: Benefits and Uses

Barley grass is a byproduct of grass from young plants that have not started forming seeds yet. Here, the plant contains a stored supply of nutrients with which it can grow bigger leaves and seeds later on in the cycle. The benefits of barley grass are reaped when it is eaten young.

Barley grass is full of minerals and vitamins, and the level of antioxidants is also very high. For instance, it contains a lot of magnesium, which represents the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body. Magnesium plays a crucial role in more than three hundred enzyme reactions, so its presence most definitely impacts the state of health. The main functions of magnesium are generally to generate energy and control the level of glucose.

Uses of Barley Grass

Here are some ways you can include barley grass into your diet,

1. Drink barley grass juice by itself
2. Mix barley grass juice into your smoothies
3. Add a spoon of barley grass powder to your protein shakes
4. Blend barley grass juice into cocktails
5. Baked barley grass juice into zucchini bread.
4. Mix barley grass into pumpkin soup
5. Mix barley grass in scrambled eggs.
6. Barley Grass Gluten-Free Balls: Mix barley grass powder with other gluten-free flour to make balls.

Benefits of Barley Grass

Bone strength
Calcium serves as the primary basis for bones, and it becomes incredibly crucial to have adequate calcium in your diet for your bone health. Calcium in barley grass prevents or even reverses osteoporosis. The phosphorus in grass, when combined with calcium, contributes to the health of your teeth.

Promotes Good Heart Health
The soluble fiber of wheatgrass helps remove excess cholesterol in the human system. One can efficiently keep the cholesterol level at a lower level, thus reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and consequently heart diseases, by absorbing it before the cholesterol enters into the bloodstream.

Rich in Antioxidants:
Barley leaf extract has free-radical-scavenging activity. Reactive oxygen species, however, seem to play an opposite role in regulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and may exert a significant role in diseases like rheumatoid synovitis, arthritis, and gout.

Digestive Enzyme Assist:
Barley grass contains high-quality dietary fiber content. The soluble and insoluble fiber content in this plant helps digestion in two different ways. The insoluble fiber provides food to the good bacteria within your intestines facilitates the digestion of food efficiently and helps in keeping your intestines healthy. The soluble dietary fibre helps your stomach absorb sugar slowly, thus reducing blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels.

Improves Sleep
Highly propitious contents of GABA, calcium, potassium, and tryptophan distinguish barley grass powder as one of the most efficient functional foods in changing sleep quality.

Lowering of Cholesterol Graduate 
The beta-sitosterol components, due to some corresponding attributes, have been credited with reducing cholesterol levels to an extent. It has been presumed that beta-sitosterol works by hindering the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines and directing its breakdown at an accelerated pace into bile acid.

Aiding in Weight Loss
Because fibre is digested at a very slow rate, it primes one for a longer feeling of satisfaction and thus reduces the craving for more food, which helps quell the hunger. Many studies have shown that increasing dietary fibre intake can help in weight loss.

Side Effects of Barley Grass

While barley grass is considered safe for many people to consume, one should always be aware of the possible side effects and take precautions. Make sure that the products are bought at a credible place with third-party testing since the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements like barley grass as it would prescription drugs. In certain barley grass supplements, very high levels of specific micronutrients come through—for instance, vitamin K and potassium. This may be highly relevant for people who are taking particular medications or have other health conditions. Hence, before the use of barley grass supplements, consulting a professional in the field of health always comes in very handy, especially in case of pre-existing health conditions or when one takes any medications. Furthermore, it should be known to individuals who are affected with celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten that the barley grass products may be contaminated even though gluten is majorly found in the seeds of the barley grain.

Conclusion

Barley grass is one of those ingredients that pop up in juices, supplements, and greens powders. It has a nutrient-dense profile and has been related to benefits in weight loss, heart health, and blood sugar control, with further research needed from human studies.