Barley (Hordeum Vulgare) is one of the oldest cereals cultivated by man and was one of the most common foods in ancient Greece. The grain of barley contains gluten, but not its grass, making it suitable for consumption by people with gluten sensitivity or intolerance.
Miraculous Chlorophyll
Barley grass juice is packed with chlorophyll, the molecule that has the ability to absorb sunlight to convert it into organic energy. Although we are not plants, chlorophyll has properties of particular interest to us humans as well. Its composition is very similar to that of our blood, the only difference being that the central ion is composed of magnesium and not iron. Chlorophyll, consumed in its natural form is highly assimilable, it acts, as soon as it enters the body, as an internal deodorant very beneficial for our intestinal flora.
🌱
Remineralization = revitalization
People as ancient as the Essenes were already using barley grass for its countless virtues. Barley grass juice is above all a great remineralizer with 70 of 116 minerals, including iron (5 times more than in spinach), calcium (11 times more than in cow’s milk), and also potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, iodine etc.
🌱
Vitamins and proteins
Barley has a high content of micronutrients, mainly vitamins A (7 times more than in carrots), Vit B1 (30 times more than in cow’s milk), Vit B6, Vit B9 (folic acid), Vit B12, Vit C (7 times more than in oranges), Vit E.
Barley grass juice helps build healthy tissue. It is an excellent remedy against premature ageing and degeneration. Chlorophyll, minerals and vitamins are the anti-fatigue nutrients par excellence, allowing to quickly recover good energy levels.
Barley grass juice also contains 18 amino acids including the 8 essential ones (methionine, lysine, tryptophan…), which makes it a source of protein (30% protein).
🌱
A great alkalizer
Barley grass juice balances the acid-base PH of the human body, which helps to keep it in good shape. An acid-base imbalance can in the long run weaken the immune system, promote the onset of diseases and lead to inflammations such as tendonitis. So if your shoulder or elbow has been aching for months, you could try barley grass juice.
🌱
Detoxifying properties
Barley grass is a top friend in the context of a detox because it allows a deep drainage by stimulating lymph flow as well as cleaning the blood. This result in toxin elimination such as chemical residues (polyvinyl chloride, etc) and heavy metals (cadmium, mercury, etc).
The capacity to detoxify the body it is partly due to the high levels of SOD (superoxide dismutase), an antioxidant enzyme that protects cells from toxic free radicals.
🌱
A gut’s best friend
Rich in fibre, (56.5mg per 100g), barley grass juice prevents constipation and gently cleanses the intestines. The fibres in the herb stimulate peristalsis (the beneficial muscle contractions of the intestine), while other nutrients stop the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi.
Barley grass juice also aids digestion by improving the metabolic production of hydrochloric acid that occurs naturally in the stomach. This acid helps us to break down food into its digestible form, but also to act as a chemical barrier against unwanted bacteria and parasites.
Better gut flora equals less bloating and fermentation, and also less inflammation due to vitamin A, zinc and essential fatty acids (50% omega 3 and 10% omega 6).
🌱
Hair, skin, nails…and eyes as well
Barley grass, with its high calcium load (330 mg/100 g), magnesium (180 mg/100 g), potassium (4300 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (430 mg/100 g), can prevent osteoporosis by providing all the elements for your skeleton to regenerate optimally.
These elements also help to maintain healthy teeth, hair and nails and contribute to the proper renewal of cells. The eyes will also benefit from vitamin A, C and E, essential fatty acids and cell oxygenation.
🌱
Blood sugar regulation, appetite suppressant effect
The enzymes contained in barley grass juice help splitting fat molecules, while gamma linoleic acid reduces cholesterol, and various amino acids curb food compulsions and hunger pangs. All things valuable for maintaining a healthy body weight.
🌱
Barley grass juice and cancer
Some studies have identified a number of anti-cancer agents substances in barley grass juice. One of these, called Abscisic Acid, is a plant hormone that prevents seeds from germinating until environmental conditions are right. In animal tests, it was found that this hormone, even given in small amounts, was “lethal” to all forms of cancer and cleared tumours very quickly.
The second active substance against cancer is Vitamin B17, which is very present in barley grass. Dr Ernst Krebs, a famous biochemical researcher, states that the modern diet contains 400 times less vitamin B17 than that of the aboriginal peoples in countries where the incidence of cancer is almost zero.
When/how to consume barley grass juice
You can drink barley grass juice on an occasional basis, for example after a period of overeating, in case of fatigue, or simply at each change of season. For general detoxification and regeneration, it is suggested to drink about 50 ml of barley grass juice in the morning and 50 ml daily on an empty stomach.
Barley grass juice can be consumed in its fresh or dehydrated form. For the fresh form, you need to germinate barley seeds, let them grow for about 10 days, and then extract the juice. This is quite time consuming and tedious, but with advantages in terms of cost and vibration (lovingly grown by your own hands, no handling, storage nor transport). Fresh juice should be used immediately after extraction as it oxidises and degrades very quickly.
In a top quality dehydrated form, barley grass juice is squeezed and then dried at a low temperature to protect and retain its nutritional benefits. Of course, it is important to choose an organic source, and serious brands guarantee that both the sprouted seed and the soil are organic. To get the full benefits of barley grass juice in dehydrated form, you should also make sure that the grass is cold pressed, with a slow juice extractor to avoid oxidation and metal contamination.
It is recommended to drink the juice slowly in small sips, and to hold it in the mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. Better in the morning on an empty stomach to benefit from the energy it provides throughout the day. If taken to reduce compulsive eating, it should be drunk at the end of the day, around 4-5pm. And to maintain a healthy body weight, 3 times a day before each meal.
I personally like to drink barley grass juice every morning, taking regular breaks (either every weekend or one week per month (so 3 weeks of intake, one week of rest).
The juice is slightly bitter, like most plants that promote detox. If that’s too much for you, you can sweeten it by adding a banana.
I have opted for a very high quality dehydrated form of barley grass juice, that I mix with a glass of water and 1 teaspoon of chlorella to reinforce the detoxifying action of heavy metals, and sometimes with spirulina for added protein content. It’s my green morning coffee, giving me vitality and digestive comfort.
🌱
Another way of using barley grass juice internally (for the brave!)
Intestinal enema with wheat grass juice: using an enema bag, make a classic intestinal enema, then put some water at the bottom of the enema bag (about 1 cm) and add 100 to 150 ml of wheat grass juice. Lie on your right side (with a hot water bottle over your liver if possible), and keep this mini enema for about 20 minutes.
🌱
To sum it up
Modern life, with all the hustle and bustle it generates, takes us away from the ancient wisdom that was preciously passed down from generation to generation. We forget the simple methods our grandparents used to stay healthy. Naturopathy is about helping you to rediscover this wisdom, to become more self-reliant every day and less dependent on the pharmaceutical/health industry (keep it for emergencies!). More autonomous = more free = happier💚!.
