From a biological point of view, barley grass powder is the young barley plant from the germination stage to the so-called shoot, i.e. the point where the plant starts to grow ears. During this period, the plant goes through various stages of growth.
The germination begins after the grain has been introduced into the soil, with the breaking out of the first small roots, and after 6-9 days, the first cotyledons are already to be seen on the ground.
Barley grass is a popular ingredient at juice bars, where it’s added to juices and smoothies in a powder form. It can also be turned into a bright green juice without other ingredients. Either way, the nutritional benefits of barley grass are impressive.
From then on, barley grass played a prominent role in human nutrition. Historical sources report their cultivation both by the ancient Egyptians and later by the Sumerians and Babylonians. In ancient China, barley grass was considered a sacred plant as early as 5,000 years ago.
Better digestion since then
Barley grass is a great source of dietary fiber. The soluble and insoluble fiber that barley grass provides helps digestion in two ways: First, insoluble fiber feeds the “good bacteria” living in your gut, helping you digest food efficiently and keeping your intestines healthy. Second, soluble dietary fiber helps your stomach absorb sugar more slowly, keeping your blood sugar and cholesterol levels lower.
Beneficial for blood health
The body needs iron for the transport of oxygen in the body. Thus, iron is one of the most important substances in the body, because it has an influence on the metabolism, the immune system, the growth and the regeneration of skin and hair, etc.
In 10g of barley grass powder, with almost 4mg of iron, it contains almost half of the daily bodily needs of 10mg.
With 10g of barley grass powder, you also cover the daily requirement of beta-carotene and vitamin K and 50% of the body’s vitamin B2 (riboflavin) requirement.
Bone health
Calcium is the main building block of bones, and having a good source of calcium in your diet is vital for bone health. The calcium found in barley grass can help prevent or reverse osteoporosis. It can also help keep your teeth healthy, especially when combined with the phosphorus that’s also found in barley grass.
Barley actually thrive to a greater range of climate
Barley is adaptable to a greater range of climate than any other cereal, with varieties suited to temperate, subarctic, or subtropical areas. Although it does best in growing seasons of at least 90 days, it is able to grow and ripen in a shorter time than any other cereal.
Cultivation is possible even in very short seasons such as those of the Himalayan slopes, although the yield there is smaller than in less harsh areas. Barley, with greater resistance to dry heat than other small grains, thrives in the near-desert areas of North Africa, where it is mainly sown in the autumn.
Spring-sown crops are especially successful in the cooler, moist areas of western Europe and North America.
Key takeaway
Barley Grass is highly alkalizing due to the number of alkaline minerals it contains (calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium to name but a few). It has the powerful ability to restore a healthy acid-alkaline balance in the body whilst offering protection against the many health problems that can be caused by disharmony in the blood PH.
It is extremely high in vitamin C which is crucial to the overall health of the body in its efforts to fight off infections – both bacterial and viral. White blood cells contain 20 times the amount of vitamin C than other cells and require constant replenishment to keep the immune system working to its optimum capacity.
