Humanity has been cultivating barley for about 10 thousand years. This is one of the oldest cultivated cereals. It is mentioned in the Bible and Homer's Odyssey. A whole book could be written about the beneficial properties of the plant. We are used to thinking of cereals as porridge, pearl barley or barley. However, not only porridge is made from barley grains, but a drink that tastes like coffee. Cereal infusion differs from the latter in that it has practically no contraindications.
The benefits of such a drink are multifaceted and great. Normalizing weight, regulating blood glucose levels, strengthening the immune system, strengthening the heart and blood vessels, and the gastrointestinal tract - this is an incomplete list of the valuable properties of the product.
What kind of drink is this
An infusion of barley and rye is a coffee substitute . Let's find out what it is called in different countries. The word "mugitcha", or barley tea, comes from Japan, where an infusion of unrefined, roasted barley or wheat grains has long been known. In China the drink is called “damaicha”, in Korea it is called “porichha”. The taste of the product resembles Soviet coffee substitutes (ersatz coffee): for example, the “Summer” drink. In Russia, barley coffee also has its fans.
What is it made of?
Coffee substitute is prepared from roasted and finely ground barley beans . To highlight the taste of the drink, rye is added to it. It adds depth to the infusion and helps reveal the beneficial properties of the main grain.
There are different brands of the product on the market, most often in soluble or ground form. For variety, ground rose hips, chicory or even acorns are added to the barley.
Taste and smell
Connoisseurs of natural coffee claim that the barley drink does not resemble it in any way. The taste is really different, but it has its advantages. Compared to the original composition, the barley infusion has a milder taste, without bitterness . The light bready aroma gives the drink its originality and does not spoil it at all.
The various additives that manufacturers use (acorns, rose hips, finely ground rye) add a unique flavor. The maximum similarity to coffee is achieved by mixing barley and chicory.
By the way! Cappuccino lovers will love barley coffee with milk.
Composition and properties
The barley drink has a rich composition.
Microelements:
- iron;
- fluorine;
- manganese;
- copper.
Macronutrients:
- sodium;
- sulfur;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- chlorine.
The calorie content of 100 g of drink (10 g of barley extract per 200 ml of water) is 14–20 kcal. Contents of the BZHU:
- proteins - 1 g;
- fats - 0 g;
- carbohydrates - 3 g.
Interesting things on our website:
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How to make moonshine from rye
Benefits and harms
Let's figure out what benefits and harms a coffee drink made from barley and rye brings.
Cereal infusion is used for:
- diabetes mellitus - barley coffee keeps glucose levels from jumping, fiber slows down the rate of glucose absorption;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - the infusion restores the epithelial tissue lining the organs, which increases the number of beneficial bacteria and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- problems with blood vessels and heart - the cereal drink saturates the body with magnesium and potassium, which reduce high blood pressure and strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
- excess weight - the product stabilizes body weight, as it unloads the pancreas (the glucose entering it is completely decomposed and does not go to build fat deposits).
This is interesting! Rye-wheat drink tones and restores strength. Therefore, it is recommended for use after surgical interventions and protracted illnesses.
Cereal coffee can have harmful effects if improperly prepared or abused. The average daily norm is no more than 4-5 cups of drink. With a larger amount, the weight loss effect changes to the opposite.
BENEFITS OF BARLEY DRINK || Coffee substitute
Benefit for health
At the beginning of the 30th year of the last century, Soviet biologists were able to prove that drinks based on barley can seriously affect the human body who have suffered stress and strain. Therefore, the drink was present in combination with the main treatment for many diseases.
Strengthening properties
Cereal broth contains a lot of protein and carbohydrates and has a tonic effect.
Containing a lot of protein and carbohydrates, the drink restores strength well. Prescribed for various types of injuries and other overloads of the body, especially useful in cases of injury.
Positive dynamics in the fight against weight and diabetes.
Regular consumption of barley in your diet allows you to get rid of accumulated toxins in the body and helps improve digestion. Sugar levels are noticeably reduced in people with diabetes.
Anti-inflammatory properties
For arthritis and rheumatism, barley coffee has an analgesic effect
Barley contains lysine (an antibacterial substance), which has antiviral properties, and hordecin, which actively fights fungal diseases of the skin.
In combination with medications, barley coffee is taken for colds; it is often used for infectious diseases of the respiratory tract. For rheumatism and arthritis, it reduces pain.
Effect on the gastrointestinal tract
A drink made from barley improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, helps cope with constipation
Ulcers, gastritis, dysbiosis and other types of diseases require special attention from both doctors and the patient. He has to switch to a new type of diet, which must include barley. Normal functioning of the digestive systems is impossible without a special environment in which special bacterial compounds develop. Barley helps with this, because it contains beta-glucans.
Maintaining the health of the cardiovascular system
Barley has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and circulatory system, improves hematopoietic processes and stabilizes the water-salt balance
The heart muscle begins to function better, because the drink contains potassium and magnesium. Including vitamins E and D, barley coffee normalizes blood pressure. An impressive variety of vitamins and minerals strengthens the walls of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity. It also has a positive effect on water-salt balance.
Longevity and beauty
Barley coffee also affects your appearance. It contains silicon and lysine, which promote the production of collagen, which, in turn, ensures the elasticity of the skin, reducing the risk of premature aging. Collagen affects the quality of hair growth, the condition of nails and the elasticity of cartilage.
Making your own cereal coffee
There are many instant and ground varieties of barley drink on store shelves . The first is enough to fill with hot water, add sugar, milk, cream if desired. The second boil and insist.
What and how to cook from
For cooking, take 3 tbsp. l. barley and rye .
The largest grains are chosen, without signs of spoilage or mold. They are washed thoroughly until the water turns clear. The second step is fermenting the grain. This procedure gets rid of phytic acid in cereals, which leads to mineral deficiency. To do this, the grains are completely filled with water and left for a day. Afterwards, the liquid is drained, fresh is added and boiled until the cereal shell bursts.
The next stage is washing the raw materials and frying them in a dry frying pan. It is important here to prevent the beans from burning, otherwise the coffee will be bitter and will not please you with its delicate taste. The roasted grain is ground in a coffee grinder or blender.
When making a drink at home, you choose the degree of roasting yourself and add additional ingredients.
Cooking recommendations
After the brewing mixture is ready, take 150 ml of water and 1 tbsp. l. with a pile of received raw materials . The composition is brought to a boil and boiled over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then infused for the same amount. Instead of 1/3 of water, you can add milk, then the taste will be similar to cappuccino. 1 tsp. chicory in the composition will make the taste and color of the product more saturated and add a piquant note.
By the way! To make a coffee drink taste sweet, sugar is added to it, but such sweetening reduces the beneficial qualities of coffee. Therefore, sugar is replaced with honey, stevia or natural syrups.
Advantages
For many years, the main advantage of barley coffee was the normalization of well-being during nervous disorders, depression, increased mental stress and stress. It was used as a complex therapy aimed at eliminating various diseases. Thanks to the drink, the following positive results can be achieved:
Chicory - coffee substitute
- Normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract - relieves constipation, gastritis, dysbacteriosis and the like. Beta-glucans are an ideal environment for beneficial bacteria that have a beneficial effect on the digestive system.
- Improves the condition of the endocrine system, preventing hormonal imbalance.
- Activates metabolism.
- Allows you to remove extra pounds - fiber inhibits the process of carbohydrate absorption. This allows you to maintain a normal level of glucose, which does not remain in adipose tissue, and the pancreas does not experience excessive stress.
- The quality of functioning of the heart and circulatory system improves and restores water-salt balance.
- Effectively eliminates inflammation - brings relief from problems with the throat and nasopharynx, reduces the pain threshold for rheumatism and arthritis.
- Due to collagen, skin and hair become more elastic, strong and resilient.
The product helps to free the body from waste and toxins that slow down the active functioning of the body.
To feel the full effectiveness of the drink, you need to drink it in the morning with breakfast.
Ready drink
By buying ground or powdered rye-barley coffee, you will get rid of the hassle of preparing it. The ground cereal product is brewed as in the recipe above . Instant is poured with hot water or milk.
Review of popular brands
Popular brands of instant barley drink:
- “Health” : the flavor palette is rich, delicate, similar to traditional coffee;
- “Ear of Barley” : this drink is distinguished by a light bready taste, smell and delicate foam that rises after brewing;
- “Old Mill” : the taste of cereals is practically not felt, there are soft coffee notes.
How to collect acorns for culinary purposes?
To get high-quality fruits, they need to be collected in September - October. As soon as you find yourself in the forest (namely a forest, and not a polluted forest belt adjacent to the road), take a closer look at the surrounding trees: some oaks have sickly colored leaves, these should be avoided. You should not pick fruits in the first week of their fall; they are often of poor quality: wormy and unripe (there is a risk of poisoning from such fruits). Find a green oak tree with clean, bright leaves. High-quality fruits have the following characteristics:
- Color – brown, shiny.
- When squeezed by hand, the fruit is hard and strong. If an acorn is crushed, it is wormy and is not suitable for making coffee.
- If the fruits are from the tree, they should easily separate from the cap - a sign of ripeness.
- Another check for acorns: put all the collected fruits in water, those that float up are not suitable, and the rest can be used.
Contraindications
The drink has no special contraindications, other than individual intolerance to grains . No side effects have been identified from its use.
Due to the presence of protein in this coffee, it is undesirable to drink if you have kidney diseases. Excessive consumption contributes to weight gain.
Is it possible during pregnancy?
There are no objective contraindications to drinking the drink during pregnancy and breastfeeding . However, before introducing cereal coffee into your diet, it is important to consult your doctor.
With the permission of the pediatrician, a nursing mother can gradually introduce the product into the diet, carefully monitoring the child’s condition and the absence of an allergic reaction.
Important! The main rule that pregnant and nursing mothers should follow is moderation. Do not overuse the coffee drink if you like it. Limit yourself to 2-3 cups. This is the optimal dose for the benefit of the body.
Reviews
Those who tried the drink liked it. The beneficial properties of the infusion are especially :
Natalya, 26 years old : “I really love coffee, but during pregnancy I had to give it up: the doctor forbade it. A friend advised me to switch to cereal coffee. I tried it. At first the taste was a little unusual, but then I liked it. I drank it morning and evening throughout my pregnancy and after the baby was born. I didn’t find any allergies or other negative effects on the child.”
Rosa, 30 years old : “A coffee drink made from oats and barley is just a godsend for me. Thanks to its regular use, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract has improved and constipation has gone away. Even my figure became slimmer. I drink 3-4 cups a day with milk.”
Sergey, 47 years old : “Because of high blood pressure, I don’t drink coffee anymore, although I like it. While looking for an alternative, I came across a barley-rye drink. I really liked it. To maximize the similarity, I add instant coffee to the mug, literally at the tip of a knife. Tasty and healthy."
Description
Many people want to fill every day with pleasant emotions and get a boost of energy that will help them be active at work for a long time. Real strong coffee gives you the desired energy and energy, but there is a category of people who are unable to drink it for certain reasons. As an experiment, it is recommended to try a drink made from barley. In addition to cereals and bread, the culture was intended for the preparation of jelly and medicines necessary to improve well-being. Barley is rich in various microelements that have a beneficial effect on the internal system.
Barley contains the following components:
- vegetable proteins;
- vitamins of groups A, B, D, E;
- magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, potassium;
- carbohydrates;
- cellulose.
The preparatory stage of making barley coffee includes collecting grains from the ears, which are carefully selected and washed. Then they are well fried, crushed, and brewed.
The finished product is the best option for those who want to switch to a healthy diet
