Pearl barley is a rich source of fiber that helps the body eliminate toxins.
Processed barley grains actually improve the overall health of the gastrointestinal tract. But will barley be useful for gastritis? Doctors and scientists say that grains rich in fiber are a food source for friendly bacteria. This means that with gastritis caused by H.Pilory, pearl barley will help restore normal bacterial balance. The uniqueness of the product is that it can be consumed at any acidity level. However, it must be borne in mind that the positive properties will appear only if properly prepared grain is consumed during the period of remission of gastritis. Even heavily boiled porridge is too rough for a stomach with inflamed walls.
The benefits of pearl barley
Barley contains many substances vital for the body, but the most valuable in its composition is hordecin. The substance has regenerating and antibacterial properties.
As a result, regular consumption of porridge speeds up the process of restoration of the inflamed gastric mucosa. Thanks to its enveloping properties, pearl barley minimizes the irritating effects of food.
Pearl barley porridge is made from barley grains, so its second name is barley porridge. Many people do not like it - and completely in vain: pearl barley perfectly eliminates signs of inflammation and can be used both for gastritis with high acidity, and for peptic ulcers and pancreatitis. In addition, pearl barley strengthens the immune system, lowers cholesterol levels, fights anemia, improves intestinal motility, and removes toxic substances from the body.
However, you shouldn’t overuse barley either: for gastritis with high acidity, it is optimal to consume it no more than 3 times a week, not in too large portions.
All doctors agree that pearl barley porridge is beneficial for gastritis; consuming it allows you to supply the body with many essential substances and microelements.
A large amount of vitamins and microelements in cereals improves the body's defense reactions and contributes to the successful treatment of the disease.
The composition of pearl barley is very diverse. Not every cereal can boast such a content of microelements and vitamins. It contains the following microelements:
- Potassium;
- Calcium;
- Manganese;
- Iron;
- Chromium;
- Nickel;
- Zinc;
- Bromine;
- Iodine;
- Phosphorus;
- Vitamins in pearl barley:
- PP Groups;
- Groups A;
- Groups E;
- Group B.
Each of these vitamins is important for the body and is needed every day. Therefore, in order to at least partially replenish their reserves, you need to eat pearl barley porridge.
Information about the composition of pearl barley
Weight watchers will love the fact that barley porridge has far fewer calories than instant oatmeal. In addition, oatmeal contains approximately three times more fat than pearl barley.
100 grams of pearl barley cooked in water contains:
- kilocalories: 104;
- proteins: 9.5 g;
- fat: 1.1 g;
- carbohydrates: 73.5 g.
This composition makes processed grain the preferred choice for those people who not only suffer from gastritis, but also want to lose weight without harm to their health.
Advice from a gastroenterologist! Despite all the benefits of pearl barley, in case of exacerbation of gastritis, oatmeal remains the only porridge that is “safe” for the inflamed walls of the stomach. You shouldn’t give up processed oat products in favor of ground barley based only on the caloric content of the products.
Polished barley is rich in microelements and vitamins. In particular, pearl barley contains a large amount of B vitamins (including: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic and pantothenic acid). In addition, the cereal contains:
- vitamin E;
- iron;
- zinc;
- magnesium;
- phosphorus.
Recently, special phenolic acids, plant sterols and saponins, which have antioxidant properties, were found in pearl barley.
How to choose pearl barley in a store
The benefits and harms of pearl barley will depend on its quality, so before you buy barley, check it for quality.
For bagged cereals
The first thing you should pay attention to is the date on the packaging. The shelf life is 12 months. Promotional offers may have expired. This kind of cereal is not worth taking.
Through the packaging bag, pay attention to the color. Is there any black grain on it, which indicates mold?
For cereals by weight
If you buy cereal by weight, also pay attention to the smell. The absence of rancidity or a damp smell indicates that the cereal is suitable for consumption.
It is also worth paying attention to external factors. The cereal must be completely crumbly; if there are glued grains, and they are not in one copy, then this means that the supplier has neglected the storage rules. It is better to buy pearl barley elsewhere. Check this every time, regardless of the fact that the last time there was an excellent quality product. Delivery batches are different, and yesterday's product is completely different from what it is today.
Advantages and disadvantages of eating pearl barley by pregnant women
Exacerbation of gastritis during pregnancy can become a real problem: most medications are contraindicated for women, and therapeutic fasting has an extremely negative effect on the development of the fetus. That is why gastroenterologists advise patients carrying a baby to drink a decoction of pearl barley in order to prevent the inflammatory process.
You shouldn’t give up porridge either: properly cooked pearl barley will help prevent constipation and hemorrhoids (the most common abnormalities that occur in pregnant women). Porridge will support the health of the colon, reduce the time it takes for stool to pass, and also normalize the balance of bacteria in the stomach.
However, you need to remember that undercooked pearl barley, on the contrary, will lead to a deterioration in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, irritation of the stomach walls, and compaction of feces.
Pearl barley in the patient’s diet
When treating gastritis, porridge should be present in the patient's daily diet. Any cereal, be it buckwheat, millet or rice, contains proteins and vitamins. It has an excellent astringent effect. Is it possible to eat pearl barley if you have gastritis or not?
Pearl barley is barley grain, polished and cleared of bran. Gastroenterologists classify it as an approved product in the treatment of the disease. Therapeutic nutrition requires that pearl barley porridge for gastritis be heavily boiled. The decoction left after cooking the cereal is also considered incredibly useful. It has a pronounced enveloping effect.
Do not forget about the strict rule that applies to many permitted products. Eating porridge is allowed only in the remission stage. But if gastritis has just begun and occurs in a fairly acute form, it is better to give up pearl barley for a while. Barley for gastritis with high acidity is consumed in small quantities and also against the background of remission.
Healthy recipes
There are several ways to prepare pearl barley, each of which makes it possible to prepare healthy porridge.
Recipe for cooking cereals in water
Cooking technology:
- Pour 1 glass of pearl barley into 2 liters of water and leave to swell for 10-12 hours.
- Remove excess liquid and rinse again.
- Pour clean water over the cereal in a ratio of 1 to 1.
- Cook over high heat until it boils, then reduce the heat on the stove.
- Salt, add butter.
This option for preparing pearl barley can be changed if you use milk, meat, mushroom, fish, and vegetable broth instead of water.
Recipe for making porridge without soaking the cereal
Cooking technology:
- Sort the barley, remove foreign impurities, grains with spots, rinse several times, filling and draining water.
- The proportion of water and cereal should be as follows: 4 to 1.
- First cook over high heat until it boils.
- Reduce the heating intensity, close the container with the pearl barley and cook for 2 hours. Check from time to time and add fluid if necessary.
- After turning off the stove, let the porridge stand for another half hour.
Steamed pearl barley recipe
Cooking technology:
- Before the porridge boils, do everything as in the previous recipe.
- Place the container with pearl barley in a water bath.
- Cook for about 6 more hours.
- Make sure that the container is closed.
Pearl barley goes well with different products, while adding additional ingredients changes the taste. The dish increases its nutritional value and is enriched with vitamins.
This wonderful grain can be added to soups; pies with this filling turn out delicious. When preparing barley soup, you can make the mistake of pouring raw barley into the broth. As a result, the soup will turn blue. Before adding pearl barley to the first dish, it must first be half cooked.
Barley porridge - contraindications
For whom is pearl barley contraindicated? People suffering from high stomach acidity should avoid using it. Perhaps not forever, but the regularity needs to be reduced. As mentioned above, it contains silicic acid. It is not as strong as others, but can influence the increase in acidity. If consumed in excessive quantities, the benefits of pearl barley will turn into harm to the stomach.
It is not advisable for men to consume a lot, as this can lead to gas and a decrease in sexual activity.
As for children, it is better not to give to children under three years of age. Porridge is difficult to digest, it is better to replace it with oatmeal.
What are the benefits of pearl barley?
Lately, pearl barley is rarely cooked, and in vain. Many people do not know how pearl barley is useful for humans.
Positive effect on the body:
- lowers cholesterol levels;
- increases immunity;
- removes toxins;
- helps with anemia;
- normalizes the functioning of the digestive system;
- improves vision;
- is a natural antibiotic;
- the skin becomes healthier and more elastic;
- has a positive effect on metabolic processes;
- helps women during menopause cope with unpleasant sensations.
Barley during pregnancy
Can pregnant women eat pearl barley? A definite answer to this question cannot be given; only the attending physician can advise how to behave. Therefore, consultation before use is necessary.
With all this, pearl barley also has beneficial properties for pregnant women. After all, it is full of fiber, which flushes toxins out of the body. Accordingly, the child will not receive them either. Phosphorus helps normalize metabolic processes in the body. This suggests that the child will receive them sufficiently. There are benefits of pearl barley porridge during pregnancy, but there may also be contraindications. You shouldn't turn a blind eye to this.
Contraindications
It is not recommended to eat pearl barley porridge only if you have an atrophic form of gastritis. In all other cases, during the period of remission there are no serious contraindications for pearl barley. Caution should be exercised in case of gastritis with high acidity; the dish should appear in the patient’s diet occasionally and in small quantities.
The main requirement is that the pearl barley must be boiled and have a consistency approaching a homogeneous mass. Cereals can be harmful for gastritis in the following cases:
- If it is not boiled in accordance with existing recommendations.
- If it was consumed hot or cold.
In any form of the disease, you should not often eat pearl barley porridge. With reduced secretion, it should appear on the lunch menu no more than a couple of times a week. You are allowed to eat thin porridge for breakfast several times a week, but you should not eat this dish for dinner.
The benefits of pearl barley for gastritis are undeniable. Porridge made from processed barley groats should definitely be eaten if you have gastritis. It is necessary to choose a product of good quality, with an unexpired expiration date. The grains should not have a damp smell, as this indicates non-compliance with the storage period.
