Barley is one of the oldest crops in the world and produces one of the healthiest grains. But what about barley grass? This often-overlooked product of the barley plant could be even more healthy than the grain, as we’ll discover in this guide.
We added organic barley grass to our Detox Organics daily detox drink for this very reason. We spent months researching hundreds of plants, herbs and spices before selecting 25 of the very best. Barley grass was one of those, because after spending a great deal of time researching into its benefits and looking at its nutritional composition, it seemed like a no-brainer.
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What is Barley Grass?
Barley grass is produced from the same plant that gives us the barley grain, which in turn is also what gives us beer. But barley grass is gluten free and it’s also packed with health benefits. In fact, it has been used by humans for at least 5,000 years, as they believed that it possessed potent anti-inflammatory properties and also used it to heal wounds.
In the 20th century there was a rediscovery of sorts. Pharmacists learned that the green shoots of the barley plant were dense in essential nutrients, so they began drying the shoots, grinding them into a powder and adding them to tablets, which were sold throughout the US.
These days barley is just as healthy and as nutrient dense as it has aways been. It is a multi-vitamin in natural form and can provide an array of health benefits.
Barley Grass Nutrition
Barley grass is incredibly nutritious. 100 grams of powdered barley grass will provide you with a massive 57 grams of fiber in addition to 22 grams of protein. Of course, 100 grams is a lot, containing around 270 calories and requiring a lot of nose-holding and fast-chugging, but even 10 grams will provide you with a significant amount of fiber.
Barley grass also contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, C, E, B1, B2 and B6, in addition to calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients are bioavailable and readily absorbed, giving your daily values a boost with every gram you consume.
Barley grass also contains a number of antioxidants, compounds that help to prevent oxidative damage and to reduce the risk of a long list of chronic diseases. It has a readily available source of chlorophyll, which is one of the compounds that has made wheatgrass such a sought-after health food for so many years.
There are also said to be hundreds of enzymes in barley grass, all of which work to break down the grass itself while also helping combat bad bacteria, assist in the growth of good bacteria, reduce bloating, and fight inflammation.
There are more benefits than we can possibly write about, more nutrients than we have space for—this is a true superfood no matter how you look at it, and that’s why organic barley grass is a key component of our Detox Organics formula.
The Importance of Fiber
We highlighted the fiber content of barley grass above, noting how it contains over 55 grams of the stuff for every 100 gram serving. If you’re like the average American then you probably skipped over that statement without thinking much about it. You probably skimmed it to get to the part where we told you how much protein it contained or how many nutrients it had.
And this is one of the biggest issues with American health right now. 96% of us are not consuming enough fiber, even though inadequate consumption has been linked with a host of health problems. Think of it this way: we know that fiber can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer and that a lack of it can increase the risk. We also know that Americans are not eating enough fiber and that heart disease and cancer are the biggest killers in the country.
It’s no coincidence.
The problem is, fiber doesn’t taste great and if you consume an adequate amount after a lifetime of consuming an inadequate amount it can make you bloated and uncomfortable. It can feel like a lose-lose, and that’s why so few Americans are actually getting their fill.
If there is one thing that you do for your health it should be increasing your fiber intake. And don’t worry if you’re struggling and need a solution, because we have the perfect solution for you.
Conclusion: Barley Grass and More
Our Detox Organics daily detox drink not only contains an abundance of vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes, but it also contains plenty of fiber. What’s more, this fiber is provided by natural fruit, vegetable and plant extracts, which means it comes with additional healthy compounds that, just like fiber, can reduce the risk of chronic disease.
We created Detox Organics to help Americans consume more fiber, more nutrients, and more natural enzymes, and to go someway to remedying the heart disease epidemic currently spreading through the nation. We reasoned that this issue existed because Americans love great tasting and convenient food, and that they weren’t going to drink something if it wasn’t quick, easy, convenient and delicious.
So we spent months developing a formula that was all of those things, a formula that tasted just like chocolate milk (really—try it for yourself and you’ll see) mixes with a few turns of the spoon, and costs just a couple dollars per dose. It provides the equivalent of several pounds of fresh vegetables in a single scoop and can help you to go one step closer to your health goals.
So, buy your own tub of Detox Organics here for a delicious dose of barley grass and 24 other life-changing, health-boosting superfoods.