Why you should eat pearl barley: explains Svitlana Fus

Cereals are an essential part of everyone's diet. Without exception, they are healthy because they contain all the vitamins and minerals you need. They can be used to prepare a variety of delicious dishes, from soups to salads and cereals.

Nutritionist Svitlana Fus shared on Facebook the benefits of pearl barley porridge and why everyone should eat it.

It is worth noting that pearl barley is one of the healthy and wholesome cereals with high nutritional value, it can be used to prepare delicious, hearty, and healthy dishes, and it is very budget-friendly.

"The basis of pearl barley is barley, a very ancient and valuable crop. In addition to fiber, barley grain contains a large amount of protein – about 15% per 100 g, which is a fairly high percentage for cereals. It also has a wide range of minerals and vitamins – potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium, vitamins B, PP, and E," the nutritionist explained.

Pearl barley porridge is also called beauty porridge

"It contains the amino acid lysine, a substance necessary for collagen production. It makes the skin elastic and prevents wrinkles. And vitamins B and E in pearl barley help keep nails, hair, and skin healthy," the expert added.

It is very important to know that barley contains gordecin, a natural antibiotic.

"Broth and barley porridge help fight inflammatory diseases of the intestines and stomach and inhibit the growth of pathogenic flora, and barley porridge normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, is useful for kidney and liver diseases, arthritis, hepatitis, and diabetes," the expert explained.

Fuss added that pearl barley is one of the best sources of fiber among cereals.

"The dietary fiber in this porridge includes beta-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber that has a positive effect on immune cells, lowers blood glucose levels, affects the growth of normal intestinal flora, has a probiotic effect, and normalizes cholesterol and blood glucose levels," the expert explains.

How to cook porridge correctly

The nutritionist advises soaking the barley before cooking it, so that it cooks quickly, retains all its beneficial properties, and tastes delicious. To get crumbly porridge, you can add a little oil.

How to soak properly: take a liter of water for a glass of washed pearl barley and soak for about 10-12 hours.

What to eat with pearl barley

Barley porridge goes well with meat or fish dishes as a side dish. It can also be cooked with meat, mushrooms, vegetables, herbs, and even fruit or dried fruit, and made into stuffed cabbage rolls, risotto, and cutlets.

Who shouldn't eat pearl barley

It is better to avoid it for people who are gluten intolerant because barley contains gluten.