Benefits of Barley Tea

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Tea has always been considered as a better beverage than coffee on the basis of the health benefits it offers. In recent times the market has been flooded with numerous varieties of tea. However, the roasted barley tea can be considered as a healthier substitute for the regular beverages.

Barley Tea- An Overview:

Barley tea is a beverage made from the whole grain barley. As we all know whole grains bring with them a wide range of health benefits and barley is no exception. The whole grain has been widely used by the Chinese in various forms for its health and therapeutic benefits. Barley tea is widely available in China, Japan and Korea. It is known as mugicha Japan, dàmàichá in China and boricha in Korea.

Brewing Barley Tea:

The beverage known for its health benefits can be brewed using ground barley, unshelled roasted barley or barley seed in hot water. The barley seeds need to be roasted in low flame till they become dark brown in color. The roasted seeds then need to be boiled in hot water for a few minutes following which the seeds need to be strained to get the barley tea. Owing to its popularity barley tea is now available as tea bags, loose grains or as a readymade prepared drink.

Benefits of Barley Tea:

1. The beverage is free from caffeine due to which it can be drunk even by children.
2. The aroma and flavor of the tea is worth a mention.
3. Though the beverage is free from caffeine the nutty flavor of the beverage apes the taste of coffee offering a healthy substitute to coffee lovers.

 Health Benefits of Barley Tea:

Barley tea can be considered as a store house of nutrients with 8 essential amino acids in addition to vitamins, minerals and fiber. An antioxidant rich glutamic acid is also present in the beverage.
1. Stress Relief: It has been observed that the tryptophan and melatonin in the tea helps in relieving sleep disorders and aids in the production of serotonin which regulates the mood and sleep patterns of an individual.

2. Oral Health: The tea does not encourage the colonization of the oral streptococci and prevents their adhesion and absorption to the teeth thus preventing tooth decay.

3. Anti-Coagulative Properties: The tea contains alkylpyrazine which helps in increasing the fluidity of the blood consequently preventing diseases due to impaired blood circulation and maintains proper blood flow throughout the body.

4. Anti-oxidant properties: Barley tea has antioxidants such as lignans, selenium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C which help in minimizing or preventing cardiovascular or inflammatory diseases.

5. Cancer Prevention: The phytonutrients along with the antioxidants present in barley tea help in preventing prostate and breast cancers in addition to minimizing the damages caused to cells due to free radicals in the body.

6. Blood Cholesterol and Sugar Levels: Barley tea has the ability to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It also cleans the blood of its impurities.

7. Digestive uses: Barley tea has a lot of fiber which regulates bowel movements while it is also acts as a natural antacid.

8. Barley tea is also used externally to treat hemorrhoids and inflammatory arthritis and exhibits anti aging properties when applied to the face.

9. Male fertility: The selenium content of the tea has a positive impact on male fertility.

10. Alleviates Symptoms of Cold and Cough: Barley tea helps in alleviating the symptoms of cold by disintegrating the phlegm, reduces fever and sore throat symptoms.

Conclusion:

The health benefits of barley tea clearly make it a front runner of the choices of a regular beverage. The benefits of the tea needs to weighed upon and the beverage should be made a part of the daily diet.

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