Barley grass juice for slimming

Have you ever heard of barley grass juice? I suppose the idea of juicing barley may seem unusual, but it’s not impossible! What if I told you that you should really consider incorporating this food into your daily eating routine? You’d certainly want to know why. Well, in what follows, we’re going to see how young barley shoots (not the seeds) provide us with an important nutrient intake, useful for losing weight. Let’s discover the slimming virtues of this natural concentrate, barley grass juice.

Barley grass juice, a natural concentrate with multiple benefits

By barley grass juice, we’re referring to a preparation based on freshly sprouted young barley shoots. You have two options:

Germinate the seeds yourself, at home, then pick them and prepare them into juice, using a juice extractor;

Buy organic barley grass sprouts on the market. You’ll just have to find the right product!

According to Eric Darche, naturopathic nutritionist, author, lecturer and trainer, barley grass juice is “phenomenally powerful”. In the following video, in French, he explains in an interview how he makes his juice, and how it gives our bodies an apparent energy boost.



Unless you want to watch the whole video, you can skip ahead to 4:20 minutes.

Worldwide, barley is used for animal feed (55-60%), malt production (30-40%), human consumption (2-3%) and seed production (5%).

This ancient plant was one of the first domesticated cereals. It is known for its high fiber content, vitamins (B group), iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and selenium. This makes it a good digestive. Barley also contains a dozen essential acids, and is said to have significant effects on blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as on intestinal flora.

Seeds or barley grass juice, which should you choose?

By the way, the consumption of barley in any form is highly beneficial to the human body. Like wheat and other cereals, it is a foodstuff recommended by health authorities in most countries. In fact, in addition to vegetables and fruit, cereal intake is strongly recommended by nutritionists.

Moreover, barley grass juice, consumed as a dietary supplement, was discovered in the 60s by a Japanese pharmacist by the name of Yoshihide Hagiwara. He had researched some 200 different plants in order to analyze their various benefits: the result was the discovery of barley’s unequalled value. At the time, herbal juices such as wheatgrass were in vogue. But barley-grass juice demonstrated its high content of micro-nutrients (including vitamin B9 and superoxide dismutase) and eventually established itself as a powerful antioxidant.

Barley grass juice is extracted from young shoots that have grown in the light. This means they have benefited from photosynthesis and now contain chlorophyll, which ensures the proper circulation of oxygen in our bodies. In its sprouted state, barley has also lost its gluten. Barley is therefore considered a good cleanser for the body.

The health benefits of barley grass juice

Rich in chlorophyll, enzymes, trace elements, antioxidants and micronutrients, barley in the form of sprout juice has many beneficial properties for the body. These include

Antioxidant :

Antioxidants are compounds that combat the damaging effects of free radicals. Barley contains two main families of antioxidants: tocotrienols (Vitamin E) and flavanols (phenolic compounds).

pH regulator :

Thanks to its natural composition, barley regulates our pH by alkalizing our body. It thus combats the acidity that is at the root of many illnesses.

Metabolism booster :

Barley is rich in soluble fibers, more specifically beta-glucans. These play a crucial role in lowering blood levels of total and bad (LDL) cholesterol.

The presence of these fibers also promotes easier digestion, which significantly improves nutrient absorption and the elimination of toxins and waste.

Anti-fatigue :

This dietary supplement is indicated against fatigue, stress and nutritional deficiencies. It is also said to have beneficial effects on memory and immune defenses.

Appetite suppressant :

Whether eaten whole, in flour or in juice, barley produces a feeling of fullness that lasts for more than an hour and a half after a meal. This effect is highly beneficial for weight-loss diets.

How to take barley grass juice?

In addition to its natural form, as explained earlier in the video, barley grass juice can be found in powder form for dilution, or even in tablet form. The latter have been designed for people who might be put off by the very “green” taste, reminiscent of spinach! A little trick is to mix it with carrot or apple.

As it’s a purely natural product, there’s no risk of side effects. But don’t overdo it. Cures of 20 to 50 days are recommended by many specialists.

IMPORTANT: for best results, consume barley grass juice on an empty stomach, 20 minutes before meals. You can also choose to consume it two hours later: the aim is to allow this food to act on its own.

Enjoy barley in all its forms…

Barley can be found in the kitchen in many different forms: hulled or pearled seeds, flour, in salads, soups, flakes, young shoots… all of which benefit from its proven nutritional value. I urge you to consider it as a food in your weekly routine, in association of course with a good sports program to help you “digest your fats”.