RodrigoPeres.com: August 2012

► Barley Grass | Gladiators Food

Barley Grass - Results Personal Training

Barley Grass - RodrigoPeres.com

11 x more calcium than milk

30 x more B1 than milk
22 x more iron than spinach
As much protein per ounce as a steak
7 x more vitamin C than orange

Hard to believe? But it is true!

After a client asked me what my thoughts were about Barley Grass, I decided to research and write about it.

Barley Grass (Hordeum Vulgare) has been a favourite natural product among health enthusiasts for centuries, and considered as supper-food (more on supper-food later, stay tuned). You can find it in the form of powder, liquid, caps or you can simply grow your own on your kitchen window for free.

Its medicinal and food use dates back to 7000 BC, the plant species was used in the treatment of skin, liver, blood, and GI disorders. Ancient Greeks used the mucilage derived from the cereal to treat GI inflammations. Gladiators ate barley for strength and stamina. The Roman physician Pliny used barley as part of a ritualized cure for boils.

► Nutritional Values
Barley grass has the most nutritional value if the plant is young when harvested. Barley grass is the only vegetation on earth that can actually supply nutritional support for ANY age individual. In juice form, it is about 45% protein and because it's not animal protein, it isn't full of the fat our bodies don't need.

According to many reference sites barley grass contains a number of vitamins, including B1, B2, B6, B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin K.

In addition, barley grass contains over 13 different minerals, including Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Zinc.

Barley grass actually has all the nutrients our bodies will ever need. Barley Grass has 20 amino acids, 12 vitamins and 13 minerals. Barley grass contains other constituents like chlorophyll, protein, fibre and a unique source of enzymes like SOD or Superoxide Dismutase and P4D1.

► Antioxidants and Chlorophyll
Barley grass can help to scavenge free radicals in our bodies and offers a number of benefits for disease prevention as well as helping to improve the overall health of our bodies. It plays an important part in mediating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and this can help to minimize certain diseases such as rheumatoid synovitis, arthritis, and gout.

Barley grass also contains chlorophyll, which is a natural detoxifier. Chlorophyll helps to stimulate red blood cells, improve our blood oxygenation, and can even accelerate wound healing and tissue growth.

► USE
Many claims have been made regarding the health benefits of barley grass supplements, suggested benefits include:

~ Improves stamina

~ Sexual energy
~ Boosting Energy
~ Reduce Fatigue
~ Improved Immune Response
~ Detoxification of pollutants
~ Relieving inflammation and inflammation-related pain
~ Arthritis and relief from Arthritis Pain
~ Treatment of Asthma
~ Helps to combat blood clots
~ Helps to combat cancer
~ Longevity
~ Anti-Aging
~ Skin Health
~ Sleep Improvement
~ Helps to treat migraine
~ Helps to relieve stomach and gastrointestinal disorders
~ Improves the health of diabetic patients
~ Delay or prevent blood vessel damage
~ Reduce Cholesterol
~ HIV Infection
~ Weight Loss
~ Hypertension
~ Heart disease
~ Kidney problems
~ Liver Detoxification (by the way, my next blog)

A daily intake of barley glass lessens the work your body has to do to reap the nutrient rewards. For example, the vitamin C, calcium and iron you get from eating one orange have to go through an enzyme conversion process to achieve the highest amount of nutritional value. Drinking barley grass is a shortcut to this conversion process and your body's enzymes don't have to convert the vitamins.

► Research
~ Type 2 diabetes mellitus
In a 2010 medical study, it was suggested that medicinal plants might have therapeutic effects on complex diseases such as diabetes. Barley grass powder was selected because of its reported benefits. The experimental group of diabetics took 1.2 g of barley grass capsules every day for sixty days. The control group took no supplementation. No other changes were made, and no other alternative measures were taken. The patients' fasting blood sugar and lipid profiles were taken at the beginning and end of the study.

Supplementing with barley grass powder caused a significant fall in the fasting blood sugar level of the experimental group. No change was noted in the control group. There was a 5.1% reduction in overall cholesterol levels after two months. The researchers also noted that the risk of coronary heart disease was significantly reduced in the diabetics who took barley grass supplements.

~ Cholesterol
In a clinical study involving men with high LDL and total blood cholesterol levels, taking 15 grams of barley grass extract daily significantly lowered cholesterol levels. In addition, HDL, which is commonly referred to as "happy" or "good" cholesterol, was increased by taking barley grass extract.

In-vitro demonstration shows that barley grass extract scavenges free radicals. Scientists think this is due to an exchange of hydrogen ions which makes the free radicals weaker.

~ Rheumatoid Arthritis
Laboratory studies using the blood and spinal fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients noted that barley grass extract does exhibit antioxidant properties.

► Cancer Prevention

According to Drugs.com, barley grass can protect the tissue in our bodies against carcinogens and this can help to prevent cancer from developing. Drugs.com reports that science does not yet fully understand how this is possible, but it may be that the chlorophyll in barley grass helps to inactivate the cancer-causing agents.

Drugs.com reports that barley grass contains some antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, which is more concentrated in green barley juice. Superoxide dismutase helps to protect against radiation and free radicals that can cause cancer.

► Is Barley Grass safe?

Contraindications
Contraindications have not yet been identified.
But I can say that, over-consumption can cause nausea and new users are cautioned to begin with small amounts. Like any food you are not used to, we probably can get funny stomach as well.

Pregnancy/nursing
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions
None well documented.

Side Effects

Although hypersensitivity to barley products typically is associated with the seed and not the green leaves or shoots, patients with celiac disease or other sensitivities to barley probably should avoid use of barley grass.

Toxicities
No data.

► NOT ALL BARLEY GRASS IS THE SAME… If not growing your own, make sure to buy
~ Harvested Young - 14 days old
~ Organic
~ 100% Pure Barley

PS: While some of these nutrients can be found in green vegetables, to achieve the levels of each your body requires would mean eating A LOT OF spinach, collards, kale, green beans and peppers etc... In juice form, by mixing just 1-2 teaspoons of barley glass with eight ounces of water or juice, you'll have all the green vegetable nutrients from one drink. Dr. Yoshihide Hagiwana, doesn't suggest ignoring your green vegetables, but supplementing them with powder, liquid or capsule to achieve the best barley grass health benefits.

PLEASE NOTE: Barley grass (this blog) should not be used as a substitute for standard treatment of any chronic condition.

Finally, after years of research on over 200 types of plants, including fruits, vegetables, grasses, and herbs, scientists have found that young barley grass is one of the most nutritionally balanced foods in nature.

If you ask me how I would eat/drink my barley grass? Well, I would start just by drink it in a form of pure juice first, till my body gets used to it and to distinguish the benefits barley grass has to offer.

After a few weeks I would probably start making cocktails.
As an example:
3 fresh squeezed oranges
1 Carrot (juiced)
1 Beetroot (juiced)
Crashed ice

I would try adding some fresh lemonade at some point as well.

By the way, lemonade in brazil “limonada” is made with lime “limão” not lemon and we never drink with direct sunshine.

If you make the cocktail/juice above, please let me know what you think!!!!

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