Not only among people who love diet, they use barley flakes, this product is suitable for everyone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle. Some eat porridge for breakfast, prepare delicious cookies and other dishes. All this is due to its rich composition, useful properties, as well as high energy value.
What is barley flakes?
Barley flakes are unique products that are suitable for people who monitor proper nutrition. They help give a pronounced taste if added to bread, cereal or pastries. The product will quickly satisfy the feeling of hunger without heaviness in the stomach.
How to make a product
Barley groats are used for production., which undergoes specific processing under high pressure and temperature. Grain is supplied with steam and heat in specialized machines. Due to this, it is possible to maintain taste, useful properties, whole grain vitamins, the cooking process is accelerated.
Production consists of several stages. Initially, the grain is cleaned and washed, after which each grain is pressed, which allows it to be crushed, creating a flat shape. At the end, heat treatment is carried out, and the taste is richer than the grain itself.
Did you know? Barley can reduce blood sugar, so it’s suitable for diabetics.
Chemical composition and calorie content
The product is not inferior to wheat in the number of amino acids. The composition contains many substances that are necessary for the human body and maintain health:
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- iodine and iron;
- zinc;
- sulfur;
- cellulose;
- vitamins A, B, E, D;
- minerals.
Calorie content per 100 g - 320 kcal. The nutritional value:
- Squirrels - 11 g.
- Fats - 2 g.
- Carbohydrates - 63 g.
Whole grain less calorie - 310 kcal. Porridge can quickly restore the lack of fluoride, which is needed for the brain to work. Regular use in cooking will improve the digestive system, thanks to 6% of dietary fiber, which removes toxins and other harmful substances.
What are beneficial for the human body
It is for dietary purposes that barley flakes are used, because they are considered indispensable.
- The benefits for the human body will be in another:
- A lot of dietary fiber that removes toxins and toxins that improve the digestive tract. Cleansing with flakes is beneficial for diabetics and overweight people.
- Strengthening blood vessels with constant use.
- Prevention of heart disease, thanks to fast digestion without burdening the stomach.
- Protection against cataracts, because the composition includes vitamins for the eyes and keratin, and porridge itself is a powerful antioxidant.
- Slowing down the aging of cells with an improvement in their recovery due to the presence of tocopherol. The product strengthens the human immune system, improves the secretion of hormones.
- Maintaining all the processes of the brain, improving memory, concentration, which is achieved by vitamin PP. Barley flakes will help with frequent migraines and a depressive state.
- Reducing stressful effects and help in the treatment of anemia, neuralgic diseases thanks to vitamins B.
- Maintaining normal calcium and muscle function with Vitamin D.
Barley-based cereals - a nutritious and healthy breakfast for anyone, especially for growing organisms of schoolchildren and for athletes. Such a product can be given to a child after the introduction of solid feeding, after about 1 year.
Important! The product strengthens bones and cartilage, therefore it is suitable for patients with arthritis.
The use of barley flakes
The use of barley flakes is common in the areas of cooking and cosmetology. From them you can make healthy sweets, independent dishes with the addition of milk, honey and other ingredients. They are widely used in folk medicine recipes for the treatment of skin problems, diabetes mellitus, as well as malfunctions of the digestive tract. Nutritionists advise using pure cereals to quickly lose weight.
In cooking
The most important purpose of the product, which is considered the main one, is the use of cereal for cereals. It is easy to prepare with milk or water. The ingredients are brought to a boil and left to infuse for 5-10 minutes.
In addition to the standard porridge, you can do:
- A delicious side dish for the main course. A little salt is added to the porridge and it is better to cook it in water, and at the end add the sautéed onions, carrots and peppers.
- Soups, especially fish, for which the cereal is crushed into powder.
- Cookies, pancakes or pancakes.
- Breading for cutlets and other dishes.
This is only part of the cooking options; anyone can add cereal to their discretion by experimenting with recipes.
Did you know? The composition of the flakes includes amino acids that enhance the secretion of collagen, which makes it possible to obtain skin rejuvenation, reducing wrinkles, acne.
Cooking rules
For a simple porridge you will need:
- barley flakes: 200 g;
- water or milk: 700 ml;
- salt: a pinch.
To prepare, you must perform the following steps:
- Boil water or milk.
- Add flakes, salt and leave to cook for up to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover the pan with a lid so that the porridge is infused for 10 minutes.
For the first course, a dietary soup based on vegetable or other broth with the addition of carrots, onions, radishes and celery is recommended.
Barley cereal porridge with cream
You can quickly make a dessert or a nutritious snack like this:
- Add boiling water to 1 cup of cereal so that the water covers the porridge.
- Put 100 g of butter and wait until the porridge swells.
- Grind 1 egg and 100 g of sugar, pour 250 ml of kefir, 200 ml of cream and throw a pinch of vanillin.
- Pour the liquid into the porridge with the addition of 50 g of raisins, 150 g of flour and 3 tbsp. l honey.
- The dough is made liquid, spread on a baking sheet with a spoon and baked at 180 degrees 10-15 minutes.
Important! Almost all food products can not give a person a complete list of vitamins and minerals, so the diet needs to be changed, other vegetable and animal products should be added to the porridge to fill the needs.
What can be added
A large number of people do not like barley cereal porridge, because it has a fresh taste, but it can be improved with additional ingredients.
For a change of porridge, it is recommended to add:
- Banana, apple or other fruits and berries.
- Dried fruits, raisins and prunes are perfect.
- Nuts of any kind.
- Honey, jam, jam.
- Spice.
If you accustom children to such a dish from an early age, then in the future this porridge may become beloved without causing disgust.
In cosmetology
You can often hear that barley is used for cosmetic purposes. The product is mainly used for decoctions and masks, since it acts as a powerful antiseptic, and allows you to achieve a rejuvenating effect.. Immediately after contact with the skin, cells are nourished with enhanced metabolic processes. You can get a real effect with regular home procedures. The skin becomes moisturized, receives vitamins, complexion changes, and microcracks and wounds heal faster.
Barley masks allow you to:
- Strengthen the regeneration of damaged skin.
- To have a healing effect.
- Tighten small wrinkles.
- Improve blood circulation and nourish cells.
The most effective and simplest home care products with barley flakes:
- On 1 tbsp. cereal add 3 tbsp. kefir, after 15 minutes apply on face.
- In the finished porridge in water without additives, 1 tbsp. lemon, the mixture is crushed and applied to the skin.
- In equal parts, mix melted honey and cereals, apply on face.
- Coffee grounds and ground barley scrub is used to remove a keratinous skin ball.
The described means should be applied with a course up to 2 times a week, leave the mask for 20 minutes not only for the face, but also for the neckline and neck. Regular application helps aging skin, changes the contour of the face, normalizes blood circulation.
Possible harm and contraindications
If a person is completely healthy, then the use of barley flakes will not do any harm. However, there are several diseases and other factors in which case the product may be contraindicated:
- The main disadvantage is a large amount of gluten, because of which the product is forbidden to a person with intolerance or allergies. Such diseases include celiac disease, gluten enteropathy, but in practice they are very rare.
- It is not recommended to give the child up to 1 year.
- With caution, use cereals and other dishes during pregnancy, so as not to cause premature birth.
Important! Using cereal 2-3 times a week will not be able to cause excess vitamins, so cereals and other dishes can be safely consumed. However, a combination of cereal and egg protein can cause abdominal pain.
- In case of an overdose, a number of barley vitamins can harm the body:
- A large amount of vitamin A causes an increase in the liver and a decrease in appetite with sharp headaches.
- Vitamin PP in excess leads to complications in the condition of patients in whom digestion is impaired, glaucoma and gout are developed.
- Dystrophy of the liver and general intoxication occurs when a large number of B vitamins are obtained.
Terms and conditions of storage
When buying cereals, you need to look at the packaging, it must be intact, tight. In case of damage, the product collects moisture, which leads to the loss of beneficial properties. Proven and self-respecting manufacturers on the packaging always indicate not only the date of production of the cereal, but also the time of packing. This enables customers to buy quality goods.
Storage in a cardboard box can be up to 4 months, and if the cereal is in polyethylene, then the period increases to one year. It is best to leave them in a dry place, protected from sunlight.
The described product properties, recipes and scope make barley flakes one of the best cereals. They contain everything that the human body needs to maintain health. If you approach the cooking process correctly, then barley will become a real treat and a cheap way to preserve youth.