Losing weight is a constant battle between all the processed and junk foods you have to say goodbye to and all the healthy foods you need to say hello to! If you are one of them, we understand what you go through every single day. Losing weight is not a cakewalk, and may get little strenuous too. Following strict fitness regimes and eating a healthy diet go hand in hand; however, there are some natural stimulators that you can team with exercise and diet, which can help cut the stubborn flab. One of the best stimulators is barley water. Barley is a fibre-rich grain that's generally served as a rice substitute and is counted under the category of whole grains like oats and whole wheat that are known to shed kilos. Most nutritionists vouch for a glassful of barley water for effective weight loss; let's look at how helpful it is.
Health Benefits Of Barley
Barley helps in reducing cholesterol levels in the body; thanks to the beta-glucan it contains. It has cholesterol-fighting soluble fibre that is said to keep cholesterol levels in check. Regular consumption of barley helps flush out toxins from the body and the intestines through the urinary tract. Barley water also acts as a diuretic, which makes it a natural remedy for urinary tract infections along with kidney stones. According to Dietitian Ritu Arora, "Barley water promotes weight loss as it regulates the blood sugar level because of its low glycaemic index properties. Moreover, it detoxifies our body and cleanses the gut, keeping our body healthy."
Barley Water For Weight Loss
Here's how barley water helps lose weight efficiently:
1. Keeps you away from junk
Barley water comes packed with fibre that helps keep your tummy fuller for longer, which further helps prevent you from reaching out to fried or junk food. Fuller tummy and lesser cravings will mean a healthy weight loss. You could also drink barley grass juice for weight loss. When we are hungry, sometimes, we tend to eat whatever we can grab. A satiated stomach makes sure we don't indulge in mindless eating.
2. Ensures a good digestive system
The fibre content in barley water can ensure smooth bowel movement by cleansing your digestive system. Barley is rich in soluble fibres like beta-glucan. So a glassful of barley water will keep your digestion game strong, which is key to losing weight. According to Ayurveda, barley water is considered a digestive tonic that helps in facilitating the process of digestion, further improving stomach disorders like constipation or diarrhoea.
Also Read: How Barley Could Help Reduce Blood Sugar Level
3. Calorie count
When barley is soaked in water and strained, the calorie content automatically drops down. So a glassful of barley water instead of colas and fizzy drinks can do wonders on your body. This is a great reason to go for this drink now!
4. Helps improve immunity
Barley is a nutrient-dense food, replete with a great amount of iron. Iron helps in improving the blood volume and may fight lethargy and fatigue. This food also consists of a lot of antioxidants that help in building and maintaining a strong immune system, keeping common infections like cold, cough and fever away. Barley is also known to support the smooth functioning of the kidney and healthy development of body cells. Its copper content improves haemoglobin level and red blood cells count. A healthy body is important to have a healthy weight. It also gives you the strength to carry out your physical routines and live an active, balanced life.
5. Regulates blood sugar and blood pressure levels
Diabetes and weight gain and closely interlinked. When blood sugar level stabilises, weight can be managed effectively. Barley is low glycemic index food that may help lower down increased levels of blood sugar. This helps process sugar in the blood properly, and, in turn, aid in weight loss. Barley is a zero-calorie and zero cholesterol food. It is rich in both soluble and insoluble fibres, making it an excellent food to maintain an optimal level of cholesterol. Stable blood cholesterol helps in maintaining the ideal weight of the body. For all these reasons, barley is considered great for weight loss and hence, consuming barley water regularly is recommended by nutritionists and dieticians to achieve ideal weight.
Here's how you can make barley water for weight loss
Make your own barley water at home rather than buying from outside. In order to prepare barley water, select the pearled barley for effective weight loss. Here's a simple and quick recipe:
- Boil some barley pearls until they turn soft; make sure you add three volumes of water to one volume of barley as it tends to soak water.
- Now, strain and collect the water. Repeat till you don't find any residue in the water.
- If you find the taste of barley water not-so-appealing, we suggest you to add a dash of orange or lemon juice or honey to it. You could also add a cinnamon stick to it or ginger to add some flavour to the water. All these condiments are said to help fasten the process of losing weight.
- If you want to sweeten it, go ahead and add a teaspoonful of brown sugar as it is less processed and may not make you gain weight.
- Store the barley water in the refrigerator to make it last longer.
Add barley water to your daily diet along with exercises and a healthy diet to lose weight, the healthy way!
A good diet with good foods can make a whole lot of difference in bringing health and wellness to you. Barley-based foods are also considered to consume regularly. But drinking barley water regularly is an easy way to reach your fitness goals quickly. If you know of more such naturally weight-loss promoting drinks, please share with us in the comments section below.
(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)