Top 10 Alkaline Foods You Should Be Eating Everyday

Benefits of Barley - A Natural Fat Burner

Discover the incredible weight loss benefits of barley, how to best prepare it and how much you should eat to get maximum benefit from barley - one of nature's amazing fat burning foods.

Barley is a chewy, nutty-tasting grain. It looks a lot like wheat berries, only not as dark. You can buy barley in bulk or in individual packages in any kind of grocery store, or in organic or specialty stores. It comes in pearl, flake, and hull forms. Buy barley any time of the year.

Fat Burning Benefits of Barley

Barley is an outstanding food source for dietary fiber, selenium and tryptophan, plus it is a reliable food source for niacin, manganese, copper and phosphorus. At 270 calories per cup, barley is a low-calories food.

The fiber contained in barley is essential for a fat-burning diet. Fiber helps to create bulky stools and speeds up the elimination process of wastes and toxins in the body, plus foods containing fiber quickly make you feel full and satisfied. This enables you to cut back on consumption now, and at future mealtimes. Therefore, the fiber found in barley will curb your craving for food, which will help you to burn off more fat!

Barley contains dietary fiber, which gives your intestines friendly bacteria food to live on; this results in the better digestion of foods and also helps to keep the colon healthy. In addition, these beneficial bacteria produce acids that the liver and muscles require for energy. You can lower your cholesterol with the fiber found in barley. It binds to the bile acids in your digestive tract and eliminates them through your stools. Bile acids help to metabolize the fats that your liver produces from cholesterol. Therefore, eliminating bile acids that are filled with cholesterol and fat is healthy for your heart -- and the rest of your body, too. Fiber also helps to keep your blood sugar stable, a must for diabetics.

A recent study that was published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology indicated that women who eat a lot of fiber-rich foods are much less likely to get gallstones. Barley contains niacin, a vitamin that helps protect the cardiovascular system, due to its ability to lessen both cholesterol and lipoprotein levels. It might also play a role in preventing harmful free radicals from damaging blood vessel walls, and in reducing the aggregation of platelets, which can prevent the blood from clotting.

Barley contains magnesium, a mineral that acts like a reactionary compound in more than 300 different enzymes, and this includes the enzymes in your body that are related to the secretion of glucose and insulin. Barley has magnesium that safeguards against developing type 2 diabetes. Barley provides selenium to combat carcinogens that harm the colon. Barley supplies protein to protect us from the threat of cancer, particularly affecting the liver. Selenium's anti-oxidant properties help to provide protection against cardiovascular disease, and also help in the reduction of asthmatic and arthritic symptoms.

The copper found in barley offers relief from severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Copper is also good for strengthening our bones, joints, and blood vessels. Barely contains phosphorus, which is essential for the cells in your body.

Barley is not only beneficial to bones, but its phosphorus content is a necessary substance found in many different nutrients; a substance that is necessary for the health of the body, which includes its production and utilization of energy. Barley contains plant lignans, which help to protect the body from getting breast and other hormone-related types of cancer, plus lignans also protect the heart from getting cardiovascular disease.

Proper Preparation of Barley

When you buy barley in bulk, be certain that the receptacles are covered with a tight lid, and that the store in which you made your purchase sells a good amount of barley; this way, you can be sure you are purchasing fresh barley. Make sure the bin and the inside of the package are completely dry.

Store your barley in a cool, dry location, and in a tightly sealed glass jar, if possible. In the warmer months, barley can be refrigerated.

Before cooking barley, you should rinse it a few times under cold, running water in a pot or strainer so that any dirt or rocks will be removed. When cooking barley, use about one part barley to 3.5 parts liquid. Let the liquid come to a boil, then cover the pot, lower the heat, and let it simmer. Barley cooks slowly, about an hour for pearled barley and 1.5 hours for hulled barley.

Combine barley flour with whole grain wheat to make nutritious breads and muffins or use cracked or flaked barley in your morning bowl of hot cereal.

Enjoy a tasty cold salad made from cooked barley, chopped vegetables, and low fat dressing.

We already know that soups and stews containing barley are always tasty and healthy.

Here are a few ideas: barley posale, a South of the Border dish that includes hot chili peppers for an extra bite, chowder made with barley, a hearty winter vegetable soup made with barley, and Scotch barley soup with herbs.

Serving Size

A typical portion of barley is about 1/2 cup, but when cooking, check the recipe for the recommended amount per serving.



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The Rap on Berries

I have to admit the "what's cooking" question can challenge the best of us in the food universe, but a visit to the farmer's market can provide the solution in solving this dining dilemma. On my most recent visit I was drawn to the raspberries and blueberries.

The berry family has plenty of positives to benefit those on the path to well-being. They are low in calories, high in Vitamin C, fiber and folate. Additionally they contain heaps of antioxidants which aid in heart health, boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation and bad cholesterol and preventing blood clots. Adding to these umbrella benefits, the individual berries bring other health benefits to the table.

Raspberries are available in red, gold, purple and black, but the reds are the most popular. Raspberries are low in calories, and sodium; they are an excellent source of vitamin C, and a good source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Red raspberries also contain manganese, copper and Vitamin K. The richly colored red raspberry is high in both antioxidants and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are defined by the American Cancer Society as plant compounds that include lycopene, resveratrol and carotenoids that are thought to have health protecting qualities.

The phytonutrients contained in raspberries aid in lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Though the research is continuing recent data indicates the potential for the fruit to play a role in obesity management.

Raspberries are delicate and should be gently washed in cool water and patted dry just before using them. They are more flavorful if allowed to come to room temperature before eating, rather than eating them as soon as they come out of the refrigerator.

Blueberries, labeled as one of the "superfoods" are also high in antioxidants including the phytonutrient anthocyanins. It is the anthocyanins that give the fruit the deep blue-purple color. The fruit is low in calories, sodium-free and a good source of vitamins C and K, manganese, fiber and copper.

Blueberry consumption is linked to antioxidant support, with a protective effect on the entire body in addition to the cardiovascular system. There is evidence that blueberries can protect the retina from damage from sunlight, and assist in maintaining the blood-sugar balance in people affected by type 2 diabetes or who are insulin resistant. Recent research indicates that consumption of blueberries may play a role in improving memory and delaying the onset of age-related cognitive problems.

As with raspberries, blueberries require gentle washing and patting dry just before using, they should be stored in the refrigerator. Blueberries can be frozen but for optimum nutrition content, fresh is best.

As for what's cooking-fresh berry salads tossed with arugula and assorted baby lettuce plus toasted nuts; berries and cottage cheese or Greek-style yogurt; fruit smoothies made with almond milk; grilled pork tenderloin with blueberries or raspberries; whole-grain pizza spread with Greek-style yogurt, and toppings of thin-sliced ham and berries of course!

Take Away: Raspberries and blueberries have nutrient star status. Add them to your meals as part of your well-being lifestyle plan.

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