Probably every person who knows at least a little about the principles proper nutrition, will confirm that various types of cereals are not only quite filling, but also very healthy food. They saturate the body slow carbohydrates, satisfying hunger for a long time and saturating the body with energy for the whole working day. There is a huge variety of different cereals, and each person can choose from them the option that suits him. Barley porridge, especially when cooked with milk, has such a high degree of health benefits. How to cook it, how long should you cook barley porridge with milk so that it is really tasty?
Preparation
In order to cook delicious porridge, you will need one glass of barley, a little more than two and a half glasses of milk, a small amount of soft butter (about three centimeters cube), as well as sugar to taste.
To begin, pour the barley grits onto a fairly wide plate and sort through it carefully. You need to clean the raw materials from pebbles and various plant debris. Then transfer the barley into a sieve and rinse it thoroughly under running water. cold water.
Pour cold milk into a saucepan, pour the prepared cereal into it and place this container over medium heat. After the milk boils, reduce the heat and add butter and sugar to the future porridge. Mix the contents of the saucepan thoroughly and cook the porridge for about thirty-five minutes. After this, turn off the heat and wrap the container with a blanket so that the porridge evaporates. After half an hour, the dish will be ready for consumption.
Porridge in a slow cooker
In order to prepare delicious barley porridge in a multicooker, you should pour the sorted and washed barley into the multicooker bowl and fill it with milk, in the ratio recommended for porridges (for example, buckwheat) in the instructions for your device. Add the desired amount of sugar and close the container with a lid. Then set the multicooker to the buckwheat cooking mode and cook the dish for half an hour.
Barley porridge
Nowadays it is much easier to find barley groats on sale than whole barley. This raw material is excellent for making porridge with milk. She will become great dish for children and adults, while porridge made from barley is much faster to prepare than from whole grains.
For half a glass of barley you will need to take a couple of glasses of milk and a teaspoon of butter. Such proportions of the ratio of cereal and liquid are explained by the fact that the egg perfectly absorbs moisture and actively increases in size when cooked.
This type of cereal does not require rinsing, but you can fill it with water to somewhat speed up the cooking process.
Pour the prepared milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil, it is best to do this over fairly low heat to prevent burning. It is also best to use for cooking porridge ceramic dishes or those containers that have a Teflon coating. The porridge burns less in them, and they are relatively easy to clean.
After the milk boils, add barley and sugar into it. Cook the porridge over low heat, stirring occasionally. If you are preparing a dish from dry raw materials, you will need about half an hour to prepare; soaked cereals will cook faster - about a quarter of an hour.
A little about the benefits of barley
This food product is very beneficial for our health. It saturates the body with carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, proteins, provitamin A, as well as B vitamins. Both whole barley and barley grits contain the same list useful substances. This product is an excellent source of iron, calcium, cobalt, as well as magnesium, chromium and boron. It contains some amount of silicon, sulfur and molybdenum, as well as zinc and starch. In addition, barley grain contains some tocopherol and vitamin D. Scientists also discovered that this grain contains special natural antibacterial elements.
Consumption of barley porridge has a positive effect on the activity of the cardiovascular system, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the walls of the stomach and intestines, activating the healing processes of mucosal damage. In addition, this food product stimulates mental activity and improves immunity quite well.
Such nutritious porridge will be especially useful for schoolchildren, it will help the development of a growing body and make it easier to cope with stress. Also, such a food product can increase the body’s overall resistance to various viruses and bacteria. And a significant amount of fiber in the composition barley porridge perfectly cleanses the body of toxins and various wastes.
Consumption of such a product will also benefit bodybuilders, as it effectively stimulates muscle growth. muscle mass. At the same time, porridge may well help you lose weight, but in this case it should be taken as food without any additives - milk, gravy, meat, etc. A morning portion of barley porridge will help you forget about the feeling of hunger for a long time, since the body will absorb it within a sufficiently long time. for a long time. This property of this product will help you avoid unhealthy snacks between meals.
Barley porridge with milk is very easy to prepare and will be an excellent breakfast dish for the whole family.
Barley groats are the grains of barley, an annual plant with incredible tolerance to growing conditions. It can grow anywhere: in the cold climate of the northern regions of Russia, in the hot climate of equatorial America. Exceptional resistance to weather conditions made barley the first cereal crop to be used by humans as food.
Mentions of barley porridge can be found in the works of the ancient Roman historian Pliny the Elder. The crop was cultivated in the fields of Greece and Egypt, and in the Roman Empire it was considered the main food of the population. It was barley porridge that Roman gladiators consumed as a source of quick energy and strength. Even the term “gladiator” or hordearii means “barley men”, which indicates the high status of the product in the most ancient culture of mankind.
Cereals in modern cooking
In the modern world, huge fields of barley, cultivated everywhere until the 11th century, have given way to other cereals. The history of valuable culture is paradoxical. Due to its high resistance to environmental conditions and availability, barley groats were considered a cheap product. It was impossible to raise significant funds from its sale. Because of this, in the Middle Ages, areas cultivated with barley were subjected to artificial destruction, and they were replaced by expensive and more valuable wheat.
Truly tragic was the departure of barley groats from the fields of modern Russia, where barley porridge served as the basis of the table of the Finno-Ugric peoples. After they were displaced by the Slavic population, not only barley fields, but also significant areas of forests were cleared for wheat. This caused a sharp climate change in the region, which moved from temperate to cold, continental.
Barley survived in small quantities as a fodder crop and the most affordable peasant food. Hence the attitude towards him - as a simple, peasant, army porridge. How many names have been invented for it in budget cooking! And “fraction 16”, and tarpaulin porridge, and shrapnel. The reason for this is the loss of the culture of its preparation, the loss of understanding of why barley porridge is useful.
The Japanese scientist Yoshihie Hagiwara studied this issue for 13 years. He analyzed the properties of 150 cereals and concluded that there is no product more useful than barley, and no product more valuable for nutrition than porridge made from it. The author based his conclusions on the following statements.
- Barley porridge - a product made from barley, subject to minimal mechanical processing. It retains the bulk of the fruit membranes and valuable fiber. In terms of quantity, its cereal is ahead of oatmeal.
- and barley porridge are not the same thing. Although the products are obtained from one grain, pearl barley is intensively ground. It loses a significant amount of fiber during production. More similar in composition to barley porridge. The latter is subjected only to crushing without grinding.
- The composition of the cereal is balanced. Moreover, a Japanese researcher stated that the nutritional value its maximum among other types of cereals. The reason for this is the maximum proportion of vegetable protein, fiber and microelements.
Barley groats are not available for sale. You can only find pearl barley and barley. If you are planning to buy the most useful product, choose a cell. It is as similar as possible to barley in composition. Or dark colored pearl barley. Such kernels will indicate minimal grinding of the grains during production.
Benefits and harms
The composition of the cereal will tell you how valuable barley porridge is in the diet.
- Vegetable protein - 11% by weight. It is easier to digest than animal grains, so cereal restores strength faster.
- Fiber - more than 10%, but this indicator depends on the intensity of mechanical processing of the nuclei. The less they were polished, the more valuable insoluble fibers that carry out rough cleansing of the intestines remained in them.
- Carbohydrates - up to 66%. Long lasting carbohydrates are important for full saturation of the body and a long-term feeling of fullness. They are absorbed gradually, without causing a sudden release of glucose. This property of the product allows us to recommend it in therapeutic nutrition people with diabetes mellitus. Barley porridge is indispensable for people engaged in intense physical labor.
- Lysine. A valuable amino acid that can only be obtained from food. It stimulates the production of collagen - the main building material of skin, bones and joints. Lysine is involved in the formation of immunity.
- Microelements. In the product great amount potassium and phosphorus. The level of the latter reaches 353 mg, which no other food product can offer. Along with calcium, iron, copper and other microelements, it ensures bone strength, participates in the hematopoietic system, and improves the condition of blood vessels.
Not only porridges are useful, but also decoctions of barley grains. When cereals are cooked, a substance called hordecin is released. It is considered a natural antibiotic that is effective in treating skin diseases.
The protein- and fiber-rich cereal has no contraindications for consumption. And to get to know her better and appreciate her luxurious taste, it’s enough to know the right recipe barley porridge.
Calories and nutritional value
How to cook
The product can be prepared on the stove or in the oven. Barley porridge in a slow cooker is very convenient to prepare. It gets ready faster than other methods. But in each case, the cereal needs to be prepared.
- Rinse the barley. This will remove dust from the kernels.
- Soak in cold water. It is necessary to soak the grains for 12 hours. It is ideal to leave a glass of cereal in a liter of cold water overnight. The kernels will swell but retain their shape. After such preparation they will arrive faster and will not become hard.
- Cook with milk. The barley taste is perfectly complemented by milk and cream. Transfer the cereal to milk and simmer over low heat. Ancient recipe suggests simmering it for 6 hours in a water bath. A multicooker significantly reduces cooking time. It will cook barley porridge in 40 minutes.
- Use appropriate proportions. From the swollen kernels it will turn out crumbly garnish, if you fill them with two glasses of liquid. To obtain a sticky porridge, use 2 times more milk.
- Season with butter. Barley loves oil, and the more of it, the richer the taste. IN dietary nutrition butter can be replaced with vegetable.
We hope you don’t have any questions about how to cook barley porridge. And this most valuable dish with a luxurious taste will regularly appear on your table.
The benefits and harms of barley porridge are something that is rarely discussed today, since the diet of modern people has changed in a way that is not healthy. The rhythm of life of many people has forced them to abandon a balanced diet and switch to processed foods, fast food, and fast street food.
How and where barley grows
Barley has a long history, is valued for its beneficial properties, and is an early-ripening, unpretentious crop among grains. The growing season varies between 70 – 100 days. Seed germination is possible already at +1 – +2 °C, and seedlings are not afraid of frosts down to –9 °C. The plant tolerates high temperatures, and only when the temperature remains at +40 °C for more than 10 hours is stomatal paralysis possible.
The plant is grown in different soils. It is sown in the northern regions on podzolic soils and in the southeastern regions on saline soils. The best option for sowing is neutral and slightly alkaline soils, however, some varieties germinate well at soil acidity pH 4.3 - 4.5.
Important! Cereals are not grown on saline and sandy surfaces. The culture fully develops in areas of dried swamps, which does not affect the quality and benefits of pearl barley.
Composition and calorie content of barley porridge
The benefits of barley porridge for the body can be explained by its composition. In 100 g ready-made dish contains 310 kcal. Since barley grains are ground unpolished, the cereal retains a storehouse of substances valuable to the body:
- carbohydrates;
- proteins;
- amino acids;
- fiber;
- micro-, macroelements: iron, calcium, magnesium, etc.;
- starch;
- vitamins: A, B1, B2, B6, D, E;
- in addition, the cereal is a natural antibiotic, as it contains gluten;
- it also contains natural antibacterial components.
Beneficial properties of barley porridge
Properties:
- bactericidal;
- enveloping;
- emollient;
- antioxidant;
- regenerating;
- restorative;
- antiviral;
- hematopoietic.
The beneficial properties of barley porridge are used in the following cases:
- gastritis, ulcerative lesions, pathologies of the digestive system;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- strengthening the heart muscle and vascular system;
- getting rid of constipation, bloating;
- reducing blood sugar and cholesterol levels;
- improving brain activity;
- positive impact on the psycho-emotional state;
- control of hormone balance;
- accumulations of subcutaneous fat;
- restoring healthy skin and hair;
- rehabilitation of muscle muscles and the condition of cartilage tissue.
Pearl barley porridge has low glycemic index, therefore it is approved for use by people with diabetes.
Important! At high content blood glucose shows a dish cooked in water. Adding milk to porridge increases the glycemic index by 3 times: this should be taken into account so as not to cause harm to health.
Barley porridge for obesity
Although pearl barley is considered quite high-calorie product, it is effectively used to combat overweight. Barley porridge for weight loss normalizes metabolic processes in the body. If you exclude fatty, fried, salted, smoked foods and eat a dish cooked in water without additional additives, in just two weeks you can improve the condition of your skin and hair and get rid of an extra ten kilograms.
Undoubtedly, there is some harm from mono-diets, but the benefits of barley porridge are also significant.
Important! Obesity is more destructive, as it entails a lot of pathologies that impair the quality of life. When losing weight with the help of cereals, the body extracts the maximum beneficial properties from the product.
The benefits of barley porridge for children
Pediatricians practically do not mention the benefits and harms of barley porridge for children, while it is a source of energy that the growing body needs during periods of physical and mental stress. It is also valuable for children because it promotes the production of antibodies to the pathogens of acute respiratory viral infections and herpes. Besides everything else, pearl barley porridge benefits:
- strengthening the skeleton;
- improving digestion;
- relieving allergy symptoms;
- normalizing liver and kidney function;
- regulating acid-base balance;
- improving metabolic processes in the body.
Parents should also be aware of the possible disadvantages and harms of eating barley porridge:
- When cooked, the beneficial properties are partially lost.
- The product is not offered to small children, as it causes heaviness in the stomach, which can harm the digestive system.
- Due to the high amount of calories in the product, children with signs of obesity should not use barley groats in cooking.
- In case of diarrhea and a tendency to gas formation, barley groats are also not used in the diet.
- The product is not given to children with increased acidity and gastritis.
Gluten can provoke an allergic reaction, so parents should monitor their child’s condition more carefully when introducing a new dish into the diet.
Important! Some children do not synthesize the celiac enzyme, therefore, the process of breaking down gluten is impossible, and barley groats in this case are harmful.
Recipes for making barley porridge
Preparing recipes from barley is not difficult, but knowledge of some nuances will help preserve the properties of the product as much as possible and surprise loved ones with crumbly, juicy dish with a storehouse of useful properties. For a balanced diet for people of all age groups, porridge is recommended with stewed and fresh vegetables, with milk and in casserole.
Barley porridge with milk
Milk porridge made from barley groats will appeal to older people and children. To prepare pearl barley with beneficial properties, you will need:
- cereal – 250 g;
- clean water – 500 ml;
- milk;
- butter.
Algorithm of actions:
- The cereal is filled with water and left overnight.
- Before sending to cook, rinse thoroughly.
- Add cereal to a pan of boiling water.
- After boiling again, simmer over low heat (10 minutes).
- Thick porridge is poured with milk and the desired consistency is achieved.
- Bring to a boil, turn off.
The finished dish can be varied by adding seasonings or adding dried fruits and berries. According to preference, barley is saturated with oil - butter or vegetable. You can clearly see how the porridge is prepared in the video:
Barley porridge on water
Pearl barley boils after boiling in a quarter of an hour, and its volume increases 5 times. For getting thick porridge you will need:
- barley groats – 200 g;
- clean water – 400 g;
- salt;
- spices.
Cooking algorithm:
- The cereal is soaked in water overnight (this will speed up the cooking process by 5 minutes).
- Before cooking, rinse.
- After boiling, add cereal to the water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat.
- Cook until the liquid is completely eliminated.
- Spices, salt, and oil are added to taste after the porridge is cooked.
To make the porridge more liquid consistency, the amount of water is taken per glass more. A barley dish can also be prepared according to the recommendations from the video:
Barley porridge in a slow cooker
To prepare a dish in a slow cooker you will need:
- cereal – 250 g;
- clean water – 570 ml;
- butter;
- salt.
Algorithm of actions:
- The cereals are washed thoroughly.
- Pour into the multicooker bowl.
- Pour in water.
- Set the “buckwheat” mode.
After the multicooker signal that it is ready, you can enjoy barley porridge, which has not lost its beneficial properties during the cooking process. For a richer taste, add pieces of butter. How to cook a dish in a slow cooker step by step - on video:
Harm of barley porridge and contraindications
Barley porridge is incredibly healthy and it seems that it cannot cause harm to health. As with any product, there are some contraindications for consuming pearl barley, which should be taken into account so as not to cause harm to the body. The product is not compatible with egg white: This combination is harmful to the stomach, as it can cause spasms. It is prohibited to include barley porridge in food in the following cases:
- in the absence of enzymes that break down a certain protein;
- during pregnancy, so as not to provoke labor ahead of schedule;
- if the acidity of gastric juice is increased;
- in case of individual immunity to the product, allergy to the ingredient.
Important! There are significantly fewer contraindications than beneficial properties, but the consequences of ignoring them can be disastrous. Quincke's edema, anaphylactic shock, and termination of pregnancy can lead to adverse consequences causing serious harm to systems and organs.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of barley porridge are due to its powerful properties, therefore, uncontrolled consumption of the product is not advisable. It must be remembered that within normal limits the product has almost no contraindications. Only an excess of food in large portions can cause discomfort and other unpleasant symptoms.
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How to cook barley porridge
Products for porridge
Barley - 1 cup
Water - 2.5 cups
Butter - cube 3 centimeters
Salt - to taste
How to cook barley porridge
Pour barley groats onto a wide plate and sort through, removing pebbles and plant debris.
Place the barley in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold water.
Pour into the pan cold water, add the cereal and place the saucepan over medium heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat, add salt and oil, stir. Cook for 35 minutes, then turn off the heat and wrap the pan with porridge in a blanket to evaporate. Infuse the porridge for 30 minutes.
Barley porridge in a slow cooker
Place the washed barley into a multicooker pan, add water, add salt and butter. Close the multicooker with a lid.
Set the multicooker to the “Buckwheat” mode and cook the barley porridge for 30 minutes.
Facts about barley
Barley is an ancient product that people learned to cook back in the 8th century BC. Both beer and bread have been made from barley for a long time. Barley is often confused with pearl barley, since pearl barley is barley, only processed, hulled and polished.
Barley is very good for health; it was not for nothing that in Ancient Rome gladiators were called “barley-eaters.” Barley promotes a rapid increase in muscle mass, cleansing the body, balancing intestinal processes, and normal bone growth. For colds, barley will help treat coughs, relieve hangovers and relieve tachycardia in stressful situations.
When cooked, barley groats increase in size by 3 times.
Instead of water, when cooking barley porridge, you can use chicken or meat broth, or milk.
Seasonings for unsweetened barley porridge - pepper, turmeric.
Barley groats must be stored in a cool, dark place; shelf life is 1 year.
The calorie content of barley is 354 kcal/100 grams. Barley is considered a high-calorie product.
How to cook barley porridge step by step video recipe
We have also prepared a video for you to fully understand. step by step process preparations.
Barley porridge: recipe
What are the benefits of barley, and everything about proper cooking of barley groats
Despite the fact that barley is the raw material for both barley and pearl barley, the first one is much more useful. Barley groats are crushed and peeled barley kernels, making it easier to digest and better absorbed. It is a source of silicon, iodine, zinc, iron and B vitamins, as well as large quantity fiber. To preserve all these elements, it is enough to boil the cereal, following some rules.
Barley porridge is indicated for problems with the heart, as it contains the substance lysine, which promotes the formation of carnitine, which supports the health of the cardiovascular system.
Before preparing barley groats, it is advisable to sort them out first, as they may contain debris, spoiled grains, and grain husks. After this, the barley must be thoroughly rinsed, changing the water several times, and only then begin cooking.
It’s easier and faster to cook porridge from barley, already packaged in portioned bags. In addition to the fact that such cereals are initially cleared of all impurities, they require less time-consuming processing. The only drawback of this product is the fairly high price compared to barley by weight.
How to cook delicious barley porridge
To prepare delicious barley porridge you will need:
100 g cereal; - 200 g of water; - salt and sugar - to taste. - milk or cream - to taste.
The washed cereal must be poured hot water and leave overnight. In the morning it will increase slightly in size, absorbing water and becoming softer, after which it will be necessary to add more water to the pan and let the porridge cook. The volume of water should be approximately twice the volume of the cereal, since it will swell further during cooking.
It will take at least an hour to prepare the porridge; if during this time the water has evaporated and the cereal does not reach the desired degree of softness, water will need to be added. During the process, the porridge should be stirred and salted several times. After removing from the heat, you can add butter and sugar to the porridge to taste, a little milk or cream if it is not served as a side dish for meat.
In the latter case, porridge can be cooked not only in water, but also in meat broth. Sweet barley porridge Do not cook with milk right away, since the milk will evaporate much faster than the cereal will boil. Moreover, in the water this process happens best, and milk further increases the cooking time.
