By Marylin Zhang:

Barley, known as  大麦 Da Mai in Chinese was one of the first crops grown on the Fertile Crescent during the beginning of the agricultural age more than 10,000 years ago.

It is commonly believed to have come to China via the Himalayas sometime around 3000 years ago and has been used since then as a staple food and for its medicinal benefits of drying and washing the body of internal heat.

Barely has many benefits including:

being rich in nutrients,

reducing hunger,

potential assistance in weight loss,

high fiber content,

possibly preventing Gallstones and reducing risk of gallbladder surgery,

Lowering Cholesterol,

Reducing Heart disease,

May protect against diabetes,

May help prevent Cancer of the Colon,

An excellent addition to your daily diet.

Barley has also been used for centuries in Chinese Medicine as a way to reduce heat, dry dampness, and help with certain medical conditions.

Let's have a quick look at how Chinese Medicine views Barley to better understand its benefits:

归经 Effects:

“脾；肾经

The Spleen and Kidney Meridians.”

In Chinese Medicine the Spleen is a concept related to digestion and the stomach.  Spleen doesn't refer only to the specific organ in the abdomen, but also the function of receiving nutrition and directing it to the other organs.

The Kidneys as a concept do not only refer to the physical organs in the lower back, but also the entire fluid physiology of the lower abdomen and genitals including excretory and sexual functions.

The idea of Barley going to the Spleen and Kidney Meridians means that it benefits the physiological function of digestion and excretion of urine as well as nurturing the systems related to those organs from a TCM perspective.

性味 Nature and Taste:

甘；凉

“Sweet and cooling.”

Sweet tastes are associated with ease of digestion since many fruits,grains and nuts are sweet and relatively easy to digest when eaten either ripe or cooked.  In the case of grains it is especially important to sufficiently cook them before consumption or else they become difficult to digest.

Cooling refers to the nature of Barely in its ability to make the body feel less aggravated by heat, especially in the summer months.

It is quite common in Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan to drink roast barley tea in order to cool down on hot days and to facilitate digestion.

功能主治 Uses and Treatments:

健脾和胃； 宽 肠 ； 利水。主腹胀   ； 食滞泄泻；小便不利

“improve the function of spleen and harmonize the stomach, open the intestines, benefit the fluids of the body.  It treats abdominal distension, diarrhea, and difficult urination.”

The most important functions of Barely are in treating the digestive system, especially in helping the intestines perform their function of Peristalsis, the movement that brings digesting food material through the gut in order to break it down and prepare it for defecation.

Barely can also improve quality and quantity of urine, making it useful as a diuretic and a way to wash out excess heat in the body.

This is especially useful in the hot,damp days of summer or if you have eaten greasy or spicy food recently.

用法用量

How much should be used:

内服：煎汤，30-60g；或研末，外用：炒研 调  敷或煎水洗。

“Taken internally, boil 30-60 g as a soup. It can also be ground into a powder.  It can be applied externally and spread on the skin as a powder, or be boiled in water and used to wash the body.”

Not only can you boil Barley and drink it as a soup, you can also grind it into flower and cook with it.

Furthermore, Barely can be applied topically to the skin to obtain relief from itching conditions.  Normally this is done by powdering it and applying it directly to the effected area, or by boiling it in water and using the water to wash after it has cooled sufficiently.

It is also possible to drink roast barley as a tea, but you must not do this with raw barely because it won't work and will not have many beneficial effects.

It is a quite common to find roast Barley Tea in Asian Grocery Stores and recently we have been drinking this brand:

https://www.amazon.ca/Organic-Barley-Unbleached-Teabags-Caffeine/dp/B00JBF0K6O

We found the price on Amazon to be a little expensive, so make sure you visit your local Asian Grocery Store to try to find a better price.

If you don't have an Asian Grocery Store in your town, we can always help send you a couple packages, so feel free to get in touch.

Barley is a great addition to your diet with very few drawbacks but from the TCM perspective usually people who experience dry or scanty defecation, pregnant women, and people who have trouble digesting grains (especially those with Celiac) should avoid Barley.  Most other people can safely enjoy Barley in soup, made as a tea or as a topical treatment for itching skin.