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BARLEY
(Hordeum vulgare) |
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Habitat:
Its origins are in Asia. It was cultivated since the beginnings
of human history, possibly before wheat, and still remains
a fundamental food in human nutrition. It is widely cultivated
in Italy.
It was chosen as an ingredient of Ron Ron because:It
is also known traditionally for its galactogogue property,
ie. for stimulating the production of mother's milk in nursing
women. In all other women this hormonal action simply affects
the body's natural hormonal balance and production of estrogens,
which feed the healthy development of the breast, the main
receptor for estrogens in women. |
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Other
characteristics and properties |
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A
fundamental plant in human nutrition, barley associates its
nutrititional function with health and medicinal properties
of great value. It is indeed:* nutritive and tonic - affects
digestive system and nutrition due to its ability to provide
nutrients and promote nourishing. The decoction and barley
malt used in soups have refreshing and highly nutritive properties
which render them precious in the nutrition of weak, convalescent
people, elderly people and children. It also promotes the
absorption of starch by the organism.Barley contains good
quantities of phosphorus, and is therefore useful for coping
with intellecual efforts and for nervous conditions. |
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The
active components are: ordein (an alkaloid), maltine, starch,
phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium.* Anti-inflammatory
- affects immune system and reactivity due to its ability to
counteract inflammation. The decoction used as mouthwash helps
in cases of angina and inflammations of the oral cavity.* Emollient
- in cases of inflammations of the digestive organs (pancreas
and biliar ailments) and urinary and in infective processes
of the intestinal mucous membrane.* Regulates intestinal function |
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History
and curiosities |
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The
history of barley has its roots in the origins of man. In
cooking barley is a very used food. In the cosmetic field
the decoction is used on reddened skin as a decongestant.
From the seeds, bran and flakes are obtained, while from the
toasted and ground caryopses (a caryopse is a small one-seeded
dry indehiscent fruit - as of Indian corn or wheat - in which
the fruit and seed fuse in a single grain, Webster dictionary)
a coffee with nutritive properties and with no exciting qualities
is obtained.Barley, known for more than twelve millennia,
is native to Western Asia and Western Africa, and spread rapidly
in the Mediterranean area, as Plinius narrates, as a special
food for gladiators, who were, indeed, called "hordearii",
ie. barley-eaters. |
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It
was one of the remedies most used by Hyppocrate, the father
of Western medicine, who praised it in the treatment for acute
illnesses: "It seems therefore that the barley decoction
has been correctly chosen among cereal foods for these diseases
and I praise those who chose it. Its gluten is indeed smooth,
consistent and comforting, fluid and measuredly humid, thirst-quenching
and easily excretable, if needed; it doesn't entail astringence
or bad agitation, nor does it bloat the abdomen." |
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French pharmacopoeia quotes barley as a component of the Tisane
des Hopitaux "Bonne à tout". The decoction
of barley is still today known as "Hyppocrate's tea".
Recent clinical experiences confirm that the mucilage fraction
of barley concentrates and amplifies the therapeutic properties
of the decoction. When taking natural remedies, the barley mucilage
facilitates and improves their action. |
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