In many Asian countries, barley tea—also referred to as barley water—is a popular beverage. It makes sense that those who have diabetes are interested in this delectable treat given its rich, nutty flavor and delicate toasted undertone.
But if you have diabetes, is it still safe to drink a cup of barley tea? That would rely on a number of variables, all of which are covered in this post!
Without further ado, let’s examine this drink’s definition in greater detail, as well as its history, benefits and drawbacks for diabetics, how to make a delicious batch at home, and more.
What is Barley tea?
One kind of tea brewed from barley is called barley tea. Another name for it is pearl barley tea. Nevertheless, “pearl” is not an official term and could have more to do with the final product’s granule shape than anything to do with how they were made. Plants in the genus Hordeum and family Poaceae, which also includes oats (Avena sativa/Avena fatua), include barley.
There are various types of barley tea: decaffeinated teas, herbal teas, and tisanes (flavoured liquids). For these purposes, barley can be malted or not; malting means soaking grain in water for a long period to allow it to germinate, and then it is dried again. Malting has a big impact on flavor!
The beginnings of barley tea
Origins of barley tea are thought to have occurred in China, Japan, and Korea. Warm water with a teaspoon of ground barley is a traditional—and quite common—drink in these countries. The drink has been used as a natural cure for a variety of ailments, including colds and energy boosts. Because it was lightweight and convenient to carry while traveling great distances on foot or by horseback (or camel), warriors also utilized it during times of war.
People in Vietnam and Mongolia drink barley tea because they think the high fiber content of the grain lowers cholesterol and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Taiwan offers a wide variety of mixtures; some incorporate ginger root or mint leaves, while others simply have honey added for flavor rather than sugar!
Benefits of drinking barley tea for health
The minerals in tea can help increase insulin sensitivity and lower inflammation in the body, which may help prevent or manage diabetes, even if the tea itself has no direct effect on blood sugar levels.
Excellent sources of antioxidants and fiber, barley tea can help decrease blood sugar, cholesterol, and help you lose weight. In actuality, numerous health advantages of barley tea have been demonstrated, which may enhance your general wellness.
Antioxidants are compounds present in food that combat free radicals, which are a consequence of regular metabolism and can cause cell damage if the body has an excessive amount of them floating around. Increasing the amount of antioxidants in your diet is crucial to maintaining your health since free radicals produce inflammation, which is linked to diabetes, asthma, cancer, and heart disease.
Compared to other teas like black or green tea, barley tea contains three times the antioxidant activity. This could help to explain why consuming barley tea on a daily basis may eventually reduce your chance of contracting several chronic illnesses including cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Barley is a good source of fiber, which helps keep you regular and helps avoid constipation. Consuming foods high in fibre, like barley, can help manage blood sugar levels because they slow down the absorption of carbs.
Drawbacks of consuming barley tea
Although barley tea has certain health advantages, it is not a miracle cure for weight loss. In actuality, though, a lot of its constituents are unhealthy. Barley, for example, has a high sugar content; in fact, one cup (240 ml) has more grams of sugar than there are calories in that same quantity!
Barley tea has a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, but it also has a lot of caffeine—about 12 g per cup—which is similar to coffee.
If you’re trying to cut back on coffee or tea but can’t give them up entirely, drinking barley tea could seem like a good substitute. However, remember that your body requires time in between drinks before you can have another one without feeling queasy or queasy.
Therefore, if you want consistent energy throughout the day instead of spikes followed by crashes later, then being able to rapidly take another drink might not be the best option.
Things to consider before consuming barley tea
Barley tea may not be to everyone’s taste, despite its many health benefits. Avoid them if you have a wheat or barley allergy because they include these substances. Due to its gluten content, barley tea should also be avoided by those who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Barley tea can dramatically elevate blood sugar levels if consumed often over time, therefore if you have type 2 diabetes, stay away from it. In fact, even when participants were given only 100g per day, this benefit was observed after just two weeks of daily ingestion, according to one study.
Furthermore, you should avoid drinking barley tea if you have type 1 diabetes because the research is yet insufficient to determine whether it won’t raise blood glucose levels and could potentially interfere.
How to prepare barley tea at home
There are various ways to make barley tea, but the most popular method is to steep the barley in boiling water for five to ten minutes. If you have a teapot, you can use it instead of an electric brewer.
Those who have diabetes might include barley tea in their overall healthy diet.
Fiber, which is essential to a healthy diet for those with diabetes, can be found in barley tea. Fiber keeps you feeling fuller for longer periods of time and reduces blood sugar spikes by slowing down the rate at which sugar enters your bloodstream.
Antioxidants included in barley tea have also been demonstrated to reduce oxidative stress and shield the body from harm caused by free radicals. This can aid in preventing heart disease and cancer, two issues that come with having diabetes. Moreover, magnesium, iron, and vitamin B6 are all present in barley tea, which is fantastic for everyone!
Therefore, although there are many reasons why people still enjoy their daily cup of coffee, barley tea undoubtedly has certain advantages over other beverages like that. It may not be able to completely replace all of the medications needed by diabetics (or non-diabetics).
Indeed, a study found that individuals who were overweight but did not have Type 2 diabetes mellitus had reduced HbA1C levels when they drank black or green tea!
Read Also: Quinoa’s Diabetes Benefits
How to drink barley tea safely
Because barley tea lacks therapeutic quantities of insulin, it is not advised for use in place of medicine or insulin therapy in those with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes.
Furthermore, although some research has suggested that barley may help individuals with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes control their blood glucose levels, this benefit has not yet been demonstrated.
Therefore, see your physician or dietitian first if you are unsure if drinking barley tea as part of your diabetes therapy is appropriate.
The barley is steeped in boiling water to make barley tea. Because barley is highly absorbent and can lose nutrients when it comes into touch with hot water, using a tea ball or infuser is crucial.
The following measures are the best approach to ensure that you’re not ruining your barley tea:
- Don’t use bottled water; only use cold water straight from your filtered tap. By doing this, you can protect it from plastic and other toxins that are present in some bottled waters and preserve its antioxidant qualities.
- For every cup of water, use only one teaspoon of barley tea leaves. This implies that you should use two teaspoons or fewer barley leaves per cup if you have two cups of barley tea. If you take too much leaf powder, it can drastically drop your blood sugar levels and result in symptoms of hypoglycemia, like nausea and dizziness.
- Avoid adding sugar or milk to your barley tea as these additions will raise its glycemic index value above what it would be with just plain barley tea.
Including barley tea in your meals
Many methods can be used to prepare barley tea, which is a tasty and natural beverage. Rich in antioxidants, it could ease constipation and other gastrointestinal issues. Since barley tea is free of gluten and caffeine, it’s a great substitute for people who want to reduce their intake of these substances without sacrificing the flavor of tea.
In order to track any changes in your blood sugar levels over time and maybe improve your health in the future, discuss with your doctor how much barley tea you should drink each day or each week if you’re interested in trying it as part of your diabetes treatment strategy.
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