What is pre-sprouted barley?

Most people have heard of barley - a member of 
the grass family and a major cereal grain. 
It has long been known to be highly nutritious, being a good source 
of vitamins, minerals and other 
important nutrients such as molybdenum, manganese, dietary fibre, 
selenium, copper, vitamin B1, chromium, 
phosphorus, magnesium and niacin.

But, despite being an even greater nutritional powerhouse, fewer 
people have heard of pre-sprouted 
barley - barley that has been naturally activated, to the point 
where its nutrients and enzymes are 
most readily available to our bodies. 

"Activation" simply means that the barley grains are ready to 
sprout leaves and, as a result, 
there is a high level of enzyme activity in the plant. 

This activity is the key difference between ordinary barley and
pre-sprouted barley and is responsible 
for its enhanced nutritional benefits. For example, it generates 
400% more energy than the normal 
version of the grain and raises its beta-glucan content by 94%!

What is its nutritional value?

The nutrient content of barley is well documented in scientific papers
 and findings published from 
institutes and universities across the world. In particular, extensive 
research has been carried out by 
Dr. Yoshihide Hagiwara, of the Hagiwara Institute of Health in Japan. 

Dr. Hagiwara tested 150 different plants and cereals over a 13 year
period and reached the conclusion that barley has the highest number 
of nutrients of all of them. In summary he wrote that “barley is the 
most excellent source of nutrients that the body needs for 
growth, repair and well-being.” 

The pre-sprouted form of this grain has all the benefits of 
normal barley, plus! If harvested at this 
critical time, when the plant reaches its optimum nutritional profile,
our bodies can benefit from a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals
(including trace minerals), as well as protein, amino acids 
(particularly glutamine), Omega oils, digestive enzymes, chlorophyll 
and other powerful phytochemicals and antioxidants 
(such as superoxide dismutase (SOD)) and beta glucans 
(beneficial plant fibres).

How can pre-sprouted barley benefit health?

                                 

Due to its excellent nutritional profile, pre-sprouted barley naturally 
has anumber of potential health applications. For example, immune system
support, heart health support, detoxification, digestion, 
energy levels and more.

In fact, reliance on this grain as a rich source of nutrients dates 
as far back as the time of Hippocrates, who advised his followers to 
eat barley gruel if they were unwell. Similarly, Roman 
soldiers used to use barley to help sustain endurance and fight sickness.

In more recent times, its broad spectrum of nutrients has led to the 
categorisation of pre-sprouted 
barley as a so-called “superfood" - a food with a particularly high 
nutrient-to-calorie ratio, particularly compared with other foods of 
a similar type. 

You might be surprised to learn that one of the primary causes of 
premature aging and disease in the Western world is the over-consumption 
of food. This is not only because of weight-related conditions, 
but because the average diet is high in refined, processed and fatty 
foods that are difficult for our 
bodies to process. As a result, we "pay" for their digestion with a high 
expenditure of energy. 

If our bodies are continually processing calories in this way, they 
naturally start to suffer wear and tear over time. In these circumstances, 
within each of our cells, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, 
healthy fats and other essential nutrients have to work hard to create the 
energy to counteract this 
wear and tear. Where these nutrients are in short supply, the process results 
in even greater strain on 
our bodies.
                                         

This is another reason why Dr. Hagiwara was compelled to single out barley as 
the perfect food:- 

"It was clear to me that the leaves of the cereal grasses provide the nearest 
thing this planet offers to the perfect food. For reasons of palatability and 
higher nutrient content green barley stands out as the best amongst these. "

Barley is thought to be one of the most energy-efficient and complete foods 
available to us from nature. 
In fact, the United Nations even use it as a relief food for those in 
famine-stricken countries, because of its super nutritional value.

                                  

Tests undertaken at the Centre for Clinical Tests on Food Stuffs at 
Uppsala University in Sweden, on the effects of pre-sprouted barley on volunteers, 
showed a substantial increase in sustained energy, not just a brief energy spike 
followed by a lowering of energy levels, but a steady, stable increase in energy.