Activated Barley

The 'activated' part of barley is better explained by first taking a glimpse at barley as a superfood.

As far as produce goes, barley has to be as old as this planet even the bible has several references to it and its connection with religious feasts as well as a staple food for humans and animals.

Before the birth of Christ, in ancient Rome, a life-saving infant food was made from sprouted barley, honey, and colostrum (mother's milk), it was made up to feed newborn infants whose mother's had died at childbirth.

It is interesting that the formula of that ancient baby food is still in use by the United Nations to prevent starvation in 3 ^rd world countries.

Rich and poor alike would add whole grain barley to soup and stews, it not only bulked out the meal but improved health.

Until recently we were led to believe that Gladiators were fed the best meat in order to build their bodies and develop stamina that will help make them into fighting machines.

This theory was debunked by Austrian forensic anthropologists Dr Fabian Kanz and Prof. Karl Grosschmidt as a result of scientific research on the bones of Gladiators. Results proved that the fighters were well fed, not on the best red meat but on vegetarian food that was rich in carbohydrates, such as barley, beans and dried fruits.

In addition to this evidence it is also historically recorded that gladiators were nicknamed “hordearii”, this literally means “barley eaters”. The Roman Legions were aware of the power of Barley to the point that its army marched on it.

Our ancestors were aware that barley was good for them although in those days it wasn't called a superfood. It was more of a case of knowing it was good but not knowing why.

Today we know it as an incredible source of fiber, selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese.

Research conducted in Canada, Australia and USA has shown the same results that barley in the diet does participate in reducing blood cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients.

Other studies shown that 'Type II' diabetes sufferers (non-insulin dependent diabetics) who incorporated barley in their diet had displayed improved blood glucose levels.

Another interesting fact is that barley has an extremely low rate of 27 on the glycemic index, this is 22% less than skimmed milk.

Barley has high concentrations of tocotrienols, antioxidant compounds, they help suppress the activities of the HMG-CoA Reductase that plays a crucial part in the production of cholesterol in the liver.

So, as much as Barley has been used as a health food for thousands of years we are still limited to how much we can utilise it in the whole grain form, however it isn't the case with 'activated barley'.

With 'activated barley', there is a point when the barley is at its optimum, most powerful and potent point. A good example of this is when we watch a slow motion picture of a plant emerging from the soil and very very slowly reaching upwards towards the sun, from one thin stem to emerging leaves, then a bud appears before it gradually opens as a stunning flower.

Moving our attention once again to barley, if we watched the sprouting process in very slow motion waiting in anticipation for the point where the grain is about to sprout the pearl, however not quite sprouting in full and at that very split second we can stop it on what could be described as 'arrested development'.

The barley seed at this stage is the most energetic, it is at its optimum and contains the highest levels of enzymes.

Here's another way of looking at this, take a fizzy drink, give the can or bottle a good shake, the liquid is now energised and the moment you release the ring pull or lid, it will burst out like a very powerful water jet; imagine harnessing that powerful energy; that's what happens in the processing of 'activated barley'.

The process increases the availability of beta-glucans and other nutrients by up to 94%.

So, the understanding of that crucial part of sprouting barley is a major achievement, the problem is how do we create this 'arrested development'?

A company based in Sweden has invented a method of utilizing low-temperature steam to tease the barley, sufficient to encourage growth but only just up to that crucial point of sprouting … and stop. That is when the barley is activated and at its optimum.

This very technical process of developing 'active barley' does not remove the goodness from non-sprouting barley, in fact it still ranks very low on the glycemic index and has all of the original nutritional values of its non sprouted state with high levels of tocotrienols and beta glucans.

The process is designed to increase the vitality of the barley seed up to a massive 400% more than in non-sprouted barley.

Activated barley contains 1,000s of active enzymes, polysaccharides, and protein. It takes up to 4 hours to break down in the digestive tract thus providing a slow sustained release of energy and insulin therefore lowering the body's insulin response.

The process of activated barley provides a product that is perfect for anyone seeking to achieve their optimal weight and fitness. Activated Barley is ideal for athletes, body builders, and health enthusiasts, those who require a steady source of energy for long workouts or periods of intense concentration and focus to achieve their targets.