Barley
For Chinese dietary therapy, Barley (大麦) is a food of Cool nature and Sweet · Salty flavor. Described as cool and useful for studying grain, moisture, and digestion in dietetic texts.
Traditional energetics
- Nature
- Cool
- Flavor
- Sweet · Salty
- Affinity
- Spleen · Stomach · Bladder
- Direction of Qi
- Descending · drains dampness
- Season
- Spring · Summer
- Group
- Grains
How tradition reads it
Described as cool and useful for studying grain, moisture, and digestion in dietetic texts.
Classic in soups with adzuki beans to drain dampness; tradition moderates its use when digestion is very cold and weak.
In the kitchen
Soups, warm salads, and stews.
Commonly available; no substitute needed.
Current nutrition note
Provides soluble beta-glucan fiber and has one of the lowest glycemic indexes among grains.
Precautions
Contains gluten and is unsuitable for celiac disease.
Recipes with this food
Health notice. Educational and study content. It describes concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Needling, medicinal herbs and invasive techniques must be applied by trained professionals. Safety guide.
