Barley and Vegetable Soup
Barley in China is an ancient crop. According to research, as early as the mid-Neolithic, the ancient Qiang people (living in Qinghai) began planting barley in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. This dates the history of barley cultivation in China back more than 5,000 years.
Dating back 2000 years ago in China, an ancient Medical text, the “Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine”, mentioned a disease called ” “Wasting and Thirsting” Disorder of which the main symptoms are similar to nowadays’ “Diabetes Mellitus”. That is: excessive thirst, excessive hunger and excessive urination. This ancient chinese textbook states that the patient also experiences emaciation (which is “weight loss”). Today, with medicine to control blood sugar, I no longer find patients having weight loss issues. Instead, most of my diabetic patients have a very healthy appetite, gain weight steadily and some of them are quite “well-rounded”.
The very first medical use of Barley is recorded from around 206BC in an ancient chinese medical text called “Medical Problem-Solving Formula”, 《别录》. This text documented the use of Barley as a medicine to treat the “Wasting and Thirsting” Disorder”, clear heat, strengthen Qi and regulate the digestion.
《别录》: “主消渴，除热，益气，调中”。
Based on recent scientific evident, Barley has been successful in being able to regulate sugar in some clinical trials involving healthy volunteers or patients with impaired fasting glucose. You can find the clinical study results in the links below:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24218874
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25850814
Scientific evident has also clearly indicated that Barley can reduce blood cholesterol. In July 2012, Health Canada published an article regarding “Health Claims” in their website. In this document “Summary of Health Canada’s Assessment of a Health Claim about Barley Products and Blood Cholesterol Lowering“, Health Canada supports the therapeutic claim linking barley grain products to a reduction of blood cholesterol. The publication can be found in their website below:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/claims-reclam/assess-evalu/barley-orge-eng.php
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 people | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 1.5-2 hours |
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Barley has been a staple of diet in China for over five thousand years.
In today's science, it has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing Total Cholesterol and regulating blood sugar. Since Health Canada has concluded that scientific evidence exists in support of the therapeutic claim linking barley grain products to reduction of blood cholesterol, I decided to create a recipe using Barley as the main ingredient which is tailored for Western tastes.
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- 2 L Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Raw Barley
- 2 large Carrot Chopped
- 2 stalks Celery Chopped
- 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes halves
- 1 cup Bean Soup Mix Optional
- 1 medium size Onion Chopped
- 3 pieces Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tbsp Apple Cidar Vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 1 tsp Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- Combine all ingredients into a large pot.
- Add the Bean Soup Mix if you want extra plant protein
- Add water, bring to Boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 1.5-2 hours.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
- Pour 2 L of water into the rice cooker.
- Add all ingredients and cook for 1.5-2 hours.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
As early as 206BC, in one of the earliest chinese medical texts, the "Problem-solving Medical Formula" Text, it said barley can be used to treat the "Wasting and Thirsting Disorder", described with symptoms similar to "Diabetes Mellitus" - excess thirst, excess urination and excess hunger.
In this medical text, it said: Barley, treats Wasting and Thirsting Disorder, clears heat, benefits Qi and regulates the middle burner".
《别录》"主消渴，除热，益气，调中。"
In another ancient medical textbook 《唐本草》, completed in the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Gaozong ( Xian Qing ) of the Tang Dynasty ( 618 A . D . - 907 A . D. ), it said "Ground Barley can treat stomach disorder, stop thirst, clear food stagnation and treat abdominal fullness and bloating".
《唐本草》："大麦面平胃，止渴，消食，疗胀。"
Here is summary of what is said in my Traditional Chinese Medicine textbook about Barley:
Properties: Sweet, salty and cool
Meridian(s) Entered: Spleen and Stomach
Main Functions: Harmonize Stomach, calm the mind, promote urination. It can treat food stagnation and diarrhea, painful urination and edema. It can also apply to mild burns (dry-fry the barley, grind and mix with oil).
Disclaimer:
- The use of Dietary Therapy, Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture may lead to major improvements in your health.
- However, you should not self-adjust medication prescribed by your Medical Doctor.
- If you are on medication prescribed by your Doctor and your health improves, you should consult with your Doctor to ensure your medication is adjusted appropriately.
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