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Low GI, Low II Carbohydrate |
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What is Activated Barley?
Barley is a hardy grain that dates back to the Stone Age. Used in cereals, breads,
and soups.
The OFO-Method™ and Activated Barley™ are named after the Swedish
inventor Owe Forsberg. The OFO-Method is a unique patented natural treatment,
(via the exact application of different levels of pressure, humidity and temperature),
of organic Barley that increases the energy level of barley whilst activating
nutrients and dormant enzymes. The result is Activated BarleyTM, a totally unique,
low glycemic index super food that is rich in naturally occurring enzymes, vitamins,
minerals, fibre, energy and protein
What Are The Benefits of Activated Barley?
In recent years, particular consideration has been devoted to products
based on cereals. A great variety of such products have been marketed successfully
with claims for health enhancement all around the world. One substance that
has attracted particular notice is the Beta Glucane that appears in many of
our commonest cereals, like oats and barley. But what exactly are Beta Glucanes
and what effect do they have on the human organism?
Beta Glucane is a water-soluble fiber, a polysaccharide that repeated clinical
studies have shown to be able to significantly reduce the LDL cholesterol (the
"bad" cholesterol) content in the blood. At the same time, Beta Glucane
helps to stabilize the HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) content
and thus contribute to a balance that can radically reduce the risk of heart
and vascular diseases and the need for cholesterol reducing drugs. We do not
know exactly how Beta Glucanes work, but one theory scientists are exploring
is that they have the ability to bind cholesterol and bile acids when they pass
through the intestinal system.
More About Activated Barley
As increasing attention is being focused on diet related illnesses,
both the food industries and the consumers' interest in functional foods - foodstuffs
with documented health enhancing properties - has grown apace. Greater knowledge
about what substances in our foods can have specific health promoting qualities
provides the possibility of avoiding poor health through proper diet, rather
than using various kinds of medicines, for example.
New research indicates that Beta Glucanes also have a number of other specific
health effects in addition to being able to lower the blood cholesterol level.
Among these are anti-inflammatory properties and boosting the immune response.
There is also research indicating that Beta Glucanes may have a so-called prebiotic
effect, i.e. stimulate the growth of helpful bacteria that can protect against
pathogenes in the intestinal track.
Even in its natural state, barley has very good nutritional makeup - it is,
for example, the only cereal that contains all of the E (antioxidant) vitamins.
Among other things, the activating process has made a greater portion of barley's
nutritive content available to the human organism. Because Activated Barley
is made from the whole barley grain, it is also likely that it has a preventive
effect on different kinds of cancer diseases, e.g. colon cancer, according to
research results based on a newly published epidemiologic study of 500,000 Europeans
(the EPIC study, published in the Lancet spring 2003). Also, so called health
claims concerning the whole grain’s ability to protect against heart and
vascular disease, have been accepted by both European and U.S. authorities.
Activated Barley has a very high molecular weight, which not only gives the
product itself a very low glycaemic index (GI) - i.e. a slow increase of the
blood sugar level over time and a lasting feeling of satisfaction, it also makes
the product ideal as an ingredient in foods when it is advantageous for various
reasons to regulate GI at a desired level. With Activated Barley, the food industry
has access to a tool that will add new and healthy properties to a wide range
of foodstuffs.
Usage Indications
Activated Barley is now being included in meal replacement powders and weight
gain powders to replace the previously favoured maltodextrins. This provides
a far superior slow release of energy and lesser ability for the body to store
this as bodyfat.
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