Pearl barley diet: everything ingenious is simple.

Pearl barley porridge is familiar to many from childhood on the menu of kindergartens and primary schools; our grandmothers prepared it for us. And for good reason! They knew how useful barley is! After all, this is a whole barley kernel, and barley is a good source of diverse substances and microelements that participate in and support the normal functioning of all organs and systems. How to create a good pearl barley diet?

The most popular menu of the pearl barley diet consists, in fact, of pearl barley porridge and... mineral water. Maintaining such a food austerity is difficult and can be hard on the body. What kind of menu should you create in order to lose weight and not harm your health?

Pearl barley diet - hidden gold

The pearl barley diet is one of the most popular diets, and this is not surprising. Pearl barley is an inexpensive cereal that is not heavy on the stomach. In addition, it is rich in amino acids, including essential ones - primarily lysine, which has an antiviral effect, protecting against herpes and acute colds. In addition, lysine is actively involved in the production of collagen, and it is this that slows down the appearance of wrinkles, keeping the skin elastic and smooth. Pearl barley is one of the undisputed leaders in phosphorus content. But phosphorus, which we always lack, is simply necessary for normal metabolism, calcium absorption and regulation of brain activity. So, as the main product of a mono-diet, pearl barley is perfect.

Asceticism of the pearl barley diet

The most common period of a pearl barley diet is five days, but during these five days our food will be very ascetic: just pearl barley porridge and... mineral water (without gas). Sometimes you can treat yourself to green tea and purchased vitamins. Strictly? Yes, but the result is amazing!

You should know how to prepare pearl barley for the diet menu. You need to pre-soak it for 10-12 hours (200g of pearl barley should be poured with a liter of clean water). Pour the swollen cereal with water (2-3 tbsp is needed) and simmer over low heat for about half an hour (if you do not soak the cereal, the cooking time will increase significantly). After this, remove the porridge from the stove and wrap it so that it “reaches”. If you accidentally forgot to soak the cereal overnight, rinse it and pour boiling water over it (you can cook the porridge in a couple of hours). Please note that after cooking, pearl barley increases in volume by about 5 times. It is this kind of porridge and water that will decorate our table during the five days of the diet.

Pearl barley diet - what if you treat yourself?

Few people are ready for such strict abstinence. Well, there is a softer way, although in this case the duration of the diet will increase to 7 days. In this case, the menu is enriched with other products:

• breakfast: lean pearl barley porridge with prunes soaked in water or grated green apple;
  

• lunch: lean pearl barley porridge and vegetable salad with a piece of meat or fish (up to 100g);
  

• dinner: low-fat cottage cheese (100g) and kefir (250ml).

Pearl barley diet to your taste

It should be remembered that no one knows our body better than ourselves, and each diet, like a suit, can be tailored to suit you. This is by no means prohibited. What is meant? You can cook pearl barley with the addition of various spices; if you want to decorate the table with vegetables and fruits, no problem! Just don’t forget that this should remain a diet - that is, a thoughtful restriction!

Photo: Legion Media