Barley is one of the protein-rich cereal but ignored by many. Barley water is an excellent weaning food for your baby next to this rice gruel for a healthy start. You can give barley water to babies from 6 months once a week. Also, you can offer this barley water to your baby as an energy booster when they are sick down with an illness. Barley water works well for treating fever and diarrhea in babies and kids. It is applied to adults as well.
Please check the notes section on the points more to consider before making barley water to your baby.
Health benefits of barley for babies:
- It’s easily digestible
- Improving immune system functioning
- Good for heart
- Iron in barley prevents anemia
- Fights constipation
- Provides instant energy
How to choose Barley:
Choose pearl barley or hulled barley variety which has more vitamins, iron, and fiber. I used pearl barley in this recipe if using hulled barley soak it overnight and make barley baby food.
- Barley - 1 tbsp
- Organic Powdered Jaggery - 1 tbsp (optional)
- Water - 1 cup
- Sterilize the bowls and spoons used for feeding your baby in a vessel with hot water for five minutes and keep it immersed in the same vessel until use.
- Take barley & Jaggery. Wash the barley well in running water and add the washed barley to a pressure cooker and add 2.5 cups of water. Cook the barley along with jaggery in very low flame for 10 to 15 minutes or until three whistles in low flame.
- Open the pressure cooker once pressure released, cool it down a bit. When it's warm, add the cooked barley to the blender and liquidize it.
- Then mash the barley a bit with a spoon and strain through a strainer to get the barley water. Mix well and serve lukewarm.
Here is the video of how to make barley water for baby
Preparation :
Method :
- When you introduce barley water, make it with 1 tbsp of barley and 1.5 cups of water. Gradually reduce the water and make it thick once the baby grows.
- You can also add lemon juice to this barley water if you’re serving this barley water for older babies & adults.
- Some barley types take a longer time to cook and need soaking.
- Generally, barley doesn’t cause any allergies, but check for symptoms and stop feeding your baby if you find any. If your family has a history of allergy to gluten foods, avoid barley to your baby until one year.
- Always check with your pediatrician before introducing any new food.
- You can even cook the barley in a saucepan instead of pressure cooking.
- Always consume barley in moderation as it has excess fiber.
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