All through the year and especially in the warmer months our bodies need continuous refreshment and hydration, preferably in small, regular increments of fresh, filtered water throughout the day. Make this a regular part of your daily routine for a myriad of health benefits, and you can mix it up by making herbal teas with fresh herbs or healthy refreshing drinks such as a delicious Barley Water Lemonade.

You may have heard of the benefits of Barley Water or turned to this as a traditional remedy with remarkable and gentle cleansing properties. This is because Barley is not only a great source of plant-based protein that helps to build muscle, it is also rich in Magnesium which helps to turn food into energy, in Iron and Vitamin B6 which keep our blood healthy, and in Selenium, which helps to keep our repair and immune systems working.

These properties combined with fresh Lemon zest, fresh Lemon juice and Raw Honey (see below) make for a super nutritious drink that will refresh, cleanse and give your body a boost at any time of day. You can adjust the recipe below to be more zingy by adding more Lemons or make it sweeter by adding more Raw Honey.

Get it just right and you will never look back. This is traditional and nutritional lemonade that everyone can enjoy. Make a sweeter version for young children to give them a natural Vitamin C, vitamin B6, Iron and Magnesium boost.   

Barley Water Lemonade Ingredients

1 x 4 oz Pearl Barley

2-4 x fresh Lemons

2.5 pints x pure filtered Water

2 oz x Raw Honey

2 x sprigs of Mint and Lemon Slices (to garnish)

Making Your Barley Water Lemonade

1) Thoroughly wash, rince and drain the Pearl Barley.

2) Thoroughly wash the Lemons and remove the zest with a food grater or Lemon zester.

3) Add the Pearl Barley and Lemon Zest to a saucepan with all the water.

4) Bring the water to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

5) Take off the heat, cool a little and mix in the Raw Honey while still warm.

6) Check taste and add more Raw Honey if required.

7) Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a clean container and add the cooked Pearl Barley to a storage container to keep in the fridge for use in another recipe.

8) Add the lemon juice and pour into a large glass serving jug or tall fridge container.

9) Add a sprig of Mint and lemon slices to serve in glasses with a Mint leaf added for garnish.

10) When completely cool, store in the fridge to drink when required.

Health & Healing Benefits

Pearl Barley

Barley is a remarkably nutritious grain containing more plant-based protein than rice. It as a host of benefits that include a very high fiber content (both soluble and insoluble), a range of essential vitamins, minerals such as Selenium and Magnesium, and antioxidants called Lignans which are known to lower the risk of heart disease, ease menopausal symptoms, and prevent osteoporosis and breast cancer.

Barley is also rich in Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) and Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, and Selenium which enhance the processes of cell formation such as carrying oxygen through the blood. They also help in the healthy functioning of the repair and immune system. Folate and Iron are particularly important for forming red blood cells and oxygenating the blood which is important for overall heart health. Barley also contains Phosphorus, Calcium, Copper and Zinc which contribute to improved bone structure and strength.

Barley is a good source of all these nutrients and while it is not gluten-free, it contains beta-glucans which are a soluable form of fibre that support heart and bone health.

NOTE: Don't throw away your cooked Pearl Barley. You will notice a very slight hint of Lemon flavour from the zest which makes it an ideal nutritional ingredient for Summer salads, soups and other dishes.

Raw Honey

Raw Honey is naturally collected honey hasn't been pasteurised (heated to high temperature), processed or micro-filtered (filtered under high pressure through a micro-filter to remove small particles like pollen). Raw honey provides a minute amount of protein with trace elements of sodium and potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, copper, zinc iron, manganese, chromium, B vitamins and vitamin C and K.

Lemon Juice

Lemon water (or herbal tea) is the best way to hydrate, purify and revitalise your body every morning before eating or drinking anything else. It reverses sluggish fatty livers, cleans the kidneys, spleen, thyroid and gallbladder. It also purifies the lymphatic system.

I hope you enjoy making this delicious drink for your own pleasure and for your next special occasion.

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf