Food
Barley Water
A gentle, time-honored drink made by simmering barley in water - soothing and cooling, and traditionally used to comfort the urinary tract.
📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 85/100Tap to see the breakdown
🌱 What it is
Barley water is made by simmering whole or pearl barley grains in water until the liquid turns soft and slightly cloudy, then straining out the grains. It has been sipped for generations as a mild, soothing home drink.
✨ Why it's good for you
- Traditionally used to support urinary comfort as a gentle, hydrating drink
- May help support healthy hydration throughout the day
- Traditionally used to soothe the stomach after a simple meal
- May help support gentle digestion with the small amount of dissolved grain fiber
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 cup (240 ml), home-prepared · about 20 calories
- Mostly water
- Carbohydrate (trace, from dissolved starch) ~5 g
- Small amounts of B vitamins
🥄 How to use it
Simmer barley in water, strain off the cloudy liquid, and sip it warm or cooled, plain or with a little lemon.
How much: Simmer 1/4 cup barley in about 4 cups water for 20-30 minutes, strain, and sip 1-3 cups of the liquid through the day, along with plenty of plain water.
Show full details & how to prepare it
Barley water is one of the oldest and gentlest of home drinks: simply barley simmered in water until the liquid turns soft and cloudy, then strained and sipped. It is soothing, cooling, and easy on the body - a comforting way to take in extra fluid.
Its long-standing reputation is for the urinary tract. By encouraging plenty of gentle fluid through the system, it helps flush and soothe during a bout of cystitis or a mild urinary infection, and supports the steady hydrationGiving your body enough water to work well. More → that helps discourage kidney stones from forming. A little lemon makes it refreshing.
It is important to keep its role in perspective. Barley water is a kind, supportive drink, not a treatment for an established infection - so when there is fever, back pain, or symptoms that linger, a doctor's care is needed. Within those limits, it is a wholesome, time-honored comfort.
Ways to prepare it
⚠️ Cautions
- Barley contains gluten, so it is not suitable for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
- Barley water is a soothing helper, not a cure for infection - see a doctor for a urinary infection with fever, back pain, or that does not settle.
- Drink it unsweetened or only lightly sweetened to keep it gentle.
📚 What others say
- A traditional soothing drink used for generations
- Long noted in home-remedy references for the urinary tract
Learn more
🕊️ A word of encouragement
Gentle, steady care often does quiet good. May simple comforts refresh you today and remind you to be patient with your own healing.
💬 Ask Remy about Barley Water
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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