Barley water

Variations

• (κυκεών, from ) was a drink made mainly of water, barley and naturally occurring substances. It was used at the climax of the Eleusinian Mysteries to break a sacred fast, but it was also a favourite drink of Greek peasants.
• Agua de cebada, in Spanish-speaking countries, is made with malted barley, sugar and lemon. In El Salvador, however, this name is used to refer to a different drink that is bright pink and is now made with wheat or rice instead of the original barley.
• The British version is made by boiling washed pearl barley, straining, and adding fruit juice, typically lemon, and sugar to taste. The fruit rind may also be boiled with the barley. The Robinsons brand of the drink was the official supplier to the Wimbledon tennis tournament and sponsored the event for over 80 years until 2022.
• East Asian and Southeast Asian versions are typically not strained and may be consumed hot or cold, with or without lime. These kinds of barley water generally include the strained grain within the drink. Hot barley water is often served with a spoon and cold barley water with a straw so that the soft-boiled grains can be eaten.
• Roasted barley tea is a popular East Asian drink. The roasted barley is strained and removed before drinking.
• It is a popular drink in India. It is called jau ka sattu in Punjabi.

Barley water has been used as a first baby food, before feeding with barley mush. It is also used as a home treatment that allegedly cures cystitis.

Nutrition

The following nutritional tables are from an analysis performed on a British-style barley water recipe. Nutrients listed are for one serving of 299g. Prepared from pearl barley, lemon juice and honey,

• As cited in "Barley Water". Eat This Much website. it contains 11grams of honey and the juice of a quarter of a lemon, per serve. The proportion of major nutrients was found to be: carbohydrates, 89%; fats, 3%; protein, 8%. This version of barley water was analysed as a "good" source of fibre and vitamin C.

References

References

1. (2000). "Mixing the ''kykeon''". Eleusis: Journal of Psychoactive Plants and Compounds.
2. Camelias, Maggie. (23 June 2018). "La horchata, la leche merengada, el agua de cebada y el granizado de limón sí son para el verano". República.
3. "Fresco de Cebada".
4. "Pearl barley recipes".
5. Kollewe, Julia. (24 June 2022). "Robinsons and Wimbledon end 86-year partnership". The Guardian.
6. Picincu, Andra. (2018). "The health benefits of roasted barley tea".
7. (2000). "Nursing practice, hospital and home: The adult". Churchill Livingstone.
8. "Barley Water".