Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Barley Grass

Description

Barley grass is the leaf portion of the barley plant (Hordeum vulgare) that remains after the seeds have been removed. As a grass, it is also known as a distichon, meaning that it grows in two separate ranks, or rows. The rows of barley grass are parallel to the central axis, forming a loose sheath over the stem, which is sometimes called the culm. This stem is hollow and jointed, and the seeds are ellipitical and furrowed. The barley plant, an annual that requires reseeding each year, reaches a height of up to 3 ft (about 1 m). The plant has an extensive history in human and animal nutrition. As a nutritional supplement, it is preferable to use young barley plants that have not yet developed seeds.

General use

The barley plant appears to have been used by the ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Vikings. It...