Dry, cool, sweet and not heavy, barley increases vata unless prepared soupy, increases faeces, stabilizes the body, is astringent but promotes strength and cures kapha increase. Barley is a primary food for all pitta afflictions and for respiratory and assimilation disorders. Barely gruel is much used in convalescence. Barley's alkali, extracted from its ash, is used in treating urinary stone and retention of urine, especially with coconut water, and is used in treating colic and respiratory diseases and as a substitute for salt.
References:
Ayurveda Life Health and Longevity by Robert E. Svoboda - Penguin Books.
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