Adding barley fiber to your diet can prevent high cholesterol

In today’s world, people are taking increasingly more proactive steps towards living healthier, happier, and better lives.  We know that a proactive approach to health care can improve our lives by preventing the development of disease and other negative health conditions.  While some steps are easy, such as eating more vegetarian meals or going for a walk each day, some steps are much more difficult, like maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. 

Maintaining healthy cholesterol isn’t something that many of us think about when it comes to proactive health.  Instead, we tend to take a more reactive approach.  How many times have you heard a friend or family member say, “I have high cholesterol?” Probably more than a few!

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), over 90 million Americans have a total cholesterol level of over 200 mg/dL, putting them at greater risk of developing coronary heart disease and dying from a heart attack or stroke.  In fact, in many states, about 1/3 of adults over the age of 20 have been told they have high cholesterol by a health care professional (see the map here).

So how do you be proactive about your cholesterol levels? The answer is simple: add barley beta-glucan to your diet! 

The Cholesterol Lowering Ability of Beta-Glucan: 

If you’ve ever had to lower your cholesterol you know that it’s hard .  Lowering cholesterol typically involves tedious changes to your diet and exercise routine or taking statin medications, which are often accompanied with negative side effects.  Now, people can choose to use barley beta-glucan supplements such as Cerabeta or Nutrastat to naturally lower and maintain healthy LDL and total cholesterol levels.

Personally, I’ve witnessed both my grandparents lower their cholesterol levels from near 200 mg/DL to healthy levels by taking below the recommended dosage of barley beta-glucan. The cholesterol lowering effect of barley beta-glucan has been known for some time.  Extensive scientific research has proven that taking enough barley beta-glucan daily can effectively lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels while improving your digestion and gut health. 

Healthy Vs. Unhealthy Cholesterol

Our bodies require a minimum amount of cholesterol for proper function.  Cholesterol is produced by your liver and contributes to the formation of your cell membranes. It helps to produce hormones like estrogen and testosterone, supports your metabolism, and produces bile acids that aid your body in absorbing essential nutrients.  We also get cholesterol by eating animal products such as meats, milk, and eggs.  Cholesterol itself is a fatty, wax-like substance that is present in our blood. 

The reason high cholesterol is problematic is because too much cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause plaque buildup on your artery walls.  This buildup, known as atherosclerosis, can eventually lead to clotting, causing a heart attack or stroke.

How Beta-Glucan Lowers LDL and Total Cholesterol

Barley beta-glucan is a soluble fiber that can be naturally extracted from the cell walls of barley grains.  This lightweight fiber can be easily supplemented into your diet by mixing it in with a glass of water or incorporated into meals.  It is a water-soluble fiber, so in addition to lowering your LDL and total cholesterol levels it will help improve your digestion, gut health, and regulate blood sugar levels between meals.

The beta-glucan creates a viscous lining on your intestine that binds to bile acids, reducing their absorption into the liver.  As a result, your liver will produce new bile acids from cholesterol already in your body, reducing the amount of cholesterol circulating in your blood.  Bound bile acids cannot be reabsorbed and they leave through the digestive tract. 

Completely Natural

The best part about barley beta-glucan is that it is a completely natural way to lower your cholesterol.  Barley beta-glucan fibers are can be extracted without the use of chemicals or solvents, and good brands will not include any additives, sugar, or artificial flavouring in their products.  Beta-glucans are also a pre-biotic, meaning they will help to improve your gut health and overall wellbeing as a result.  Be sure to do your research on brands to make sure you are getting an all-natural fiber.

How to Get Your Hands on Barley Beta-Glucan Fiber

Due to new innovations in extraction technology, barley beta-glucan is now available to the general public at affordable prices.  Our brand, Cerabeta, is produced from 100% Canadian barley with zero additives.  You can purchase Cerabeta directly from our online store here.  Another brand, Nutrastat, is similar and can be purchased directly from their website.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arteriosclerosis-atherosclerosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350569

https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/facts.htm