barley water

[Guest guest]

I make barley water for health reasons:

In her recipe (page 611, it is the wrong page listed in the index) she

does not call for soaking the barley, does anyone know why not? In

making barley water you do not eat the barley just drink the water

that the barley was cooked in.

I gained some much needed weight after I started to drink the barley

water.

I compared many recipes that I have found on thenet and in other

cookbooks and they differ. Some say to boil and pour off the water

then add more water and then simmer. Some say to simmer for 30

minutes others say, 2 hours. Some say to roast the barley fisrt.

Some include lemon or lemon peel in the water. None call for soaking

the barley first. None give a dosage when used for medicinal

purposes. I drank it all day like water and after a month I got so

tired. I wonder why?

Why does the recipe not call for soaking it? I thought all grains

need to be soaked.

Second, what about draining the water, why would you do that.

Third, what medical thing are you trying to get from the barley,

minerals, or what?

What about raosting the barley? How long whould you roast it? I

roasted it in a pan on the stove for 10 minutes. Is that the right

aproach?

All the recipes called for pearled Barley, I use whole barley. I

wonder if that is because whole barley is next to impossible to find.