Enriched with the goodness of barley grain, this ancient concoction is a perfect dose of health. Prepared by boiling the barley grain with water, this traditional drink is often mixed with aromatic ingredients to accentuate the taste. Interestingly, barley grains are used as a healthy cereal and to prepare beer. However, with the growing health consciousness among people, there has been a rise in the healthy ways of including this super grain in the diet to reap its umpteen health benefits, as our ancestors did by preparing a healthy drink known as barley water.What age is okay?Most baby food guides say not to give barley before six months. After that, start with an amount and slowly give more. Pearl barley is easy to find and works well. Serve it lukewarm. Feed babies sitting upright so they don’t choke. Ask your doctor before adding salt.Things to be careful aboutBarley has gluten; if your family has a disease or gluten allergy, don’t give barley in the early months. Talk to your doctor first. Also, barley water is not a meal. It has little iron, vitamin A, or vitamin C. An old study from 1981 looked at five babies, aged 1 to 7 months, who became undernourished after being fed a homemade mix of barley water, milk, and corn syrup. The mix was low in iron and vitamins A and C. It had twice as much sodium as breast milk. So never use barley water or breast milk or infant formula for babies.How to make it at homeTake one tablespoon of barley and one and a half cups of water. Pressure cook for three whistles. Let the steam go out then blend until smooth and strain it. Wait until its lukewarm before giving it. For kids you can serve it cold with a little lemon. Skip the sugar. In a nutshell, it can be concluded that barley water can be an gentle drink for kids. It helps with digestion and fluids.. It’s a small extra not a meal. Start with a little see how your child reacts and check with your doctor if your child is, under one year or has any health problem.Is barley safe for kids?Yes barley is safe and very good for children once they start eating foods around six months old. It gives them fiber, important B vitamins, iron and minerals that help them grow and have digestion. In addition to nutrition science shows that barley is good for growing tummies. A study looking at the bugs of babies showed that the soluble beta-glucans in barley work like food, for good tummy bugs. These tummy bugs change the barley into short-chain fatty acids that help the tummy stay healthy (Lam et al., 2019).. Because barley has gluten it should be added slowly so parents can see if the child has any problems. Also barley needs to be cooked until it’s soft or made into porridge to make sure it is not a choking danger.