14 HEALTH PROPERTIES OF MALT - NUTRITION - 2025

The health properties of malt include: enhancing the body's defenses, stimulating muscle growth, improving the condition of the bones, it is rich in nutrients, reduces hypertension, it is an antioxidant and others that I will explain below.

Malt is a well-known cereal that comes from the processing of some grains such as barley, rye or wheat, where the most common of them is barley. A specific process must be followed for it to be transformed into malt.

By immersing the grains in water through their soaking process, they germinate and a drying process is carried out at not very hot temperatures and for a period of time of approximately 3 days.

This whole process is known by the name of malting. In simpler terms, malting is the controlled germination and kiln drying of grains like barley.

During this process, the grains develop the enzymes required to transform starches into sugars such as glucose, fructose, maltose, and maltodextrin. It also develops other enzymes called proteases.

What beverages is malt in?

Since its origins, nutritional properties and at the same time medicinal properties have always been described in malt.

But do you really know what foods or drinks malt is in? We can see its presence in drinks such as whiskey, milkshake, smoothies, flavored drinks and in the well-known beer with or without alcohol. The barley extract provides minerals, vitamins and amino acids to these drinks.

The fabulous benefits of malt have also been known since time immemorial, the famous philosopher Plato suggested drinking beer or eating barley bread for greater concentration and greater energy.

Malt benefits and properties

Many of us have heard of malt and its uses as a dietary supplement to treat certain health conditions. Various studies have revealed the richness of nutrients that malt has as a natural source of numerous vitamins and minerals.

It is rich in vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Also in minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, calcium, and others.

These nutrients play a very important role in the secretion of proteins in the body, as well as supporting the function of most organs and systems in the body.

Therefore, the consumption of this natural extract can provide our body with extra energy for our daily activities. Due to its high content of B-complex vitamins, malt can help accelerate metabolism, and the minerals mentioned are absolutely essential to support bone health and all the function and quality of muscle tissues.

Let us know in detail the nutritional properties of this food:

1- Boost the body's defenses

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Malt extract can increase the content of vitamin B in our body, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and vitamin B-6. The amount may vary depending on the malt beverage.

Vitamin B is required to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in food into energy. They also help regulate your appetite, promote good vision, and maintain healthy skin.

Additionally, vitamin B6 is an important agent in the formation of red blood cells, the conversion of proteins and the synthesis of antibodies, which supports the immune system.

It is recommended for people with anemia to ingest malt in a regulated way because it helps to raise the levels of red blood cells in the blood and because of its high content of vitamin B that helps to counteract their condition.

2- Stimulates muscle growth

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Surely you have heard the word amino acids in a gym or in a diet recommended by your doctor, but what are these amino acids used for?

Its function is to stimulate the synthesis of muscle protein, reducing fatigue during prolonged exercise and also helps in the protection of the immune system.

Malt extract is a source of essential amino acids that the body needs to make proteins.

Although some malt extract beverages are not a significant source of protein, they can help provide a small amount of these essential nutrients.

3- It is good for the bones

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Good nutrition is important for bone health. In addition to calcium, these drinks can also contain phosphorus and magnesium, important minerals that help keep bones healthy and strong.

Some malt extract drinks can be an optional source of the nutrients your bones need for good health, but their main contribution can be increased by their ordinary intake.

4- It is a substitute for sugar

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In addition to being sweet, barley malt extract contains amino acids, B vitamins and easily digestible proteins.

It is a substitute for sugar in some products and a sweetener for tonic drinks. Malt is considered a sugar supplement simply because it has sugars that are easily assimilated by the body (glucose, fructose, maltose and maltodextrin).

The sugars contained in malt are ideal for people with a slow metabolism, since the consumption of insulin to counteract sugar is done slowly and nutritiously with these sugars, unlike sugars that are rapidly assimilated.

5- It is rich in nutrients

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Barley malt extract is packed with sugars, carbohydrates, and some nutrients like vitamin A and riboflavin. Today it is mainly used in flavored beverages and confectionery.

In some countries after facing war, malt was popular as a cheap dietary supplement for generations of malnourished children who needed a high-carbohydrate diet.

Back then, its rich sweet taste was often combined with cod liver oil, resulting in an unpleasant but nutritious taste, and with high levels of vitamin D, it could protect against rickets.

It was seen as a booster medicine as it contains protein and amino acids, as well as being an excellent antioxidant.

6- It is a source of energy for our body

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For athletes and nutritionists, malt is a wonderful source to recover fluids and nutrients that are depleted during any physical activity. This is because malt extract containing beverages are made up of 80% water.

It is highly recommended for people who train in the gym or who practice a high-performance sport.

7- Generates positive effects on hypertension

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So everything we've been told about beer as a causative agent of hypertension is false?

Science can sometimes seem contradictory. Men with high blood pressure have a lower risk of fatal and non-fatal heart attacks if they drink moderately.

This is in part because drinking beer, or any alcoholic beverage, in moderation increases high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, also known as good cholesterol.

A beer a day in women has shown some benefits on heart disease, according to studies cited by the American Heart Association "American Heart Association" (which advises people not to start drinking, by the way).

8- General positive effect on health

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The moderate consumption of beer as an example of beverages containing malt, helps reduce the risk of heart disease, digestive diseases, stress, depression and can even help you live longer because it is an antioxidant, according to David J. Hanson, Ph.D., from the State University of New York at Potsdam.

However, as a precautionary measure, it is not recommended that you start drinking if you no longer drink alcohol.

9- It acts as an anticancer and antioxidant

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In cereals, phenolic compounds are either free or bound. The malt releases the contained substances and increases the total amount of phenolic compounds in the grain.

In the diet they can have positive health effects such as anti-cancer, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances.

Alkyl resorcinols, for example, are phenolic compounds in rye, wheat, and barley, and they can enhance human well-being by stimulating the circulation of the digestive tract.

10- Lowers cholesterol levels

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Sterols are steroids that are present in the grains that are used to make malt. During the germination process of grains, the sterol content has been shown to increase. The presence of sterol in our body reinforces the fight against cholesterol, by preventing its absorption in the intestine.

The EFSA concluded in 2012 that the daily consumption of 3 grams of sterols reduces cholesterol levels. In a diet, it is important to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, as it can be beneficial for our health.

11- Rich source of vitamins

Source: wikipedia user Mandingojones

Vitamins are essential compounds for human physiological functions and must be obtained in our daily diet for the correct behavior of our organs and our body in general.

Cereals are a good source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 (folic acid) and vitamin E. Malt is a cereal that contains high and concentrated levels of these vitamins compared to non-malted cereals.

In addition to being an antioxidant, vitamin E can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer, inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration. It can also be linked to better maintenance of the immune system.

12- It is rich in fiber

Malted barley. Source: Finlay_McWalter's friend SJB

Cereals are an important source of dietary fiber and especially a source of water soluble fibers, beta-glucans and arabinoxylans.

In brewing malt, soluble fibers degrade, because they are detrimental in the brewing process due to their property of causing viscous solutions.

However, the different use of special malting techniques raises the content of soluble fibers that can be preserved, for example, for special applications in food.

Malt also contains insoluble fibers in the husk. Processed grains can contain more than 50% insoluble fiber.

13- Source of minerals

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Minerals are essential for physiological functions and must be present in our daily diet. Minerals control osmotic pressure and some of these groups of elements are required as cofactors for some enzymes.

Cereals are an important source of certain minerals, such as iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium. In the case of malt, its germination increases the availability of minerals, making them more soluble.

Among the mineral content that we can find in malt we will mention: iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and sodium.

14- Helps in the protein digestion process

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After the process called malting, a large number of enzymes called proteases are generated.

Proteases are involved in digesting long protein chains and transforming them into shorter fragments by cleaving the peptide bonds that link the remaining amino acids.