Victoria Beckham has always been one to experiment with new and extravagant health and beauty regimes, and her recent luxe health retreat at The Palace Merano offered a fascinating insight into her unusual diet.
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During her week away in Northern Italy, the fashion designer took to her Instagram stories to offer an insight into what she was up to. Intriguingly, Victoria revealed that she begins each day with a very unusual hot beverage named "barley coffee" – which isn’t coffee at all! It is a completely caffeine-free drink made of ground, roasted barley grains, and it could be the reason why this busy mum of four never appears to be jet-lagged.
WATCH: Victoria Beckham shows fans her unusual diet at Italian health retreat
Victoria revealed: "Each day started with a cup of my new favourite barley coffee. It has no coffee or other stimulants. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. And it has antioxidant and digestive properties." It is understood that caffeine can slow collagen renewal so Victoria may well be onto something.
© Photo: InstagramVictoria Beckham shares details of her drink with fans
We were curious to know if anything else is added to the drink and she explained that her preference is to "add a little bit of cinnamon." This sweet spice is also known for health benefits such as stabilising blood sugar levels.
So how long has Victoria been caffeine-free and is this why her skin looks so good after months of planning Brooklyn's wedding and jet-setting? Surely it must be difficult? As Victoria poured a cup of barley tea she explained the video: "So I've been off coffee for a week and I'm doing okay. It was hard for the first 24 hours but I'm really into this coffee now."
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© Photo: InstagramVictoria's favourite morning beverage
Jennifer Lopez is also known to avoid caffeine and sugar, so we were really interested in trying this out and we found some similar beverages online for a surprisingly reasonable price.
'Barleycup Powder' is sold at Holland & Barrett for just £5.25. It's similar to Victoria's favourite morning drink and it is made only from wholesome roasted barley, rye and chicory. It is described as a natural choice for those who like tea and coffee but are trying to cut down on the amount of caffeine in their diet, plus it's fat-free and high in fibre.
There is also a similarly priced organic alternative called 'Whole Earth Organic No Caf', currently £5.25 on Amazon, and it is often included in special promotions for as little as £2.99. This version includes dried figs as well as barley and chicory, which is said to lend a beautifully smooth and full-bodied aroma to the roasted flavours - just like coffee!
Victoria is extremely self-disciplined but if you have a sweet tooth, we have learned that the drink is wonderful with a bit of milk and a teaspoon of local honey, making for a lovely comfort drink.
© Photo: InstagramVictoria's glowing visage
The former Spice Girl kept her diet nice and varied for the remainder of the stay and described what else she had on her Instagram stories. "Here are some of the other delicious healthy food and drinks we had - including a strawberry chia seed jelly with avocado and raspberry cream, a green juice and a delicious dinner of Dover sole with spinach, artichokes and green beans."
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Last but not least, Victoria didn’t just drink any old tap water on her retreat. She found what she called "Magic water!" and shared an image of her bottled mineral water with the caption, "The Meraner Mineralwasser flows from the mountains above the city of Merano, rich in silicon, sodium and potassium." We wouldn't expect anything less from Victoria!
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