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Can you tell me about the health benefits of barley?
I just added some to my kale stew and really liked it, but I don’t know anything about it.
– Susy (last name unknown)
(Location unknown)
Barley is a wonderful grain!
You should know that there are two different varieties — hulled barley and pearled barley.
Pearled barley is the most commonly consumed type. While it is still nutritious, it is slightly more processed than hulled barley in that it loses its bran layer.
Consequently, pearled barley cooks faster.
If you can find hulled barley, I recommend you purchase that.
However, even pearled barley is far superior to refined grains like white rice, couscous, or pastas made from white flours.
After all, one cup of it (cooked) provides:
- 6 grams of fiber
- 6 grams of protein
- 10% of a day’s worth of niacin, vitamin B6, and zinc
- 20% of a day’s worth of manganese and selenium
Meanwhile, one cup of cooked hulled barley adds up to:
- 8 grams of fiber
- 6 grams of protein
- Higher amounts of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and selenium
One of the advantages of barley is that a significant percentage of its fibers are beta-glucans.
Beta-glucans are a specific type of soluble fiber — also found in oatmeal, seaweed, and mushrooms — responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol (the higher your LDL cholesterol, the higher your risk for heart disease).
