Healthy Whole Grains: Barley

Barley, in it's whole form, is a nutritional powerhouse. A one cup serving provides over half the recommended daily doses of selenium and fiber. It also provides generous amounts of copper, manganese, tryptophan, and phosphorus.

History of Barley

Whole grain barley is one of the Bible's top healthy foods. It has been dated back to two thousand years before Christ. According to the UN, in 2005, it was grown in about 100 countries worldwide. The United States was the ninth top producer of barley. About half of all U.S. barley crops are used as animal feed.

In ancient times, barley was used for bread, alcoholic drinks, as well as medicinal purposes. Athletes consumed the whole grain in large quantities and attributed their stamina to it.

The Spanish brought barley to South America in the 16th century. During the 17th century, Dutch and English settlers introduced it to North America.

Barley Types and Uses

As mentioned, barley is used for animal feed. After that, it's primary use is for alcoholic beverages. It's third use is for human consumption. Barley straw is used for animal feed, as well. I've read several places that if you put barley straw around the edges of ponds (into the water a little bit), it will help clear up algae growth without hurting the fish. Apparently, it releases some enzyme or chemical into the water.

There are several types of barley available. Barley that has it's bran and germ intact is called hulled barley. Sometimes it may be referred to as dehulled barley. This type of barley is whole grain and is the most nutritious form. It is slightly chewy and takes longer to cook. The nutritional benefits are well worth the extra cooking time. Sometimes, soaking is also necessary.

Pearled barley has had the bran and germ removed. This makes it shiny, or pearled. It is not a whole grain and has considerably less nutritional value. This type of barley is what you will find in most supermarkets today. It is quicker to cook and requires no soaking.

Barley flakes have been pressed flat with a roller. The nutritional content varies because they can be made with any type of barley.

Barley grits can also be made with any type of barley. They are toasted then cracked to form the grits.

There is another type of barley called pot or scotch barley. I had never heard of this barley before I started researched barley information. It is a type of pearled barley. The polishing stops as soon as the bran is removed. It is better nutritionally than fully pearled barley, but not as good as hulled barley.

Buying and Storing Barley

Pearled barley is generally available in any supermarket. Hulled barley, barley flakes and grits may be found in markets with specialty healthy foods or bulk sections. Make sure the store you purchase from has a good sales rate. You want to overlook dusty or bug ridden packages. Signs of moisture is definitely a bad thing. Pass it up and look elsewhere. All can be ordered online.

Store barley in airtight containers. Food grade buckets or glass jars are ideal. Make sure you have it in a dry, cool location. Hulled barley can be stored for years under the correct conditions. If you're using buckets, don't set them on a concrete slab. Place wooden pallets or blocks underneath the buckets. Smaller packages can be stored in the freezer.

I always use oxygen absorbers in any large buckets of grain I store. I put one about two thirds of the way down and another one about a third of the way down. This is for a six gallon pail. For three or five gallons, I place one about halfway down.

Nutrition Information

Here are two links for the nutritional analysis of pearled and hulled barley.

Nutrition information for cooked pearled barley

Nutrition information for hulled barley

Barley and Your Health

Barley is a super nutritious food. It is believed to help prevent or lessen the following conditions:

Arthritis

Heart Disease

High Cholesterol

Colon Cancer

Breast Cancer

Childhood Asthma

Type II Diabetes

How to Cook Barley

Add 1 cup barley to 3 1/2 cups of boiling water or broth. When the liquid returns to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer pearled barley for about an hour. Hulled barley needs to be simmered about an hour and a half.

Note: I like to make a big pot at one time and then freeze in sandwich bags. I place all the sandwich bags into a gallon freezer bag and label it. Then all I have to do is pop it into my soup when I'm in a hurry.

Barley Serving Tips

>Add to soups or stews to boost nutrition and make them more filling.

> Mix with brown rice. I use about 1/4 as much barley as I do rice. Add it right in with the rice when cooking.

> Grind it for flour. It will give dishes such as pancakes and bread a slightly nuttier flavor than using whole wheat alone.

Barley Recipes

Barley Bread

Hot Barley CerealThis is like Malt-O-Meal, but tastes much better!

I hope you decide to try one of nature's top healthy foods. Whole grain barley is a wonderful addition to any healthy diet.