Our 18 Best Barley Recipes to Help You Get to Know This Ancient Grain (2024)

FAQs

What is the best type of barley to eat? ›

Barley is high in fiber, especially beta-glucan, which may reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may also aid weight loss and improve digestion. Whole-grain, hulled barley is more nutritious than refined, pearled barley. It can be substituted for any whole grain and easily added to your diet.

There is no need to rinse barley before using it. To enhance the flavor of barley, heat the kernels in a skillet for a few minutes or cook it in broth instead of water. You can save time by cooking extra barley and freezing it.

With its nutty flavor and pasta-like chew, barley is a versatile grain that makes an interesting alternative to rice, even in risotto. Try it for breakfast as a hot cereal with fruit or in savory-sweet porridge with ham and egg. Barley can be a wonderfully hearty addition to soups and salads, too.

The difference between pearl barley and quick barley is that the quick barley has been pre-steamed, so it takes less time to cook. Pearl barley takes about an hour, while quick barley takes 10-15 minutes. Both are equally nutritious.

Eating 3.6 grams of barley daily as a source of dietary fiber seems to reduce the risk of heart disease. High cholesterol. Eating 3-12 grams of barley daily seems to reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in adults with high cholesterol.

Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity: The gluten in barley can make celiac disease worse. Avoid using barley. Allergies to cereal grains: Consuming barley might cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to other cereal grains, including rye, wheat, oat, corn and rice.

Eating raw barley can provide a variety of health benefits, such as: High fiber content: Barley is a good source of dietary fiber, which can aid in digestion and help prevent constipation. Eating raw barley can provide more fiber than cooked barley.

What cereal is made from barley? ›

Special K® Classic is a source of 7 vitamins, and iron and zinc. Made with rice, whole-wheat and barley, these delicious flakes are a source of protein and fibre – worth waking up for!

Barley has been used as a source of fermentable material for beer for thousands of years and whiskey for hundreds of years. Barley beer was probably one of the first alcoholic drinks developed by Neolithic humans. More recently, it has been used as a component of various health foods and drinks.

Whole-grain barley undergoes minimal processing, removing the inedible hull and leaving the germ and bran intact. It's the chewiest and healthiest variety but takes longer to cook. Pearled barley. This more refined grain is polished to remove some or all of the bran.

For hulled barley only, soak the dry grains.

Leave it alone for a few hours or overnight. This is an optional step but does help the cooking water to penetrate the grains better. (Skip this step if using pearl barley).

Nutritional Value

Barley is a good source of iron, niacin, and vitamin B6, and supplies an adequate source of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. It also easily wins out in fiber content, providing both soluble and insoluble fiber, with one serving providing 8 grams, compared to quinoa's 3.

Hulled barley.

Whole-grain barley undergoes minimal processing, removing the inedible hull and leaving the germ and bran intact. It's the chewiest and healthiest variety but takes longer to cook.

There are two types of barley available – pot barley and pearl barley. Pot barley is the more nutritious of the two but is less readily available and takes longer to cook. It is less refined than pearl, with only the outer husk removed, which also gives it a nuttier flavour.

If you have a choice, pick hulled barley over pearl. Hulled barley is a whole grain and contains more fiber and nutrients. Pearl barely is considered refined, but it is probably one of the most nutritious refined grains available. It contains a lot of fiber and is quite healthy to consume.

Hulled barley is minimally processed by carefully removing the indigestible hull while leaving much of the outer bran intact. Hulless barley is a different variety of barley that does not have a tightly-attached hull and is easier to remove with minimum bran loss.