Heart & Circulation

Barley

A chewy whole grain especially rich in beta-glucan fiber, one of the most studied fibers for cholesterol support.

Heart Health

Gut Health

Energy

Serving

1 cup, cooked (157g)

Calories Per Serving

193

Key nutrients

Beta-glucan fiber, selenium, manganese

Nutrient density

Why it’s worth eating

Barley is a whole grain high in fiber, selenium, and B vitamins. It helps lower cholesterol and supports digestive health. Use barley in soups, salads, or as a side dish.

What you may notice

Satiety and digestive comfort
Energy stability

Markers worth tracking

LDL cholesterol
Fasting blood glucose

How to eat it

Choose hulled or pot barley over pearled when possible, pearling removes the bran layer where much of the beta-glucan and minerals live.

Pairs well with

Vitamin C foods, improves absorption of barley's non-heme iron
Legumes, rounds out the amino acid profile of a grain-based meal

Storage

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place; whole hulled barley keeps for up to a year.

The numbers, per 1 cup, cooked (157g)

Vitamin K

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Calcium

12%

Iron

Magnesium

Potassium

Vitamin B12

Vitamin D

Fiber

6.0g

Barley, pearled, cooked (FDC 170284)

Evidence

Strong RCT evidence for a barley-specific LDL reduction. Effect is not clearly dose-dependent, and food-matrix and molecular-weight variation affect efficacy.

Study dose vs. serving

Barley beta-glucan lowered LDL 0.27 mmol/L (95% CI -0.34 to -0.20) - a barley-specific figure, not the oat number. About 3 g beta-glucan = 80-100 g dry pearl barley.

Ho HV, Sievenpiper JL, Zurbau A, et al. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2016;70(11):1239-1245. DOI 10.1038/ejcn.2016.89. Earlier: AbuMweis SS, et al. 2010, PMID 20924392, 11 RCTs.

Use caution if

You have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, barley contains gluten
You take thyroid medication, separate timing from high-fiber grain meals

Details

Type

Carbs

Season

Pantry, year-round

Forms

Pearl, hulled, flakes, flour

Price

Budget

Bioactive