Barley Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Barley is a whole grain that provides a higher-quality carbohydrate source compared to refined grains, as it retains the bran and germ layers that contain essential nutrients .
Barley malt flour and whole barley products are significant sources of dietary fibre, which is essential for digestive health and is often under-consumed in modern diets .
Barley is notably resilient and is one of the few cereal crops capable of growing at high elevations and in short seasons, making it a critical food staple in regions like the Tibetan plateau and the Andes .
Early research suggests that barley grass powder may contain functional ingredients that support cell nutrition, though more clinical evidence is needed to confirm its therapeutic effects in humans .

Interesting fact

Barley was so central to ancient Roman life that gladiators were known as hordearii, or 'barley-men', because the grain formed the bulk of their strength-building diet.

Standout nutrients

SUPER

SOURCE

Manganese

ELITE

SOURCE

Dietary fibre

GREAT

SOURCE

Magnesium

GREAT

SOURCE

Niacin

272

kcal per 100g

Protein5.72g

Fat2.57g

Carbs47.4g

Fiber6.60g

Sugar0.14g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.83g

Monounsat0.43g

Saturated0.76g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianDairy Free

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Barley is highly water-efficient and can grow in marginal lands where other crops fail.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Airtight Container

1–2 years

Store in a cool, dark place to prevent natural oils from spoiling.

Refrigerate

3–5 days

Applies to cooked barley.

Freeze

3–6 months

Cooked barley freezes well for meal prep.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 2 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Preventive and Therapeutic Role of Functional Ingredients of Barley Grass for Chronic Diseases in Human Beings - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[PDF] USDA National Nutrient Database-Total Dietary Fiber

[3]www.nal.usda.govnal.usda.gov

Whole Grains - The Nutrition Source

[5]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

BARLEY Hordeum vulgare L. Plant Symbol = HOVU Alternate Names

[8]plants.sc.egov.usda.gov

Carbohydrates - The Nutrition Source

[10]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Consumption of grains by Americans is above recommendations | Economic Research Service

[11]www.ers.usda.govers.usda.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

77.4

Version

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