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Barley

Barley is a cereal that is rich in soluble fiber. Barley is available in many forms, including barley sprouts, barley groats, barley oil extract and barley flour.

Why do people use barley?

Barley is used to lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, among other things. In addition, people use barley to promote weight loss and prevent some types of cancer. Barley is likely to be effective in reducing levels of total cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol and may also lower triglyceride levels and increase levels of good HDL cholesterol. The extent to which barley can lower cholesterol levels depends on how much barley you eat. The effect may be less if the barley consumed is highly processed. Barley can also lower blood pressure in people who do not suffer from high blood pressure but have high cholesterol levels.

Dietary fiber, such as that found in barley, can help prevent stomach cancer and increase life expectancy in people with stomach cancer. Products containing 750mg of soluble fiber from barley per serving may be advertised in America as being able to reduce the risk of heart disease when combined with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The effectiveness of barley in other applications has not yet been scientifically proven. However, barley may help control appetite by stabilizing blood sugar by slowing gastric emptying.

Can barley be consumed in the form of natural foods?

Barley is a grain that can be eaten. Barley is a source of vitamins, carbohydrates, protein and fatty acids. In addition, barley is used as an ingredient in the production of alcoholic beverages such as beer.

Recommended intake

No optimal dosages of barley as a dietary supplement have yet been determined. However, the following dosages are often used when trying to lower cholesterol levels:

  • 3 grams of barley oil extract
  • 30 grams of barley bran
  • 0.4 to 6 grams of soluble barley fiber
  • 3 to 12 grams of barley groats, barley flour, barley flakes or barley powder

When trying to lower blood pressure with moderately high cholesterol levels, 3 to 6 grams of barley flakes, barley flour or barley groats are generally used, while ideally maintaining a diet low in fat and cholesterol.

Risks and side effects

Some sensitive people may experience anaphylactic (severe allergic) reactions to beer made from barley. Barley is considered safe and harmless in the quantities in which it is found in food. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not consume large amounts of barley sprouts.

Interactions

Since certain barley products can lower blood sugar levels, there is a possibility that blood sugar levels may drop too low when these products are combined with plant extracts, supplements or medications that also have a similar effect on blood sugar levels. Care should be taken when using supplements such as bitter melon, ginger or willow bark. The fiber contained in barley can also interfere with the absorption of certain medications.