The Consumer Advisory Centre of Bavaria, Germany has highlighted barley as a healthier alternative to rice, particularly due to its significantly higher dietary fibre content.
While white rice contains about 1.5 grams of fibre per 100 grams, pearl barley offers roughly 4.6 grams — more than three times as much. Even barley flakes can contain over 10 grams of fibre per 100 grams, making barley an excellent addition to a balanced diet.
The Benefits of Dietary Fibre
Including ample fibre in your diet regularly offers multiple health advantages:
Promotes satiety: Fibre helps you feel full for longer periods, supporting healthy eating habits.
Improves digestion: Fibre stimulates bowel activity, helping to prevent constipation.
Supports cardiovascular and colon health: A fibre-rich diet can lower the risk of heart disease, vascular issues, and colon cancer.
Barley is also rich in beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre known to positively affect cholesterol levels, similar to oats.
Ways to Enjoy Barley
Barley has a slightly nutty and sweet flavour and can be incorporated into meals in several ways:
Pearl barley: These polished barley grains can be used like rice, cooked into risottos, or added to soups.
Barley flakes: Ideal for mixing into morning muesli.
Barley flour: Ground barley can be used for baking. It is often recommended to mix it with wheat flour to ensure proper dough rising.
