Barely

Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

   Barley (Hordeum vulgare, family Poaceae)  is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated across the world. It ranks fourth among cereals in terms of output volume and global cultivation area, occupying over 70 million hectares of land globally. Barley is an edible grain containing proteins, carbohydrates, including Beta-glucan, lipids, vitamins, and minerals and various antioxidant compounds. It is commonly used in breads, soups, stews, and health products and it is also used as a source of malt for alcoholic beverages, especially beer.

History

    Since ancient times, barley has been one of the most important food grains crop cultivated globally. Barley was domesticated about 8000 BCE from its wild progenitor Hordeum spontaneum. Archaeological evidences shows that barley cultivation began in 5000 BCE in Egypt, 2350 BCE in Mesopotamia, 3000 BCE in northwestern Europe, and 1500 BCE in China. It was one of the main bread plants of the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans and Europeans during the 16th century. Genetic studies by archeologists suggest that Tibet also was a centre of domestication for cultivated barley.

Types

  Barley is classified as either spring or winter type crops, two-row, or six-row crops, and hulless or hulled crops. Depending on the grain's composition, there is another classification of barley as normal, waxy, or high amylose starch, high lysine, high β-glucan, or proantho-cyanidin-free [2].

  Barley without the hull has a higher nutritional value than barley with the hull because it contains more proteins, lipids, and soluble dietary fiber. Various kinds of barley have different physical and chemical properties, which affect their processing characteristics and end-use quality.

Nutritional facts

Barley grains are high in glucan, tocols, and resistant starch. It also contains a lot of minerals, including calcium, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus etc.

Barley has high amounts of β-glucan, a soluble fiber than other cereals which helps to reduce cholesterol.

 Barley also contains many antioxidants. Furthermore, barley has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidant gamma-tocopherol of barley protects cell membranes.

Barley contains phenolic acids that inhibit inflammation and cancer.

Barley is rich in lignans that may lower breast cancer risk.

 It is a beneficial supplement for persons at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Whole grains, flour, and malt from barley contain protein, minerals, and fibres.

Beta-glucans are soluble fibres in barley that lowers cholesterol levels.

Barley also has a low Glycemic Index (GI 30) and it can be used by all who want to reduce their blood glucose levels. In addition, barley has properties to reduce blood sugar due to its beta glucan fiber content.

Barley seeds are the main source of starch, which makes up 54–75% of the weight of the grain and is concentrated in the endosperm layer. The starch in barley is composed of amylose and amylopectin.

Protein levels in barley grains can range from 10 to 20% and are primarily found in the endosperm. Prolamins, predominantly hordein, make up about 50% of the protein in barley, whereas gluten makes about 25% of the protein

Leucine, valine, threonine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, lysine, histidine, and methionine and 72% glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, tyrosine, glycine, and cytosine are the amino acids present in barley and which are important for various functions of the body.

The primary fatty acids included in barley kernel were linoleic acid (50–60%), palmitic acid (20–30%), oleic acid (10–15%), and linolenic acid (4–9%). Linoleic  and linolenic acids are essential fatty acids which are very important for human body. α-Linolenic acid is an important precursor for synthesis of both eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which very vital for brain and nervous system functions.

Consuming whole barley flour on a regular basis can help people avoid chronic conditions including diabetes, colon cancer, hyperlipidaemia, high blood pressure, and gallstones [2].

Health benefits

·       Improves bone health

As barley contains a lot of minerals, including calcium, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus etc. it helps to maintain health of bones and regulates muscle and nerve function.

·       Boosts immunity & healing of wounds

Barley contains zinc, which supports the body's potential to heal wounds and fight infection.

·       Improves oxygenation

Iron in barley helps proper oxygenation of cells improving circulatory function. Iron is important for haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, and barley is a good source of iron.

·       Improves health of heart and nerves

Potassium in barley helps in maintaining healthy nerve and muscle function as well as regulation of blood pressure thus protects cardiovascular system in the body.

·        Antioxidant properties

   High amounts of tocols, particularly a-tocopherols and a-tocotrienols, in barley are having antioxidant properties and fights against free radicals & oxidative stress that may be causing innumerable diseases.

Tocols found in barley grains also stimulate the immune system. It has anti-cancer and cancer-suppressing properties. A-tocotrienol is the most distinctive tocol isomer, comprising about 47.7% of the tocol content in whole grain barley.

   Flavonoids are present in barley. Catechins are major flavonoids which are potent antioxidants, having anti-cancer, anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory potentials and digestive system protective properties.

The main phenolic acids with antioxidant potentials found in barley in their free forms are ferulic acid , vanillic acid , syringic acid , and p-coumaric acid. Ferulic acid is the most abundant and prominent low molecular weight phenolic acid found in barley.

Lignans are naturally occurring polyphenols in barley. Lignans have numerous properties including antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, insecticidal, fungistatic, estrogenic and antiestrogenic activity, and protect against coronary heart disease.

·       Reduces cholesterol

Barley has high amounts of β-glucan than other cereals which helps to reduce cholesterol. Beta-glucans, a kind of soluble fiber found in barley, may help decrease cholesterol levels. Consuming barley could reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

·       Reduces blood sugar

The glycemic index (GI) of barley is in the range (34–70) which is quite low. β-glucan content and the amylose/amylopectin ratio in barley also have roles in lowering blood sugar levels

·       Anticancer properties

Barley has been shown to have anticancer properties through regulating the immune system and limiting cancer cell proliferation and dissemination.

Reference

1.    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666154323001849

2.    https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2020/3836172/

3.    https://www.britannica.com/plant/barley-cereal

4.    https://glycemicindex.com/2023/03/barley/

5.    https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/linolenic-acid