Barley

Barley is a cereal grain with a lengthy history as a staple of the human diet. A member of the grass family, barley grows best in temperate climates but is highly adaptable and can thrive in both wet and dry conditions. Barley is the world's fourth-most widely cultivated cereal grain, trailing only wheat, rice, and corn (maize). Historians believe it was one of the first grains to be domesticated by agrarian civilizations.

Though barley is commonly consumed as food in many parts of the world, a large percentage of commercially produced barley is used as an ingredient in animal feed, malt syrup, and beer. In humans, it is believed to help control blood-sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Barley is also an effective natural digestive aid, and the grain has long been a preferred food for athletes looking to increase their strength and endurance.

Background

Common barley is known by the scientific name Hordeum vulgare. It is descended from wild barley, or Hordeum spontaneum. No consensus exists as to where barley originated, with various sources citing Egypt, Ethiopia, the Middle East, Tibet, and Southeast Asia as possible candidates. However, it is known that barley was grown in the Middle East prior to 10,000 BCE. This makes barley one of the first grains to be domesticated by humans.

Cultivated barley is an annual plant, meaning that it germinates, reproduces, and dies within one year. However, it has one of the highest yields of any farmed annual grain, and the plant's prolific productivity is likely one of the main reasons it was domesticated at such an early point in human history. Barley figured prominently in the diet of the Ancient Egyptians and was later adopted by civilizations in China, India, and the Korean Peninsula. In addition to serving as food, barley has also been used in the production of alcoholic beverages for thousands of years. Historical evidence shows that the grain has been a base ingredient in beer for at least 5,000 years, while the world's oldest known barley wine recipe dates to approximately 2800 BCE.

In Ancient Greece, barley bread was a staple food, and the grain was a prominent part of the training diets of early Olympians. Some historical records also show that Roman gladiators were alternately referred to as hordearii, which translates from Latin into English as "barley men" or "eaters of barley."

Along with rye, barley was one of the most widely eaten grains in Europe during the Middle Ages. It was introduced to the New World by Spanish settlers, who brought it with them to South American colonies in the sixteenth century. Barley began to be farmed in North America during the seventeenth century.

Traditionally, barley is classified by the number of grains on the head of the plant. "Two-row barley" has two grains on the head, while "six-row barley" has six. Wild barley is of the two-row variety, while domesticated barley usually takes the six-row form.

Overview

During the ten-year period spanning 2007 to 2016, global barley production remained relatively stable, falling in the range of about 125 million to 150 million metric tons per year. The world's leading barley-producing countries include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is also a preferred agricultural pursuit in developing and lesser-developed countries, since barley is a productive grain with a consistently high yield and excellent resilience to variations in seasonal weather conditions. These factors combine to make barley much easier to grow than many other common grains. Barley can also be cultivated alongside other, more valuable but temperamental grains as a means of hedging against crop failures and low yields. It also thrives in climates that are too cold to grow wheat and in soils with compositions that are not conducive to wheat production.

Barley produced for human consumption is available in various forms, including hulled or whole-grain barley, pearl barley, pot or scotch barley, and barley flakes, flour, or grits. Hulled or whole-grain barley has had only its inedible outer hull removed and has the highest nutritional content. Pearl barley is a type of "polished" grain that undergoes processing that removes not only the outer hull, but also its bran layer and some or all of its endosperm layer. This leaves behind a grain that cooks faster and is less chewy but also has reduced nutritional value. Pot or scotch barley undergoes a lesser degree of polishing than pearl barley but is not technically a whole-grain product. It is frequently used in soups and stews. Barley flakes, flour, and grits are processed products with widely varying nutritional contents, since whole-grain, pearl, and pot barley can all be used to make them. Generally, barley with a higher protein content is used to produce foods for human consumption, while lower-protein varieties are designated for animal feed. Barley-based animal feed can also be made from the residue and by-products of malted barley used for brewing beer and manufacturing natural sweeteners.

Barley grain also has a limited number of other uses. It has some perceived applications in naturopathy as a treatment for skin boils, bowel inflammation, upset stomach, diarrhea, and other digestive problems. Barley has also long been used as a folk remedy for bronchitis and cancer prevention, though scientific researchers are divided on its usefulness for these applications.

Nutritionally, barley is high in vitamins and nutrients including chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, niacin, phosphorus, selenium, Vitamin B1, and Vitamin B3. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and a robust source of carbohydrates and fatty oils. Barley has a low glycemic index (GI) rating, making it useful for people seeking to lose weight or naturally control their appetite. This slow release of energy also makes barley a good choice for athletes on strength- and endurance-building training regimens. Research has also shown that barley may help reduce high blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Because it is relatively easy for the body to break down and absorb, barley is also commonly recommended to individuals with medical conditions that impede digestion.

Bibliography

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