Description

Barley is high in fiber, especially beta-glucan, which may reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may also aid weight loss and improve digestion. Whole-grain, hulled barley is more nutritious than refined, pearled barley. It can be substituted for any whole grain and easily added to your diet

Stores usually sell barley in two forms: hulled and pearled. Hulled barley undergoes minimal processing to remove only the inedible outer shell, leaving the bran and germ intact. Pearled barley has neither the hull nor the bran. The table below shows the nutrients per 100 grams (g) of uncooked hulled and pearl barley.

Hulless barley refers to a specific variety of barley in which the tough, inedible outer hull is only loosely connected to the kernel. Because the outer hull is so loosely adhered, when the grain is harvested in the field, the hull naturally falls off, reducing the need for additional processing to remove it.