This week’s food fact sheet is all about barley. Not only does this wondrous grain make fantastic whisky, it is also a fantastic high fibre and high nutrient additional to loads of recipes. I’m talking specifically about pearled barley, this is when the outer hull has been removed and the grain polished to produce a ‘pearl’. Pearl barley is very similar in nutritional content, and can be used in a similar way, to its oh-so-trendy cousin quinoa, however if you are an ethical consumer, barley is by far the better option.
What can barley do for you?
- Improve digestion
- Improve heart health
- Makes you feel fuller
- Controls blood sugar levels
- Helps lower cholesterol
The first three of this benefits are down the high fibre content of barley. This is a great filler food for padding out meals without piling in loads of unnecessary calories. Barley also slows the rate at which sugar is released into the blood, helping to control and maintain sugar levels. High fibre diets are also associated with better heart health. This is partly due to insoluble fibre limiting the amount of bad cholesterol that is absorbed in the gut. In the case of barley, this is also due to the minerals and vitamins found in the grain, which include vitamin B3 niacin, vitamin B1 thiamine, magnesium, copper, selenium. All these nutrients can have an impact on lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, two factor associated with heart health. They also have individual benefits; selenium supports a healthy metabolism, copper is important in the production of red blood cells and magnesium is important in controlling muscle function.
How to Prepare
We all have busy lives, and so often good food choices comes down to what’s easiest to prepare. Therefore waiting around for pearl barley to cook might seem like a hassle. The secret is that pearl barley can be frozen and reheated. Simply cook the entire bag of pearl barley, according to the packet instructions, divide it into portions and then freeze. Or alternatively, cook up a recipe and freeze it for a later date. The only rule is you can’t double freeze. For example, cook the barley and freeze it, defrost it and add to soup and then freeze the soup (double freezing of the barley).
Recipes
Pearl barley can be added to soups, salads and casseroles to bulk about the meal. It is the type of ingredient that can take on great flavours and so can be added to almost anything. It can also take the place of other key ingredients, for example barley risotto or ‘barlotto’, my favourite is Bacon, Mushroom and Butternut Squash Barlotto. Made the same way as you’d make a risotto only replace the rice with pearled barley.
I’d recommend making pearl barley your new store cupboard addition. Scotch broth might be the only recipe you’ve come across but trust me there are so many more. It’s versatile, cheap and will give you new options on old recipes. Start experimenting!
Check out the link below for four barley recipes to get you started, these ones are based on the idea of batch cooking to save time later. A reliable source has told me the sausage casserole has become a go to recipe (good with meat or veggie sausages!).
Emma Higgs Personal Training 
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