Barley Medley

The BARLEY Medley
Medley: a heterogeneous mixture,
hodgepodge, jumble, melange

Top 5 Reasons to Enjoy Alberta Barley
Why we love barley

You Asked Us
Answers to your questions about barley

Fascinating Facts
Fun facts about barley from the ground up

Barley Around the Globe
Beer, bread, beef soup and tea
are on the menu

5 SATIETY. Barley is a comfort food that can fill you up and
delay feelings of hunger. The advantage - appetite control.

4 VARIETY. If variety is the spice of life, then adding barley to
your menu will add some spice. Canada’s Food Guide
suggests 5 to 12 servings of grain foods each day, and wheat
need not be the only grain chosen.

3 LOWERS CHOLESTEROL. Barley has components that can
inhibit fat and cholesterol absorption in the intestine. This
results in lower blood cholesterol, especially LDL (harmful)
cholesterol, in people with high cholesterol.

2 HIGH FIBRE. North Americans consume about 14 grams of
fibre per day, and nutrition recommendations for the general
population indicate it should be closer to 20 - 35 grams per
day. Barley is one of the richest sources, and has both soluble
and insoluble fibre.

1 GREAT TASTE. Barley adds a delicious dimension to your
foods - try barley flour, flakes, pot and pearl barley in your
favourite recipes.

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You Asked Us

Q	What is the difference between pot and pearl barley? Barley kernels are polished, or pearled, to remove the inedible hull part of the grain. Pearl barley is polished more than the pot barley, hence its smaller size. Which kind you prefer is a matter of taste. The pearl barley cooks a bit faster than the pot barley (which takes about 40 minutes) and is more often used in foods where a smaller cooked kernel size is preferred, such as in salads and puddings.
Q	How is barley flour different from wheat flour? Most people have experience baking with wheat flour, either in whole grain form or the further processed, all purpose form. The barley flour on the market in Alberta is a whole grain flour, which makes it more similar to whole wheat flour than to all purpose flour. Barley flour, however, does not have the same heavy texture that you usually associate with a whole grain flour. It is easily substituted for all purpose flour in most recipes. The advantage of using barley flour is that it is a good source of both the soluble and insoluble kinds of fibre. Wheat is very low in soluble fibre, so baking with barley flour is one way to increase soluble fibre in your foods.
Q	If I have an allergy to wheat, can I use barley instead? It really depends on the individual. Barley is low in gluten, but is not gluten-free, so people with celiac disease cannot use it in place of wheat. Other people who have some sensitivity to wheat have told us that they can use barley in place of wheat.
Q	Can I make bread with barley? Yes. Because barley has different gluten, however, it would make a very heavy bread if you did not also add wheat flour to the recipe. Yeast-raised products like bread need strong gluten in order to rise and create the nice texture we like. Up to 25% of the flour can be barley flour with good results. You may wish to add ‘vital wheat gluten’ for a higher volume bread. This product is sold by the box in the baking ingredient section at your supermarket.

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Fascinating Facts

Barley was the staple food of the Roman gladiators. The latin
name for barley is hordeum vulgare, which is related to the word
for gladiators, hordearii.

In 4000 B.C., the Babylonians used to make several beer-like
beverages.

Barley was one of the earliest cereal foods used by humankind.

French settlers originally brought barley to Canada.

There are several varieties of barley and each varies in its
adaptability to soil and climate conditions. Varieties with specific
characteristics are used in the food and malt industries.

Barley cereal is one of the first solid foods recommended for
babies.

Healthful properties in barley, such as its capacity to lower blood
cholesterol and moderate blood glucose levels, have increased
the interest in expanding its food uses.

Alberta grows the most barley in Canada, about 6 million
tonnes.

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Barley Around the Globe

Morocco: Casablanca, here we come; Morocco is the largest per
capita food user of barley, at 65 kg per year in foods such as soup,
porridge, and traditional breads.

Japan: Barley has several uses in Japan. Barley tea is a healthful
beverage served hot or cold. Pearled barley is used as a rice extender.
Roasted barley flour can be found in any supermarket. Shochu, a clear
liquor, and miso, a paste used to make soup, are prepared with barley.
Barley noodles are also available.

Canada: Beer and barley & beef stew are what people typically think
of when they think of barley. It is also used in many other commercially
prepared food products: flaked barley in granola; flour in baked goods,
cereals and pancake mix; and food malt as flavouring.

Australia: The brewing industry is the primary consumer of barley,
though some barley products are available in health food stores.

Britain: People recall barley water being used to sooth a stomach
ache. This beverage can be prepared at home or purchased at the store.

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