Barley is a whole grain that can be eaten alone or added to many foods.
It is used mostly in the malting industry and for livestock feed.
It was not usually used as a food source in humans in the past.
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Now, barley is being used more in balanced diets because of its health benefits.
Studies show many positive health effects of including barley in your diet.
It improves digestion, and blood glucose levels in people withdiabetesandheart conditions.
Recent studies also show that barley may be helpful in keeping your cholesterol levels in check.
It will also discuss the right amount a person should eat.
Does Barley Reduce Cholesterol?
Barleycontains vitamins, antioxidants, and an importantsoluble fibercalledbeta-glucan.
This heart-healthy fiber helps lower cholesterol levels.
It is also found in other grains, such as oats.
Beta-glucan makes it harder for cholesterol and fat to get into the bloodstream.
One study looked at how barley beta-glucan lowers cholesterol.
The researchers concluded that the beta-glucans helped reduce cholesterol by increasing bile acid synthesis.
Bile acids are formed from cholesterol.
Through bile acid sythesis, the cholesterol is broken down and removed from the body.
The researchers also found that consuming 3 grams of beta-glucan daily helped reduce total cholesterol in participants.
HDLwas not affected as much by barley intake in studies.
HDL cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol because it helps to remove some of the other bad cholesterol.
Recap
Barley was not a key part of the human diet in the past.
This fiber helps lower cholesterol levels by keeping it from entering the bloodstream.
How Much Barley Should You Consume?
You would need to consume at least 3 grams of beta-glucan to see lower cholesterol.
About one cup of cooked pearled barley equals 2.5 grams of beta-glucan fiber.
One-half cup of barley flakes equals about 2 grams of beta-glucan.
This is the amount you would need to eat to see the same results in the studies.
Always check food labels for beta-glucan content.
There are many ways you might include barley in your cholesterol-lowering diet.
Barley can be eaten as a warm, breakfast cereal.
It can also be used in salads and side dishes or added to main dishes.
The FDA allowed a health claim to be placed on barley packages.
It says that the soluble fiber in the food may help reduce your risk of heart disease.
It is hard to say if cholesterol levels can lower more in people with a healthy cholesterol range.
The vitamins and soluble fiber contained in this heart-healthy fiber can be a helpful addition to any healthy diet.
However, if you have certain medical conditions, barley may aggravate them.
These include irritable bowel syndrome or celiac disease.
Consult with your doctor for other heart-healthy fiber options.
2016;70(11):1239-1245. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2016.89
