Barley: The Superfood Grain

I often forget about barley as a whole grain choice.

We often think about barley as peasant food or that mystery grain found in some soups.

But, barley has many nutritional benefits and can be easily used in everyday cooking.

Barley is similar to wheat as it is in the grass family and does contain gluten. So, those who avoid gluten or who have Celiac's Disease should avoid barley.

One cup of barley contains 13.6 grams of fiber which makes it an excellent fiber source. This is higher than most other foods. In comparison, oatmeal contains 4 grams per cup.

Barley is also an excellent source of selenium, and a good source of copper, manganese, niacin, and phosphorus. The high selenium content along with the high fiber content makes barley a powerful cancer-fighting grain. Studies have shown selenium to help prevent colon cancer as it can help to repair damaged cells.

Barley is considered a low glycemic food and therefore, is a great grain for Diabetics as well as those watching their weight. The magnesium found in barley in combination with the high fiber content helps regulate healthier insulin levels.

When shopping for barley, look for hulled barley which is a whole grain. This means that only the outer tough layer of the grain has been removed.

Here are some suggestions on how you can add barley to your healthy diet.

As the weather cools down, try adding barley as your grain to soups or stews. Try making a cold barley salad with fresh vegetables and herbs. Serve barley like rice as a side grain to your meat or fish. You can also buy barley flour for use in baking. Try cooking barley for breakfast like you would with oatmeal.

Aside from using barley for beer-making, there are plenty of other healthy ways to include barley in your diet! Again, more proof that whole foods help keep a body healthy.

Do you regularly eat barley? If so, how do you like to eat it?

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Sprouted Grain Bread or Whole Grain Bread?

So the last couple trips to the grocery store I've bought sprouted bread instead of the normal whole grain bread I usually buy.

Sprouted grain bread seems like it's gaining popularity, but I wanted to see if it's really more nutritious than breads made from dormant grain.

Personally, I found both varieties of the sprouted grain bread I purchased to be a little dry and chewy for my liking, but the bag tells me that sprouted bread is a "miracle" and that it contains more nutrients than standard whole grain bread.

Well, I'm not sure if I would call any bread a miracle, but I can easily compare it nutritionally to non-sprouted grain bread.

(Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame) Serving size: 1 slice (34g)

Ingredients: Organic Sprouted Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Rye, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Oats, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Sprouted Corn, Organic Sprouted Brown Rice, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt

Source: Food For Life

(Roman Meal 100% Whole Grain Bread) Serving size: 1 slice (32g)

Ingredients: Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Whole Wheat, Vital Wheat Gluten, Brown Sugar, Whole Rye, Yeast, Honey, Molasses, Soybean Oil, Salt, Cultured Wheat Flour, Yeast Nutrients (Ammonium Sulfate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dough Conditioners (Malted Barley Flour, Calcium Sulfate, Enzymes), Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate (Iron), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), and Folic Acid, Soy Lecithin.

Source: Schwebels

I know there are probably healthier whole grain breads out there, but comparing these two popular brands, it's easy to see which one is the better choice. Not only does the sprouted bread fair better nutritionally, but ingredient wise it is much healthier. The whole grain bread contains three types of added sugar and has to artificially add many of the nutrients. Sprouted bread also is a complete protein source because of the combination of grains and legumes used.

Miracle or not, I think I will continue to buy sprouted bread even though it tends to be less moist than I prefer.

Have you tried sprouted bread? What do you think of it?

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