Why Including Organic Barley in Your Diet Lowers Your LDL Cholesterol, Reduces Glucose Problems for Diabetics, Reduces Heart Disease, Improves Digestion, Ulcerative Colitis and the Overall Health of All Humans

Foods containing barley, either as a recipe ingredient or used in the processing of packaged foods, have been touted by many for their nutritional benefits. While writing a companion blog containing Ashley’s “killer” recipe for organic beef barley soup, we found so much interesting information regarding barley, it warranted a second blog.

As we noted in the recipe, something in foods containing barley caused gouty arthritis symptoms, digestive disorders and other unwanted symptoms of food sensitivity and/or intolerance. As a result, we both put foods containing barley on our “no” list of foods (defined in our book, Mannie’s Diet and Enzyme Formula) to avoid.

Conventionally-grown barley contains gluten and is soaked in pesticides and other addictive chemicals that make barley unsuitable for consumption by those with celiac disease and other digestive diseases such as Crohn’s, IBD and IBS. Germinated barley foodstuff (GBF) may play a role in the management of ulcerative colitis. However, organic barley may be unsuitable for people with celiac disease. But not the other digestive illnesses.

After years of frustration, we decided to make an organic version at home. After all, what did we have to lose? Well, after a full week of feasting on the organic version of barley soup, neither one of us became ill. The proof is always in the pudding. The synthetic chemicals, pesticide residues, high salt and who knows what other ingredients used in the non-organic soups were the cause of our discomfort and probably that of others.

We have published our recipe for beef barley soup from our upcoming book, Mannie & Ashley’s Organic Cook Book, in a separate blog. But before you consider the importance of an organic version of beef barley soup, it is important to know what the different forms of barley are and what the health effects are associated with each form. But first, a little history for those interested in the genesis of the food humans eat.

Jared Diamond in his Pulitzer Prize winning book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, argues that "the availability of barley, along with other domesticable crops and animals, in southwestern Eurasia significantly contributed to the broad historical patterns that human history has followed over approximately the last 13,000 years."

Descriptions of barley have been found on clay writings and cave-dweller walls for thousands of years. It was one of the first crops cultivated by man. Barley is a cereal grain derived from an annual wild grass known as Hordeum vulgare. In 2007, 136 million tons of barley were grown in about 100 countries. It was ranked as number four in grains produced.

Barley is extremely high in calcium and protein and is far less allergenic than wheat. Barley does not encourage bloating or unhealthy bacterial growth and is better for daily consumption. Barley is rich in fiber content, protein, carbohydrates and B vitamins. It has a higher beta-glucan (a soluble fiber supplement) content than oats. Barley has no cholesterol and is low in fat.

Researchers at the University of Toronto claim that barley is one of the richest sources of the antioxidant tocotrienol, a form of vitamin E which reduces free radicals that damage the body. In addition to stopping free radical oxidation, barley’s nutrients work in the liver to reduce the body's cholesterol levels. Recent studies suggest that barley may reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in some patients.

Researchers also found its form of antioxidant to be 50% more powerful than other forms of vitamin E. Eating barley is more affordable than most vitamin E supplements on the market.

The FDA has announced that whole grain barley and barley-containing products are permitted to claim that they reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To qualify for the making this health claim, the FDA requires that barley-containing foods must provide at least 0.75 gram of soluble fiber per serving of the food. Whether this claim is true or the result of a lobbyist’s efforts to help his client market barley remains to be seen.

Barley contains eight essential amino acids. It also contains lignans which are compounds that have even more antioxidant ability, providing additional protection from cancer and other ailments.

Barley that is sold at the local grocery markets for human consumption have various degrees of refinement. However, refining barley decreases the nutrients in it. The following are the various forms of barley available in stores and food products.

Hulled (or covered barley) in refinement means that minimum of the inedible, fibrous outer shell (hull) is removed which leaves a chewy, robust grain and takes 60 to 90 minutes to cook. This dehulled barley is still considered a whole grain because it still has its bran and germ making it a nutritious and popular health food.

Pearled barley is barley after the hull is removed and the grain is polished or “pearled” which makes it quicker to cook. During the refining process, additional steam-processing removes more bran. The pearled barley has less nutrients and takes 50 to 60 minutes to cook.

Pot/Scotch barley is somewhere between Hulled and Pearled, found more commonly in Europe, and cooks in about an hour. Some categorize "hulled", "pot" and "scotch" barley as "dehulled" barley. However, there is a clear distinction in the manner of processing and the nutritional content after refinement.

Pearl barley is the form most frequently found in the grocery stores in the U.S. The dehulled or pearl barley may be found in other processed barley products such flour and flakes similar to oatmeal and grits. It is also used in processed foods where the ingredients’ label says “barley”.

Hulled barley is richer in B vitamins and almost certainly has a lower glycemic index than pearl barley because pearling removes some of the fiber.

The glycemic index (GI or dietary glycemic index) is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. It is an indicator of the ability of different types of foods that contain carbohydrates to raise the blood glucose levels within a two-hour period. Foods containing carbohydrates that break down most quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic index. The concept was developed by Dr. David J. Jenkins and colleagues in 1981 at the University of Toronto while researching which foods were best for people with diabetes.

Understanding the dietary glycemic index in barley is especially important to certain medical conditions such as diabetes. The lower the number the less negative effect it has on your health.

Doctors recommend that you eat very little of foods with a high glycemic index choosing to eat more of foods with a low index. To date, the GI of 750 high-carbohydrate foods has been measured by scientists. The list is easily located on many internet sites such as the South Beach Diet Plan – http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm.

Eating organic whole grain hulled barley can regulate blood sugar by reducing the blood glucose response to a meal for up to 10 hours after consumption compared to conventional or genetically modified white or even whole-grain wheat, which has a similar glycemic index. The studies reported that the effect was attributed to colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates. Barley acts as fiber and both conventional and GMO wheat can cause gas pains.

Biotech companies have been working on a genetically modified form of barley since 1996. From 2005 to 2010, two genetically modified barley lines were tested in the field, greenhouse and laboratory at the University of Giessen in Germany. Despite trials, the genetically modified barley does not provide increased resistance against fungi compared to the non-genetic form.

Barley strains were also developed at the Washington State University and have already been tested in the field. Their test results clearly showed that classic breeding and environmental factors such as fungal infection changed cultured plants considerably more than the targeted gene technological introduction of a single gene. It simple words, the genetically modified plants added nothing new to barley growing.

As a result, no biotech company has been successful in obtaining approval to market genetically modified barley. But make no mistake about it, biotech companies will be marketing GMO barley as soon as they can create a marketable change and obtain approval from the pro-biotech FDA.

If you are not aware of the issues surrounding genetically modified foods (GMOs), Dr. Arpad Putzai, and at least 20 other noted scientists, have proved that genetically engineered grains are not safe.

In 2005, Dr. Mae Ho found in her studies that there are serious health risks caused by the horizontal gene transfer found in genetically engineered foods which include, "Antibiotic resistance genes spreading to pathogenic bacteria. Disease-associated genes spreading and recombining to create new viruses and bacteria that cause diseases." There are many scientifically proven negative side effects of GMO foods chronicled in our books and blogs.

Conventionally grown barley is soaked in chemical fungicides and are toxic. As a result, we highly recommend organic forms of barley in our recipes. Organic hulled barley can be purchased at health food stores or on the Internet. Arrow Mills organic pearl barley is also available at Whole Foods Stores around the country.

Barley is a magical grain that has contributed to the health of mankind since its inception. The adulteration of barley in the newly created biotech world of greed and irresponsibility will be a danger to the long-term survival of mankind. Choose your food ingredients carefully and don’t be fooled by expensive advertising campaigns by Big Food manufacturers that just want to make a profit at the expense of your health.