Barley: Superchamp Whole Grain

The story of Barley is a wonderful one. Knowing that the roman army ate large amounts of barley when on there marches and the roman gladiators fueled up with barley makes it even more exciting. Barely in my opinion is a superfood. The nutritional benefit and ease of preparation happens to warrant high praise.

Research conducted in Canada, the United States, and Australia has shown that barley can play a significant role in lowering blood cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Other studies have shown that non-insulin dependent diabetics (Type II) had improved blood glucose levels as a result of including barley in their nutritional planning. It should be noted that barley rates an astoundingly low 27 on the glycemic index, which in comparison is 22 percent less than skim milk!

In addition, barley has high concentrations of Vitamin E complex, antioxidant compounds that work to suppress the activity of the first rate-limiting enzyme (HMG-CoA Reductase) in the liver, thus reducing cholesterol synthesis. And barley is one of the highest known sources of beta-glucans, carbohydrates (there's that word again) that have remarkable immune boosting properties and have been shown to improve blood glucose and lipid levels among diabetics in clinical trials.

Historically, barley has been used for thousands of years. The Roman army marched on it. It was the primary staple of their nutrition. They picked up that trick from the Greek gladiators who trained on it and were known as "barley eaters." (So much for meat being the food of choice for macho men.)

In ancient Rome, a food made from spouted barley, honey, and colostrum was used to sustain infants whose mother's died in childbirth. In more recent years, that same formula has been used by the UN to prevent starvation in Third World countries.

• Barley ranks incredibly low on the glycemic index, which is an outstanding concept for diabetics and weight loss interests.  
• It contains 1,000s of active enzymes.
• It is an ultra-long-chain carbohydrate that takes up to 4 hours to break down in the digestive tract, thus providing a slow, sustained release of energy and insulin
• Because the release is so slow, it actually lowers the body's insulin response.
• It provides over 400% more energy per calorie than any other food calorie known. (Despite what the USDA may tell you, not all calories are created equal.)

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