Since You Asked: Little barley is big on healthy goodness

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Barley is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals as well as a heart-healthy soluble fiber called beta-glucan that brings cholesterol levels down. | AP

Updated: March 16, 2012 8:01AM

Q. What can you tell me about barley?

A. Barley is a comforting, chewy, slightly sweet grain that is most familiar to fans of mushroom-barley soup. Barley is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals as well as a heart-healthy soluble fiber called beta-glucan that has been shown to lower cholesterol. Because of barley’s structure, some of this soluble fiber remains even when much of the bran layer has been removed, so even pearl barley has good nutritional value. Available forms: whole kernels, pearl, grits, flakes, flour.

Whole kernels are labeled according to type and how they’ve been processed:

† Hulled barley (also called “pot barley”) — the inedible hull is removed and, with it, a tiny bit of the closely attached bran. Cooks in 40-50 minutes.

† Hull-less barley — the inedible hulls fall off naturally during harvesting, leaving all of the bran intact. Cooks in 35 to 45 minutes.

† Pearl barley — along with the hulls, some percentage of bran is lost as a result of “pearling,” an abrasive polishing process. The more the kernels are pearled, the less bran remains.

Pearl barley sold in health-food stores is generally less pearled than the barley sold in supermarkets. Cooks in about 30 minutes. Quick-cooking barley is heavily pearled barley that has been par-cooked. Cooks in 10 minutes.

Courtesy Lorna Sass on foodnetwork.com

Scripps Howard News Service