Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses: Coffee  Drink  Salt  Sweetener

The grain of cultivated barley is an excellent human food when properly harvested and prepared. Unlike the small grains of wild barley species, cultivated barley kernels are large enough to justify threshing, cleaning, and storage. Their high starch content makes them useful as a staple cereal, while the bran and cell walls contain substantial dietary fiber. Barley is sold in several forms. Hulled barley has had only the tough outer husk removed and retains most of the bran. Pearled barley has been polished more heavily, removing the husk and some or much of the bran. Pot barley is usually polished less extensively than pearl barley. Whole barley grains can be boiled and served like rice, added to soups, cooked into porridge or used in grain salads. Barley can also be cracked, rolled into flakes or milled into flour. Processed barley is widely used as pearled grain, groats, flakes and flour in cereal-based foods. The supplied information correctly notes that mature barley grains are generally too hard to eat directly from the plant. Toasting quickly changes their texture, making them crisp, nutty and more palatable. Young green grains can be eaten after cooking, although they are normally harvested when fully mature because mature grain stores better and provides more concentrated food energy. Barley shoots are sometimes juiced or dried into powders, but the mature grain remains the principal edible part. Barley is not gluten-free. It contains hordein, a gluten-related storage protein, and is unsuitable for people with coeliac disease [2-3]. Edible Uses & Rating: Cultivated barley merits an edibility rating of 5/5. It produces a large quantity of nutritious, storable and versatile grain. Few plants combine its productivity, adaptability, long storage life and range of culinary uses. The grain can be boiled whole, added to soups and casseroles, served as a grain side dish, cooked into porridge, toasted for snacks, rolled into flakes, ground into flour or germinated to produce malt. Barley flour can be used in flatbreads, biscuits, pancakes, crackers, cakes and mixed-grain loaves. It normally produces a denser loaf than bread wheat because its proteins do not form an equally strong and elastic gluten network. Barley malt provides natural sweetness and characteristic roasted flavors. It is a primary ingredient in many beers and is also used in whisky, malt vinegar, malted drinks, confectionery and baking. Sprouted barley grains can be cooked or dried after germination. However, sprouted grain must be handled carefully because warm, moist malting conditions can also encourage mould and bacterial growth. Barley’s edible value is reduced only by its persistent hull in many cultivars, its gluten content and the time needed to cook whole grain. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Barley has a mild, nutty and slightly earthy flavor. Hulled barley has a firmer texture and stronger cereal taste than pearled barley. Pearl barley cooks more quickly and becomes softer and creamier because part of the bran has been removed. The supplied notes describe toasted barley as fantastic, and this is a particularly useful preparation. Dry roasting produces a deeper aroma and transforms the hard grain into something delicately crisp. To toast cleaned barley, place it in a heavy dry pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the grains smell nutty and begin to deepen in colour. Remove them before they burn, as scorched barley becomes bitter. Toasted grains can be eaten as a snack if thoroughly cooked through, mixed with nuts and dried fruit, ground into meal or added to soups. Larger or especially hard grains may benefit from soaking or partial cooking before roasting. Whole hulled barley generally requires prolonged simmering. Soaking it for several hours or overnight shortens the cooking time. Pearled barley cooks more quickly and is especially suitable for beef-and-barley soup, vegetable soups and thick stews. Barley porridge can be made from cracked grain, flakes or flour. Cracked barley retains a pleasing texture, while flour produces a smoother gruel. Barley flour has a warm, slightly sweet flavor. It works well in pancakes, biscuits, flatbreads and mixed-flour bread. For a lighter yeast-raised loaf, it is usually blended with wheat flour. Roasted barley can also be steeped to make a caffeine-free beverage. Barley tea is widely consumed in parts of East Asia and may be served hot or chilled. Barley water is made by simmering grain in water and straining the liquid. Lemon or other flavorings may be added. Seasonality (Phenology): Cultivated barley may be grown as either a spring or winter crop. Spring barley is sown when the soil can be worked and develops rapidly during cool spring and early summer weather. It is especially important in regions with severe winters or short growing seasons. Winter barley is sown in autumn, establishes before winter and resumes strong growth in spring. It normally matures earlier than spring-sown barley but requires a cultivar adapted to local winter conditions. Flowering and grain development commonly occur from late spring through summer. World Flora Online records flowering and fruiting broadly from June to August, although cultivation dates vary greatly with climate and sowing season. ?cite?turn148494search26? The grain begins as a soft, milky kernel. It then passes through a dough stage before becoming hard and dry. Harvest normally takes place in late summer, matching the supplied notes. In some warm or winter-cropping regions, barley may mature during spring or early summer. Once mature, the grain can remain on the plant for a time because domestication has reduced the shattering habit found in wild barley. Nevertheless, prompt harvesting is advisable. Wet weather after maturity increases the risk of grain sprouting in the head, fungal infection, staining and reduced malting quality. Strong wind and rain may also cause lodging or broken heads. For small-scale harvesting, the best stage is when the heads and stems are golden, the grain is hard and cannot easily be dented with a fingernail, but before prolonged rain or severe weather arrives. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): Barley contains gluten and must not be consumed by people with coeliac disease. People with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity or a diagnosed barley allergy may also need to avoid it. Whole dry barley grains are very hard and should not be chewed in quantity directly from the mature plant. Cooking, cracking, milling, malting or roasting makes them more digestible and protects the teeth. Awned varieties should be processed carefully. Although cultivated barley awns are usually less dangerous than those of Foxtail Barley or Mouse Barley, stiff awns and chaff can still irritate the hands, skin, eyes, mouth and throat. Do not eat grain that smells musty, fermented or moldy unless deliberate fermentation has taken place under controlled food-safe conditions. Discard grain showing extensive blackening, pink mould, unusual discoloration, insect contamination or elongated fungal bodies. Barley and other cereals can be infected by Fusarium fungi, smuts, rusts and other diseases. Grain intended for human food must be clean, dry and stored under conditions that prevent fungal development. Seed sold for agricultural sowing may have been treated with fungicides or insecticides. Treated seed must never be eaten, sprouted or fed casually to animals. Grain gathered from roadside escapes should be avoided because it may have been exposed to vehicle pollution, herbicides, animal waste or contaminated runoff. Home malting requires careful hygiene. Warm, damp grain can support mould and harmful bacteria when germination is poorly controlled. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Select healthy plants with full heads and no obvious fungal disease. Wait until the plants have turned golden and the grains are firm and dry. Test several kernels from different heads rather than relying on colour alone. Harvesting too early produces soft grain with high moisture content and poor storage quality. Harvesting too late increases exposure to rain, birds, lodging and disease. For a small plot, cut the stalks with a sickle, shears or secateurs. Gather them into bundles and keep the heads upright to reduce grain loss. Allow the bundles to finish drying under cover in a well-ventilated place. Protect them from rain, rodents and birds. Thresh the grain by beating the heads inside a clean container, rubbing them through gloved hands or using a small mechanical thresher. Unlike wild barleys, domesticated barley usually retains its head long enough for controlled threshing. Remove stems and coarse material with a sieve. Winnow the grain by pouring it slowly in front of a controlled airflow so that lighter chaff blows away while the heavier kernels fall into a container. We noted that the awns often break apart readily during threshing and winnowing. The more difficult material is usually the lemma and palea that remain attached to hulled barley grains. For household use, hull removal may require pounding, abrasion or specialized dehulling equipment. Naked or hulless cultivars separate more readily and are therefore particularly useful for small-scale food production. Dry the cleaned grain thoroughly before storage. Grain stored with excessive moisture can heat, ferment or develop mould. Keep the grain in sealed food-grade containers in a cool, dark and dry location. Inspect it periodically for insects, condensation and musty odours. Cultivar / Selection Notes: Cultivated barley includes thousands of varieties developed for different climates and purposes. One major distinction is between two-row barley and six-row barley. In two-row barley, only the central spikelet at each rachis node is fertile, producing two orderly rows of grain along the head. In six-row barley, all three spikelets at each node are fertile, creating six apparent rows of grain. The supplied notes refer to cultivated barley spikelets having three florets or spikelets that are fertile; this accurately describes six-row types, but not every barley cultivar. Two-row barley often produces larger and more uniform kernels and is widely favoured for malting in many regions. Six-row barley generally produces more grains per head and has often been used for feed and certain brewing traditions. Another important distinction is between hulled barley and naked or hulless barley. In hulled cultivars, the lemma and palea adhere tightly to the grain at maturity. These are the persistent chaff structures. In hulless cultivars, the hull separates during threshing, making the grain much easier to prepare as a whole food. Hulless barley is particularly suitable for gardeners, smallholders and home processors without commercial pearling equipment. Varieties are also selected for spring or winter sowing, early maturity, short straw, drought tolerance, disease resistance, malting quality, high beta-glucan content and specialised grain colours. Barley grains may be cream, tan, blue, purple or almost black. FAO’s EcoCrop description notes that barley grains can occur in several colours and distinguishes pearled grain from malted grain. For home food production, a hulless, disease-resistant and locally adapted cultivar is normally the easiest choice. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Cultivated barley can resemble wheat, rye, triticale and several wild barley species. Wheat generally has broader, more robust heads and often lacks the extremely long awns seen in many barley cultivars. Where wheat is awned, the arrangement of spikelets and the form of the head still differ. Rye usually has a slimmer, more flexible head and narrower grains. Its spikelets are arranged differently and do not occur as three separate spikelets at each rachis node. Triticale is a cultivated wheat–rye hybrid and may resemble either parent. Its grains and heads are generally larger and heavier than those of barley. Oats are readily distinguished once flowering because their spikelets hang in an open, branching panicle rather than a compact spike. Foxtail Barley has a soft-looking, spreading head with numerous very long awns that become dangerously barbed and shatter readily. Mouse Barley has smaller, stiffer heads and commonly grows as a roadside or urban weed. Its grains are far smaller than cultivated barley. Meadow Barley is usually perennial and grows in moist meadows, marshes and riparian areas. Cultivated barley can be recognised by its stout annual habit, prominent clasping auricles, dense head, large grains and triplets of spikelets at each rachis node. In six-row barley, all three spikelets are fertile. In two-row barley, the lateral spikelets are sterile or reduced and only the central spikelet forms a full grain. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Barley was domesticated in western Asia and became one of the foundational crops of early agricultural societies. It spread through Europe, North Africa and Asia and was used for bread, porridge, gruel, fermented drinks and animal fodder. In dry, cold and high-altitude regions, barley often remained more dependable than wheat. It became especially important in places where frost, drought, poor soils or short seasons limited other cereal crops. Barley preparations have included flatbreads, roasted meal, soups, porridges, fermented foods and beverages. In Tibet and neighbouring Himalayan regions, roasted barley flour is used to make tsampa, a major traditional food. Across northern Europe, barley was historically used in breads, porridges, ales and soups. In the Middle East and North Africa, barley has long been used for flatbreads, gruels, animal feed and traditional drinks. Barley was introduced to the Americas after European contact. It was therefore not a pre-contact Indigenous North American crop, although Indigenous communities later incorporated introduced cereals into local farming and food systems in some regions. Its historical importance reflects more than grain yield. Barley stores well, matures quickly, tolerates cold and salinity better than many cereals and can produce food in difficult agricultural environments. Seed - cooked as a whole grain or ground up and used as a flour for making bread, porridges etc[2, 7, 46, 183]. It has a low gluten content and so is unsuitable for making wheat-type breads[238, K]. The seed can be fermented into sourdough and many other fermented foods such as 'tempeh' and 'miso'[183]. The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads or the sprouted seed juiced and the juice drunk as a health-food drink[183]. The decorticated seed is called pearl barley. This is no longer viable since the decortication process damages the embryo. It is used in soups, stews etc[238]. Malt is obtained by sprouting the whole seed and then roasting it. The seed is then ground into a flour and boiled in water. The resulting liquid is very sweet and can be used in making beer or other drinks, and as a nutritious sweetener in various foods.[7, 46]. The roasted (unsprouted) seed is used as a coffee[46, 183] and a salt substitute.

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Abortifacient  Cancer  Carminative  Demulcent  Digestive  Diuretic  Emollient  Expectorant  
Febrifuge  Galactofuge  Hypoglycaemic  Lenitive  Nutritive  Poultice  Stomachic


The shoots are diuretic[218]. The seed sprouts are demulcent, expectorant, galactofuge, lenitive and stomachic[176, 218]. They are sometimes abortifacient[218]. They are used in the treatment of dyspepsia caused by cereals, infantile lacto-dyspepsia, regurgitation of milk and breast distension[176]. They are best not given to a nursing mother since this can reduce milk flow[176]. The seed is digestive, emollient, nutritive, febrifuge and stomachic[218]. It is taken internally as a nutritious food or as barley water (an infusion of the germinated seed in water) and is of special use for babies and invalids[238]. Its use is said to reduce excessive lactation[238]. Barley is also used as a poultice for burns and wounds[4, 46, 176, 218]. The plant has a folk history of antitumour activity[218]. The germinating seed has a hypoglycaemic effect preceded by a hyperglycaemic action[218]. Modern research has shown that barley may be of aid in the treatment of hepatitis, whilst other trials have shown that it may help to control diabetes[254]. Barley bran may have the effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels and preventing bowel cancer[254]. Other uses for bronchitis and diarrhoea, and as a source of folic acid and vitamin B12 and B6. Weight loss[301].

Biomass  Mulch  Paper

The stems, after the seed has been harvested, have many uses. They are a source of fibers for making paper, a biomass for fuel, etc.; they can be shredded and used as a mulch[141, 171]. Ecology & Wildlife: Cultivated barley is primarily an agricultural plant rather than a natural ecosystem species. Its fibrous roots provide temporary soil cover and can reduce erosion during the growing season. Barley is sometimes grown as a cover crop, green manure or nurse crop, particularly where rapid establishment is needed. Its relatively strong tolerance of cool conditions and moderate salinity makes it useful on land where other cereals may struggle. The grain is eaten by birds, rodents and many domestic animals. Green barley foliage can be grazed or cut for forage before the stems and awns become too mature. Barley straw provides bedding and limited roughage, although its feeding value is lower than that of good hay. Stubble fields may provide temporary feeding habitat for birds and mammals after harvest, especially where spilled grain remains. Large uniform barley fields support fewer plant species than natural grassland, but field margins, rotations and mixed farming systems can increase their ecological value. Barley can also help interrupt some broadleaf crop diseases when used in rotation, although continuous cereal production encourages cereal-specific pests and pathogens. It can be used ornamentally in edible gardens, demonstration plots and seasonal meadow plantings. The plants die after seed production and leave bare ground unless followed by another crop or allowed to self-sow. Barley is therefore more useful as an annual agricultural or edible-landscape crop than as permanent structural planting. For PFAF users, cultivated barley is best understood as an outstanding edible annual crop with secondary value for livestock, soil cover, straw and wildlife—not as a permanent ecological planting.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming