If you’ve ever had steel-cut or Irish oats, then you’ve basically had oat groats. Steel-cut oats are simply oat groats that have been sliced two or three times so that they cook faster, especially over the stovetop.Similarly, Scottish oats are finely ground oat groats. Take note of the whole, however. While whole grains, such as oats, whole wheat, brown rice, and barley, have been shown to be associated with a lower risk of developing chronic disease, refined grains may actually increase your risk. Harvard University researchers, for example, found that while regular consumption of brown rice was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, consuming white rice was associated with higher risk. Daily servings of white rice were associated with a 17 percent greater risk of diabetes, whereas replacing one-third of a serving a day of white rice for brown rice might lead to a 16 percent drop in risk. And it looks like replacing white rice with oats and barley may be an even more powerful step, associated with a 36 percent drop in diabetes risk.

If you want your barley to stay more al dente, your soup to stay soupy, and to use the most traditional ingredients it’s worth looking for hulled barley rather than pearl barley. Whole grains are a good source of dietary fiber, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and selenium. Though barley makes up only 0.36% of cereal grains consumed in the US, it’s easy to add to your diet ( 30).Some great salad combinations include roasted beet and goat cheese salad with pearled barley or Mediterranean salad with chopped tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese crumbles mixed with cooked pearl barely. Soups/Stews/Chili In another study in 44 men with high cholesterol, eating a mixture of rice and pearled barley reduced “bad” LDL cholesterol and decreased belly fat, compared to a control group eating rice alone ( 27). Summary The good news is that modern cookers are designed to handle different types of grains and are often versatile enough to be used for steaming vegetables or even making soup.

Principal component analysis plots based on six compositional grain characteristics (thousand kernel weight (TKW) and β-glucan, protein, crude fibre, fat, and ash contents) grouped by ( a) cereal variety, ( b) field management, and ( c) grain fractions. ( d) Discriminant loading plot. Factor 1 is determined by the fat (0.8889), ash (0.8786), and crude fibre (0.7332) contents and TKW (−0.7693), while Factor 2 is determined by the protein (−0.8858) and β-glucan (0.8562) contents. More specifically, the beta-glucan fiber present in barley reduces low density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol by binding to bile acids and removing them from the body via excretion. In fact, according to one 2008 study, consuming 3 g of beta-glucans per day from certain barley products can reduce total cholesterol by 5–8%. Hulled barley undergoes minimal processing to remove only the inedible outer shell, leaving the bran and germ intact. Wheat groats are also known as wheat berries and bulgur. Wheat groats can be used as a substitute for other grains such as quinoa in recipes like my vegetarian stuffed acorn squash. Barley Groats

Other studies have indicated that eating a diet rich in these nutrients may help reduce heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure.

One of the most common questions is how long it takes and how much water is needed. The general rule is to use a 1:2 ratio of barley to water. However, it is important to note that the health benefits of whole grains are not limited to hulled barley. Pearl barley also contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and can be part of a healthy diet. Cooking Tips

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Barley is a versatile grain with a nutty flavor and a chewy, pasta-like texture. People can prepare it in various ways.