ats or oatmeal is well known to have cholesterol-lowering benefits to prevent heart disease. However, a recent study¹ in 2004 showed that by incorporating barley in daily diet, bad cholesterol level can be dropped by 14 -17%. Barley is also a whole grain which is low in calories, fat and protein and high in fiber. The major component in barley which help reduces cholesterol is the soluble fiber beta-glucan. Beta-glucan soluble fiber can reduce bad cholesterol by binding to bile acid in the gut and then excreted. A daily intake of 3-6g beta-glucan is recommended to have significant cholesterol lowering effect and 100 g of whole grain barley already provides 4.3-5.5 g beta-glucan.

Barley is also a low glycemic index food which allows sugar to be released and absorbed more slowly after eating resulting in better regulation of blood sugar². As barley is a high fiber food, it also increases satiety for weight reduction individuals in order to prevent over-consumption of other foods³. Besides its benefits to heart health, blood sugar and weight reduction, increased intake of barley also prevent constipation which reduces the chance of colon cancer.