Barley, Hordeum vulgare

For a natural product, barley grains have a relatively constant weight. The barley grain formed the basis for many units of weight, such as the Arabic habba, the Persian jou or gou or the Roman gran.

With long awns against heat and game

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an annual sweet grass (Poaceae) and is therefore related to wheat, rye, maize and rice. The ears in which the barley grains ripen develop on several stalks that grow to a height of between 50 and 100 cm. An important distinguishing feature of barley is the long awns (bristle like growths) of the ear. These protect it from damage by game and drought.

Important for the transition from hunter-gatherers to human settlements

Barley is one of the oldest cultivated plants known to mankind. Studies in the Nile Delta suggest that barley was already being cultivated 17,000 years ago. As a storable grain, barley played a decisive role in the diet of early civilisations and contributed to the mankind shifting from hunter-gatherer based approaches to early farming and settlements. It was used both as food for humans and as fodder for animals until it was replaced by wheat as the most important source of energy.

Today, barley is grown worldwide, with the main producers being Russia, Australia and Turkey. Cultivation takes place in different climate zones and the plant thrives in both temperate and subtropical regions. Barley is robust and can grow on different types of soil, but requires sufficient water and sunlight for an optimal harvest. Barley is either sown in spring (spring barley) or in the fall of the previous year (winter barley).

Beer and meat

As the ingredients differ slightly due to the cultivation, spring barley is used in human nutrition and for brewing beer, while winter barley is mostly fed to animals. In the human diet, barley is used in the form of whole grains, flour or as an ingredient in various dishes such as soups, salads and bread. More or less well-known dishes include barley soup and barley bread. The barley grains are malted during beer production. This involves germinating them in order to convert some of the starch into sugar and to form certain enzymes that play a role in the subsequent breakdown of protein and starch. Barley is also used in the production of whisky and other alcoholic beverages. In animal husbandry, barley is fed as a good source of energy.

Barley is said to have particular benefits for intestinal health. Barley contains a high proportion of beta-glucan, a dietary fiber that promotes intestinal motility, provides nourishment for our microbiome and can also lower cholesterol levels.

Sources

Badr et al (2000): On the Origin and Domestication History of Barley(Hordeum vulgare). Link.
Giraldo et al (2019): Worldwide Research Trends on Wheat and Barley: A Bibliometric Comparative Analysis. Link.
Planetwissen: Beer. Link.
Consumer advice center Bremen: Beer – good for the gut. Link.