Barley News & Updates

Written by Meg Wolff, Healthy and Macrobiotic Living - www.becoming-whole.com

I got an e-mail from Harriet last week bringing my attention to an article in the February issue of O, The Oprah Magazine about the importance of eating whole grains for breakfast. So I bought a copy and read this brief article by Sari Harrar about the benefits of barley:

"Move over, wheat toast, and make room for humble barley: This soft, spherical comfort food can keep your blood sugar 20 to 30 percent lower than other morning grains like the whole wheat in toast for up to ten hours, Swedish researchers have found. In a related study, even-keeled blood sugar resulted in better short-term memory and strong powers of concentration ..." the article begins. It notes that barley is digested very slowly and contains beneficial "slow-release carbohydrates such as beta-glucan."

Barley is one of the three most common grains eaten on a macrobiotic diet (which is centered on whole grains), the other two being brown rice and millet. I commonly eat brown rice or barley for breakfast myself. I ALWAYS eat breakfast and it’s almost always a whole grain. Occasionally I have a cracked grain like oatmeal or cornmeal porridge. And ... I ALWAYS have a few vegetables. Yes, even in the morning! I top off my grain with some toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or sometimes (my husband’s favorite) a small handful of organic trail mix (a combination of sunflower & pumpkin seeds, almonds and raisins.) Or ... in season, I add fresh blueberries or other fruit.

My morning veggies are a steamed green like kale or bok choy and a root vegetable like carrots. I frequently cut them up the night before and put on the stove top in a tiny amount of water, ready to turn on to cook in the morning. A breakfast of whole grains and veggies keeps me satiated until lunch ... or sometimes longer!

And, many thanks to Oprah Magazine for recommending barley and other whole grains for breakfast!

BARLEY FOR BREAKFAST
1 cup organic barley
2-3 cups of spring or filtered water
pinch of sea salt

Place barley in a 1 1/2 quart pan with tap water to wash, drain. Add new water (spring water or filtered tap), soak overnight. In the morning add pinch of sea salt, bring to a boil on high flame turn, turn to low and simmer for one hour.

Serve warm.

Leftovers may be used for subsequent breakfasts (keeps refrigerated for about three days). Take 1 cup leftover brown rice with barley and 1/3 cup of water, heat to boil, turn to low and simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Add toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and enjoy!