Barley (Da Mai)

Botanical Name: Hordeum vulgare L.

Barley is well known for its anti-cancer and healthy heart attributes. It is a nutritious grain that is a staple in Tibetan cuisine. It is packed with fiber that helps improve digestion, it is known as a high-fiber grain.

Watch a short video, from Ann Christensen, Founder and Creator of White Rabbit Institute of Healing™ – One of the Secrets of Barley…

Below is an overview of barley, combining the best of Western Science, Oriental Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Shamanism, Folklore, and a wide range of healing modalities. Gain a balanced and thorough understanding of the healing properties of barley.

Parts Most Frequently Used: Grain, Grass

Flavors/Temps: Sweet, Cooling

Caution: Considered very safe.

Key Constituents: Fiber, Beta-glucans, Manganese, Molybdenum, Selenium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin E, B1 and B3, Chromium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Lignans, Hordenine

History/Folklore: Barley was one of the first grains to be cultivated. It was cultivated in the Near East some 10,000 years ago. It has a rich nut-like flavor. Barley is available in several forms: sprouted barley (also called hulled barley), pearl barley, scotch barley, barley grits, barley oil extract, and barley flour. Hulled barley is the most nutritious.

Barley ripens before wheat, around the time of Passover, which meant in Biblical times that it could be subject to hail storms that destroy crops. The seventh plague sent to Egypt was a hail storm that destroyed the barley and flax crops. This event led to barley becoming known as the “overcomer.” The Hebrew month of Abib (green ears) refers to the ripening of barley.

In Ancient Egypt, barley was such an important crop that it was celebrated as a symbol of Upper Egypt. It was considered a gift of the gods. According to legend the goddess Isis brought barley to the peoples of the Nile from Lebanon.

In Babylon barley was used as a standard method of payment.

In Ancient China barley was considered a symbol of masculine potency because the ears of barley have “beards” (hair) and many seeds. Barley water has long been used in China as a restorative and blood-purifying tonic.

Don’t confuse Chinese barley (aka Job’s Tears or adlay millet/Coix lachryma-jobi/Yi Yi Ren or Yi Mi) with barley (Hordeum vulgare/Da Mai). Both are edible but are different plants.

In the Middle Ages barley was used to make bread and malts. The Celtic druids used barley grass juice to heal wounds and as a magic potion for their people during military campaigns.

In Islam, the Prophet Muhammad prescribed barley for many diseases.

Barley grass juice is used similarly to barley water. Both are high in nutrition and can support heart health and regulate blood sugar.

Barley has a “prebiotic” effect, helping to nourish the friendly bacteria in your large intestine and maintain a healthy colon.

The chance of suffering asthma was reduced by 72-88% in children who had high-intake of whole grains and fish, notably the Omega-3 from the fish and the magnesium and vitamin E from the grains.

The phosphorus in barley helps with cell repair.

Hordenin, a compound mostly found in bitter orange (Chen Pi) and barley, is an alkaloid that affects the body similarly to the hormone adrenaline, increasing blood pressure and balancing blood sugar.

Barley contains the highest levels of fiber, especially beta-glucan (20g), oats are next (3-8g), and compared to rice (0.13g), barley has far more fiber. Wheat is also significantly lower in fiber (0.5-1.0) than barley.

There is two-row and six-row barley, referring to the number of spikelets. Two-row barley has a lower protein content than six-row barley, thus it has more fermentable sugar content. The higher protein six-row variety is most often used when feeding animals. Two-row barley is used in traditional English ale-style beers. Six-row is more commonly in American lager-style beers.

Unhulled barley is typically used in barley tea or for sprouting (becoming hulled barley) and has the most nutritional value. Unhulled barley needs to be soaked for hours before using to help break down compounds that make it hard to digest. Hulled barley (aka sprouted barley) has had the husk removed, leaving the bran intact. It is easier to digest and is still high in fiber, iron, and minerals. Scotch barley has been milled a few times also leaving the bran intact however it is less nutritious than either unhulled or hulled. Pearl barley has had some of the bran removed and is lower still in nutrients and fiber than the other forms of barley but cooks faster. Barley grits are toasted and cracked grains.