Beige and shaped like a flattened oval, barley is usually sold pearled, where it is hulled and polished to cook more quickly.

Barley can also be found in quick cooking, whole hulled, Job’s tears (large hulled grains) grits flakes and flour varieties.

Used to make beer, whiskey and cattle feed, barley is a gluten grain it should be avoided by those with gluten sensitivity.

Glycemic Index = 36
Glycemic Load = 11

Hulled (also called whole-grain) barley has only the outer husk removed and is the most nutritious form of the grain. Scotch barley is husked and coarsely ground. Barley grits are hulled barley grains that have been cracked into medium-coarse pieces. Hulled and Scotch barley and barley grits are generally found in health-food stores. Pearl barley has also had the bran removed and has been steamed and polished. It comes in three sizes coarse, medium and fine and is good in soups and stews.