Is Barley Gluten-free

Table of Content

• Introduction

• What is barley

• Barley’s Nutritional Value

• How to cook barley

• Is Barley Flour Gluten-Free?

• Products Made from Barley

• How to identify barley on food labels

• Take Home Points

• FAQ on is barley gluten-free

Introduction

Unfortunately, barley contains gluten. About 5-8% of barley is gluten and thus should not be consumed by people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Gluten can also be found in different whole grains, such as wheat and rye. Gluten is a form of protein that works like glue to help foods get their shape. Gluten can trigger inflammation of the small intestines in people with a medical condition called celiac disease. If you don’t have celiac disease and yet you experience adverse reactions when you take gluten, you may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

What is barley?

Barley refers to a cereal grain that is categorised under the grass family. It can be cultivated in both wet and dry environments, and thus it is commonly farmed in India and other parts of the world.

In India, barley is mostly cultivated as an animal feed and to produce beer, while the rest is used for human consumption.

There are several ways to process barley. Examples of barley whole-grain recipes include:

·         Hulled barley/whole-grain barley with its outer shell cautiously removed to avoid loss of nutrients. This happens to be the least processed form of barley.

·         Pearled barley in which the outer shell is removed and then polished. In this type of barley, more nutrients are lost than in hulled barley.

·         Barley flour which is produced by grounding whole grain or pearled barley.

·         Barley flakes which looks like oatmeal made from whole grain or pearled barley.

·         Barley grits: produced from small pieces of whole-grain or pearled barley.

·         Barley malt: produced by soaking and drying barley kernels. They are then allowed to germinate.

Regardless of the type of barley you select, it is easy to cook. All you require are a few cups of water or broth and some simple seasoning.

Barley’s Nutritional Value

Barley is mainly available in two forms: hulled and pearled. 100 grams of uncooked hulled and pearled barley contains:

·         Energy: 350 calories

·         Protein: 12.5 grams

·         Fat: 2.3 grams

·         Carbohydrates: 73.5 grams

·         Fiber: 17.3 grams

·         Calcium: 30 milligrams

·         Iron: 3.6 milligrams

·         Magnesium: 133 milligrams

·         Phosphorous: 265 milligrams

·         Sodium: 10 milligrams

·         Manganese: 1.9 milligrams

·         Folate: 19 micrograms

·         Selenium: 37.7 micrograms

How to cook barley

Depending on the kind of barley you have, the cooking method is almost the same for all types, but one type may take a little longer.

Hulled barley

Soaking the dry grains should be the first step. Put 1 cup of the dry hulled barley in a large bowl and add 3 cups of water. Let it sit overnight or for a few hours. Soaking helps the cooking water to easily penetrate the grains better. You can skip this step if you are using pearl barley.

Cooking the grains

       I.            Boil 3 cups of water or broth and add a cup of barley. You can season as much as you like. You can add a pinch of kosher salt for an added texture and taste.

    II.            Lower the cooking heat to medium-low and simmer. Wait until all the moisture has been absorbed when the barley appears tender and chewy in texture.

 III.            Pearled barley may take 25 to 30 minutes to cook while hulled barley may take between 45 minutes and 1 hour to cook.

 IV.            Once your barley is cooked, drain to get rid of any excess liquid. You can then garnish with grated parsley and serve.

Is Barley Flour Gluten-Free?

Although barley flour from whole-grain is considered to be a healthy option, it is not gluten-free. It is thus a problematic food for those with celiac disease or people with gluten intolerance or sensitivity.

Most people don’t notice that there are different types of gluten. The specific type of gluten found in barley is known as hordein. Given that these seeds are the ones we use in food and beverage production, it is understandable to say that most products that contain barley also contain gluten. These include all products made from barley flour, including malted products, granola bars, beer, cereals, soups and more.

Is Barley Grass Gluten-Free?

Though rarely, barley grass may be gluten-free. However, it is considered to be highly risky for a person with celiac disease. According to many experts, it is greatly advisable to avoid barley completely if you are on a gluten-free diet.

Barley grass can only be gluten-free if it is harvested before sprouting or producing seeds. However, some barley grass may have early sprouts and thus there are higher chances that it may contain gluten.

In addition, the tests used to check gluten content may be erroneous in underestimating or overestimating gluten content in a food product.

Some celiac disease professionals recommend that you should consult the manufacturer if you are planning to purchase a gluten-free product containing barley grass.

Is Pearl Barley Gluten-Free?

Technically, pearl barley doesn’t count as a whole grain since the hull and seed kernel’s outer coating are removed during processing. Pearl barley is rich in fibre and is an excellent source of minerals and vitamins.

However, just like barley grass, pearl barley may contain gluten unless it is harvested before sprouting or producing seeds. Given that some barley may have early sprouts, pearl barley may contain some gluten.

Products Made from Barley

Barley is commonly used to produce a variety of products and its main culinary uses include:

·         Pearled barley

This is made by eliminating the two outer layers of barley grain. Pearled barley is mainly used in casseroles and soups or as a side dish.

·         Scotch barley

This refers to a husked grain that has been roughly ground. It is commonly used in soups and stews.

·         Barley flour

It is produced by grinding the pearls of barley grain. In the Middle East and Africa, barley flour is mixed with wheat flour to make bread or ground and cooked as porridge. Breads made from barley flour have a sweeter taste. In India and other Asian countries, barley flour is used to make noodles.

·         Barley grits

These are chopped grains that have a shorter cooking time unlike whole grains. It is commonly used to make casseroles, soups, stews, hamburgers and as an ingredient in breakfast cereals.

·         Barley flakes

These are barley grains that are initially soaked to soften before they are blended with baked products. They can be used to make milk puddings, porridge or as an ingredient in breakfast cereals.

·         Malted barley

This is mainly used to produce alcoholic beverages like beer and whisky. It is also used as a flavouring for breakfast cereals and for malted milk.

Are Barley Malt and Barley Malt Extract Gluten-Free?

No. barley malt and barley malt extracts are not gluten-free. If any product contains the word “malt,” it indicates there is gluten in the product. Examples include malted beverages (like beer), malted milk, malted vinegar, and malted syrup.

A note about beer: Some beers are being labelled as “Gluten Removed.” The tests that have been used are not scientifically validated and thus the researchers aren’t sure if gluten has been completely eliminated. Until comprehensive studies have been conducted, celiac disease professionals recommend people with celiac disease to avoid gluten removed beers and sticking to beers made from naturally gluten-free grains like sorghum.

How to identify barley on food labels

It can be easy to identify gluten-containing grain in food labels. For instance, wheat is a common allergen and will thus appear in the allergen section of the food label. Alternatively, barley is also indicated but the majority of manufacturers will not indicate the source of gluten in their products.

To identify barley in a food label, you should just check for the word “barley.” Sometimes, barley can be hidden in other ingredients like smoke flavouring or natural flavouring. Some food colorings may also contain barley.

Other words that may indicate that a product contains barley include maltose, malt, dextrimaltose, malt syrup, and malt sugar.

It is important to be extra careful when dealing with beer and other alcoholic beverages. Beer which is commonly brewed with barley contains gluten. However, there are some “gluten-removed” beers. These are commonly made from traditional method whereby the manufacturers use certain enzymes to degrade the gluten protein. This yields a more traditional beer flavour that contains fewer amounts of gluten.

Take Home Points

The answer to the question is barley gluten free is very simple. Barley is not gluten-free. The only type that is gluten-free is the barley that has been harvested before the plant sprouts or starts producing seeds. This type is rare because some barley plants sprout or start producing seeds at an early stage.

Nearly all barley products contain gluten and thus people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid them completely.

It is very easy to identify food products containing barley simply by checking the ingredient in the labels. Manufacturers may identify barley with other synonyms such as malt, maltose, malt syrup, or malt sugar.