This nutty grain is packed with fiber and is linked to health benefits. How to add barley to your meals, according to a registered dietitian.

Barley. We’ve all heard of it, yet few people have eaten it in anything other than soup. While oatmeal and quinoa have both had their moments, barley has yet to get the credit it deserves — even though the cereal grain has been cultivated for thousands of years. Boasting a hearty, nutty flavor and chewy texture similar to farro, barley can be a delicious and nutritious addition to a variety of dishes, including soups, stews and salads.

The grain comes in two main forms:

• Hulled barley: This form of barley retains its outer bran layer and offers more fiber than pearled barley. It takes longer to cook and is particularly suited to soups and stews.

• Pearled barley: This is barley with the bran layer removed. It has a shorter cooking time than hulled barley and is commonly found in muesli mixes, although it can also be used in soups and salads.

Pearled barley is the more common of the two, and typically takes 25 to 30 minutes to cook, while hulled barley may take up to an hour.

Barley is packed with fiber and more

Many people fall short of the daily fiber recommendations, despite offering a laundry list of health benefits that include cholesterol control, hunger and appetite regulation, and constipation relief. Enter barley, which is a rich source of fiber, as well as carbohydrates. One cup of cooked hulled barley provides 6 grams of fiber (about one-fifth of the daily recommendation), while cooked pearled barley contains 3 grams of fiber per cup.

Barley also contains several micronutrients such as thiamine, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and magnesium. These nutrients support bone health, metabolism, the immune system and many other physiological functions.

Worth noting: As a gluten-containing grain, barley is a no-go food for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Some people with a wheat allergy may also react to barley because of similarities in their protein structures.

What are the health benefits of barley?

Boasting an impressive array of nutrients, barley — and whole grains in general — have been linked to several health benefits:

Cholesterol control: Barley is a source of beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber shown to assist with cholesterol reduction. Beta-glucan is thought to help reduce cholesterol by binding cholesterol in the gut and influencing your microbiome — an ecosystem of microscopic organisms, including bacteria, that impact your health.

Blood sugar regulation: Research suggests that consuming 150 grams per day of whole grains such as barley can help protect against type 2 diabetes and improve fasting blood sugar levels.

Inflammation: Eating whole grains such as barley has been shown to have a positive effect on various markers of inflammation and may help keep inflammation at bay. Chronic inflammation has been linked with conditions such as heart disease, obesity and cancer.

Upper respiratory tract symptoms: Emerging evidence suggests that eating 100 grams of barley per day, instead of white rice, may help ease upper respiratory tract symptoms like congestion and sneezing.

Weight management: One study found that eating barley at night stimulates GLP-1 production resulting in lower energy intake and less hunger the following day.

Digestive health: Barley can help you meet your fiber needs and improve digestive health. Studies indicate that consuming adequate fiber helps protect against colorectal cancer and relieve constipation.

How to add barley to your meals

Although it’s often featured in soups, barley can be enjoyed in several different foods. Here are a few easy ways:

1. Toss cooked and chilled barley into a salad for a nutty, hearty twist

2. Add it to soups and stews during cooking

3. Try it as a substitute for rice in risotto (and allow extra time for cooking)

4. Cook it and add it to your favorite veggie burger recipe

5. Add it to oats or use it as a substitute for oats in porridge

6. Use cooked barley as a base for grain bowls

Barley may not have the trendy allure of other whole grains like farro, but it has a lot to offer. With a diversity of micronutrients and a hearty amount of fiber, eating barley regularly can help with cholesterol reduction, blood sugar control and more. And it’s surprisingly versatile too. This little brown wonder grain can bring a chewy, nutty flavor to everything from soup and salads to risotto.

Edwina Clark is a registered dietitian.