Description

Barley is a cereal grain that was originally native to Asia. Barley was very important in ancient times and was one of the first grains to be widely cultivated. However, when leavened bread became popular, consumption of barley was replaced by wheat and rye. Having a lower gluten content (which provides the framework for dough to rise), the application of barley in the production of bread is limited. As such, fewer people today in developed countries eat barley. Although, the discovery that barley is high in beta-glucan has given rise to its use in health-promoting food products, especially foods tailored to cardiovascular health.

A large proportion of the world’s barley supply is used make beer. Barley does however remain a staple food for many people in less developed countries such as those in North Africa and in areas where wheat is difficult to grow, such as Tibet.

BARLEYmax^TM

BARLEYmax is a novel barley grain developed in Australia by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) using traditional cereal breeding methods. As well as being high in both soluble and insoluble fibre, BARLEYmax contains significant quantities of resistant starch and twice as much Vitamin E as standard barley.