The Forgotten Grain: Why Barley Deserves a Comeback

Walk through any grocery store today and you’ll find shelves full of wheat flour, rice, oats and quinoa. Yet one of humanity’s oldest food grains is strangely absent from most shopping carts: barley! Long before modern grocery stores, barley was a staple food for many. So, what happened?

Over time, wheat became the dominant baking grain, rice became the dominant side dish and convenience foods started to replace traditional whole grains. Most of the barley that people came across was either used for livestock feed or malt for brewing. As a result, barley slowly disappeared from every day kitchens. We’re on a mission to change that!

Looking for a nutritional powerhouse? Barley is the answer! It boasts one of the highest fibre contents of any cereal grain. Most Canadians are consuming only about half of the recommended amount of fibre every day. Health Canada advises that adult women consume 25 grams of fibre daily and adult men consume 38 grams daily.  One serving of whole grain barley or whole grain barley flour can provide up to 10 grams of fibre, making it an easy way to boost your daily fibre intake. The fibre that sets barley apart is beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that has earned a health claim by Health Canada for its ability to lower cholesterol and support heart health. The fibre in barley absorbs water, which helps keep you feeling full longer.

Barley also has the lowest glycemic index of the cereal grains. A relatively low glycemic index allows barley to be digested more slowly, leading to a steadier release of energy instead of a rapid spike and crash. This can help support healthy blood sugar management.

Aside from the numerous health benefits, barley is easy to use and tastes great! It adds just the right amount of chewy texture to your soups, salads and grain bowls. Use it anywhere you would use rice, or make it into a hearty breakfast pudding or porridge. Mill the grains and use the fresh flour to add whole grain flavour and texture to your favourite baking recipes. Barley will earn its spot on your table for every meal.

Barley is grown throughout Canada, with Alberta being the highest producing province. It thrives in Alberta’s cool nights, long summer days and fertile soils. These growing conditions help produce high quality barley with excellent flavour and nutritional characteristics. Choosing Alberta-grown barley means supporting prairie farm families like ours, while reducing the distance your food travels from field to pantry.

At Expeditor Dry Goods, we believe barley deserves another chapter. That’s why we grow naturally hulless black and purple varieties that showcase everything that makes barley special, from its exceptional nutritional value and whole grain benefits to its connection to Alberta agriculture. They're grown where barley naturally thrives, then cleaned, packaged and prepared close to home.

Barley never truly disappeared, it was still growing in prairie fields, being brewed into beer and simmering in family soup recipes. Somewhere down the line we just stopped seeing it as an everyday grain. Sometimes the best new ingredient isn’t new at all. Sometimes it’s simply an old favourite waiting to be invited back to the table.  

Ready to rediscover barley? Explore our selection of whole grain barley, stone-milled barley flour, pancake mix and handcrafted popped barley snack!