A number of epidemiological studies have shown that regular consumption of whole grain barley reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity etc. Researchers have often credited barley fiber, especially beta-glucan in whole grain barley for these health benefits but it fails to explain all the activity of barley. Whole grain barley also contains vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals, it is now believed that its therapeutic potential is contributed by all its components. Moreover, sufficient evidence supports that phytochemicals also play important roles in preventing the development of chronic diseases.

Barley competes well with other major cereal grains, such as wheat, oat, rye, and rice in terms of content and diversity of phytochemicals. In addition, barley has some unique phytochemical properties, such as the presence of all eight tocol (vitamin E) vitamers, which are usually not complete in some cereals.

The major phytochemicals in barley that have shown health benefits include phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, tocols, sterols, and folates. They all belong to different classes of phytochemicals with each group having various bioactivities.

1. Phenolic acids: serve as an excellent dietary source of natural antioxidants with potent antiradical and antiproliferative activity.
2. Flavonoids: protection against UV radiation, modulation of many diseases including cancer and coronary heart diseases.
3. Tocols (Tocopherols and tocotrienols): antioxidant properties, cancer modulator, effects the cardiovascular system and also has the ability to clear atherosclerotic blockages (stenosis) in the carotid artery, potentially reducing the risk of stroke.
4. Sterols: has a positive effect in decreasing serum cholesterol levels, protect against cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and prevent colon cancer.
5. Folates are rich source of Vitamin B’s.

References:
1. Idehen, E.; et.al. Bioactive phytochemicals in barley. J Food Drug Anal. 2017, 25(1), 148-161. doi: 10.1016/j.jfda.2016.08.002.
2. Frei, B. Natural antioxidants in human health and disease. Academic Press, London (2012).
3. Gani, A,; et.al. Whole-grain cereal bioactive compounds and their health benefits: a review. J Food Process Technol, 2012 (2012).
4. Adom, K. K.; et.al. Antioxidant activity of grains. Int J Food Prop, 2007, 10, 231-244.

Hindu’s from India grow and worship barley for health and prosperity.

Beta-Glucan is a nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) having documented health benefits and industrial applications. It is composed entirely of glucose, bound by beta -1,3 and beta -1,4 bonds and arranged linearly. It can be extracted from various sources, including cereals, bacteria, molds, and fungi. The chemical nature of extracted beta-glucan from these sources differs slightly.

Beta-Glucans are soluble fibres occurring in the bran of grasses (Gramineae) such as barley, oats, rye, and wheat in amounts of about 7%, 5%, 2%, and less than 1% respectively.

A diet rich in beta-glucans has a positive effect on human health by preventing chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

Most interesting and growing are health claim applications of barley beta-glucans. For Europe: EFSA in 2011 has approved a health claim for foods: “Barley beta-glucans have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol.” Barley beta-glucans with average molecular weight between 100 and 2000 kDa evidentially lower/reduce blood cholesterol. At least three grams of barley beta-glucans should be consumed per day to obtain the claimed effect. The target population is adults with normal or mildly elevated blood cholesterol concentrations.

A diet rich in beta-glucans has a positive effect on human health by preventing chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. The results of both clinical and preclinical studies have confirmed the antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antitumor properties of beta-glucans. Also, it has a prebiotic effect, supporting the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

Some of the reported health benefits of beta-glucans are:

1. Hypoglycemic properties
2. Hypocholesterolemic properties
3. Immunomodulatory and Antitumor properties
4. Prebiotic properties

Due to their properties, beta-glucans have a broad spectrum of use, especially in medicine, veterinary medicine, food, cosmetics and chemical industries.

References:
1. Technology of Main Ingredients-Water and Flours, Karl F. Tiefenbacher, in Wafer and Waffle, 2017.
2. Ciecierska, A.; et.al. Nutraceutical functions of beta-glucans in human nutrition. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig . 2019, 70(4), 315-324. doi: 10.32394/rpzh.2019.0082.

Barley beta-glucans have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol.

Celiac disease has traditionally been clinically considered and then investigated with patients presenting with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. In gluten dependent conditions, the gluten free diet (GFD) is the only valid therapy till-date which decreases disease activity, improves health, alleviates quality of life and treats/prevents the associated complications.

However GFD, the mainstay of treatment for celiac disease, is increasingly being adopted by people without a diagnosis of celiac disease. Just believing that gluten is bad for health, people have started to abstain themselves from wheat, barley, rye, wheat-contaminated oats and products made from these grains.

Anyone who is NOT suffering from celiac disease should consider few facts before moving onto GFD, such as:

1. Wheat, barley, etc though be gluten-bearing still make substantial contribution to diet and health, particularly providing dietary fibers, B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9) and mineral micronutrients, notably iron, zinc, and selenium.
2. GFDs are significantly lower in protein, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, folate, calcium and sodium.
3. GFD products are lower in protein than standard products.
4. GFD bread products are significantly higher in fat and fiber.

GFD diet is a specialized diet which is a part of therapy. Such products have to be fortified for missing nutrition such vitamins, minerals etc. The concept of balanced diet still stays, whose definition clearly states “the diet that doesn’t under or over nourishes the person, and/or makes the person sick or unwell”.

Eating a balance diet is the key to good health. Everyone should make the correct choice based on needs and not by following the market trend.

Reference:
1. Lerner, A.; et.al. Navigating the Gluten-Free Boom: The Dark Side of Gluten Free Diet. Front Pediatr. 2019, 7, 414.

“if the patient can be cured at all, it must be by means of diet.”

Gluten comes from the Latin word for ‘glue’ which highlights the elastic property of the dough especially during fermentation. Bubbles of carbon dioxide when released from fermenting yeast become trapped by the sulphur linked visco-elastic protein, ensuring a light honeycombed texture for the dough. Moreover, the elastic nature of gluten holds particles of the dough together, preventing crumbling during rolling and shaping. Hence, gluten plays a vital role in the production of baked goods.

The gluten content varies between grains, although the exact gluten content present in these foods is not easily available, the grains can be divided as containing gluten or not.

• Grains with gluten – wheat (including varieties like durum, spelt, kamut and farron, also products like semolina; 75-85% of protein), barley (5-6%), rye, triticale and oats.
• Gluten-free grains – corn, millet, rice, sorghum.
• Gluten-free pseudo-cereals – amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa.

Chemically, gluten is the composite name given to the protein in wheat, rye, barley and oats, but more specifically it is Gliadin (in wheat), Hordein (in barley), Secalin (in rye) and Avenin (in oats). The first three proteins are similar kinds so their effects are reported, but Avenin is a different kind of protein. People do suffer from oats as Avenin is part of oats biochemistry. Gluten-free oats in market correspond to oats that they are free from wheat (and/or rye, barley) Gliadin i.e. there is no measurable contamination.

“To regulate the food is the main part of the treatment”. -Samuel Gee, 1888

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Gluten is word commonly seen on various food products. People prefer to use “Gluten-free” products as it is felt that gluten is not very good for health. So, what exactly is this GLUTEN and why wheat-eaters are so concerned?

Gluten word signify group of seed storage proteins found in certain cereal grains which helps foods hold their shape. In common talk, “gluten” pertains only to wheat proteins, but chemically it refers to the combination of prolamin and glutelin proteins naturally occurring in many grains. Some of these grains have been demonstrated capability of triggering celiac disease; hence in medical terminology such grains capable of causing celiac disease all contain gluten.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and some oats cultivator. Most cereals, breads, pastas, beers, soya sauce, even ice-creams contain gluten. The protein content of wheat is between 7% and 22%, with gluten constituting about 80% of the total protein of the seed.

People face a lot of issues when they consume a gluten-rich food. The most common ones are:

1. Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which gluten damages the small intestine,
2. Nonceliac gluten sensitivity is a food intolerance that leads to discomfort after eating gluten.

When people with celiac disease consume gluten, their immune system attacks and damages the lining of their small intestine. With repeated exposure to gluten, the body becomes less able to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream. Nonceliac gluten sensitivity is considered less severe than celiac disease. Eating gluten does not damage the intestine, but people may experience discomfort after eating gluten.

The spectrum of gluten related disorders includes celiac disease in 1-2% of the general population, non-celiac gluten sensitivity in 0.5-13% of the general population, as well as dermatitis herpetiformis, gluten ataxia and other neurological disorders. These disorders are treated by a gluten-free diet.

References:
1. Zis, P.; et.al. Treatment of Neurological Manifestations of Gluten Sensitivity and Coeliac Disease. Curr Treat Options Neurol (Review). 2019, 21(3), 10. doi:10.1007/s11940-019-0552-7.
2. Lundin, K. E.; et.al. Coeliac disease and autoimmune disease-genetic overlap and screening. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015, 12(9), 507-15. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2015.136.

Gluten comprises 75–85% of the total protein in bread wheat.