Barley is very high in soluble fiber but is not often eaten in the American diet. A new study shows that barley is very effective in lowering cholesterol. Test subjects were fed standard diets plus barley at a low, moderate, or high level. They added barley flakes, barley flour, or pearled barley to common foods such as pancakes, granola, cookies, hot cereal, steamed grain, tabbouleh, and muffins. Those eating the moderate or high barley diet had a significant drop in total cholesterol (9-10%) and a 14-17% drop in LDL cholesterol. Need help in lowering your cholesterol? Try incorporating more barley in your diet. Look for barley flour, flakes, and pearled barley to add to your foods. Barley also has the lowest glycemic index of any grain (coarse barley bread has a glycemic index of 39 compared to wheat bread at 99). For best results in lowering cholesterol, aim to eat at least 6g of beta-glucan (the soluble fiber found in barley) daily.

Source: Behall KM et al. Blood Lipids and Barley Beta-Glucan, Amer J Clin Nutr 80:1185-93, Nov. 2004