Michi’s Ladder Foods Exposed: Barley
Ok, here it is…the next Michi’s Ladder food: barley. I honestly think that the only association I’ve ever made with barley would be another food-type product: beer. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it is actually healthy! Barley is a highly nutritious cereal grain. I try not to think about beer and cereal at the same time, for obvious reasons. So, here is the low-down on another good-for-you food, courtesy of Beachbody’s Denis Faye.
Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Barley
By Denis Faye
Yes, beer is made from barley, but, no, that does not land beer in tier 1 of Michi’s Ladder. Barley is actually a highly nutritious cereal grain with a nutty flavor. But to be completely honest, most cereal grains can be described as having a nutty flavor, so you should probably try it for yourself. It’s a great way to get those complex carbohydrates without resorting to wheat.
The nutrition facts
The big draw when it comes to barley is the fiber hit—four times more than you’ll get from an equivalent amount of brown rice or oatmeal. One raw ounce is 99 calories, with 1 gram of fat, 21 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. As for micronutrients, you’ll find 19 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)* for manganese and 15 percent of the RDA for selenium, as well as thiamin, niacin, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
How do you eat this stuff?
Barley works pretty much like any other grain, so bread, pancakes, and muffins are all options. You can use cracked or flattened barley to make hot cereal. You can also add it to stews or soups to “beef” them up a little or just add flavor.
1 cup of barley, pearled, cooked (157 g)
Calories: 193
Fat: 1 g
Carbs: 44 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 4 g
Source: www.nutritiondata.com
Michi’s Ladder is Beachbody’s guide to nutritious eating. If you only ate from Tiers 1 & 2, you would have a near-perfect diet!
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