Watching Your Food Calories and Carbs? Barley to the Rescue

Those who try to watch their food calories and carbs have something hopeful to look forward to -- a comfort food that keeps blood sugar 20 to 30 percent lower than other grains! The wonderful culprit is barley.

As it turns out, the Swedes aren't just the keepers of offshore accounts; they've also discovered a tip worth your weight in gold. Swedish researchers found that barley is digested slowly, making you feel full and lowering blood fats that raise ones risk of diabetes and heart disease.

When going to the store and scanning the grains, look for what's called hulled barley, as researchers aren't sure yet if pearl barley and rolled barley have the same benefit. If you're counting calories or carbs, don't worry too much when it comes to barley. Because of the way your body processes it, it's definitely not like eating those carb-laden donuts!

How to eat barley

The first question most people ask is how do I fix this stuff? Barley can be substituted in place of oats, wheat and other grains people often have for breakfast. You can add fruit, stevia for sweetening and cinnamon for a little spice and everything nice. Vegetarians often use barley to make barley burgers, pilafs and loaves. There are many people who are counting food calories and carbs who enjoy a large variety of barley meals and recipes. Many such recipes can be found online, offering a vast amount of entrees, side dishes, and desserts to satisfy to pickiest of eaters!