Jamie Oliver and the Barley Superfood

We heard through the grapevine that barley is now the ‘new’ superfood to keep an eye on. But is it though?

No doubt, barley is an amazing grain that provides a whole host of nutrient-rich fibre, vitamins and minerals that are great for human nutrition. But it’d be remiss to call it a ‘new’ superfood. After all, barley has been cultivated for thousands of years, with archeological evidence of its cultivation dating as far back as 5000 BCE in Egypt.

What’s the nutritional profile of barley today?

Figure 1.0: Medical News Today

Why consume barley?

To reap the amazing health benefits, of course!

The high levels of potassium, folate, iron, and vitamin B-6 content in barley, combined with its low cholesterol levels, support cardiovascular functions in the human body and may help reduce heart disease factors like high blood pressure.

Furthermore, consuming vitamin B-6 and folate may help reduce levels of homocysteine — a compound that is linked to increased risk of heart disease.

Folate and iron support the formation of red blood cells and oxygenates our blood — both of which are processes that are crucial for overall heart health. Nutrients like niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, iron, magnesium, and selenium play a part in enhancing the process of cell formation and oxygenating our blood as well.

In totality, these compounds also help to enhance the functioning of our immune system.

What about Spent Barley Grains — do they contain less nutrients?

Definitely not! To answer this question, we need to understand what Spent Barley Grains are and what has been ‘spent’.

Spent Barley Grains are typically a waste-stream from beer and malt drink production. In the processing stage, breweries extract starch from barley to produce their drinks. The de-starched leftover barley is what is known as Spent Barley Grains.

Here’s the kicker — what is left over after processing is essentially concentrated protein and fibre! The breweries extract mainly the starch alone and leave all these amazing minerals and nutrients behind. Just think of it mathematically:

Barley Protein, Fibre, Nutrients and Starch – Starch = Barley Protein, Fibre, Nutrients

If you look at the figures below that compare the nutritional composition of barley and dry Spent Barley Grains, you’ll find more interesting facts.

Figure 2.0 Nutrient Comparison between Barley & Spent Barley Grains, The Spent Goods Company

Figure 2.1 Protein Profile of Barley Versus Spent Barley Grains, as a Percentage of Total Protein, The Spent Goods Company

You’ll notice from the figures above that compared to regular barley, Spent Barley Grains have:

• Higher protein and less starch in its composition

• Higher values of the essential amino acid lysine and the non-essential amino acids histidine and glutamic acid in its protein composition

What’s an easy way for me to reap the benefits of Barley or Spent Barley Grains?

Great question! Reaping the benefits of consuming barley is simple, just incorporate some into your day-to-day meals — either with barley drinks, desserts, or mixing some into your rice.

To reap the benefits of Spent Barley Grains however, well that’s where we come in! Our product, W0W®, is made entirely from Spent Barley Grains. Specially formulated for consumers with blood sugar, weight, and metabolic health concerns — W0W® Noodle is the world’s only functional food that elicits 0 blood sugar spike. Not only is it nutrient-rich and healthy, it is also perfect for those with blood sugar concerns. W0W® is:

• A Good Source of Protein & Fibre

• Diabetic Friendly

• Keto Friendly

• Free of Chemicals or Preservatives

As a clean-label brand, our products are wholly plant-based and sustainably produced, as mentioned, from Spent Barley Grains — a waste stream from beer and malt drink production. We’re good for the people, & good for the Earth!