Barley is a grain crop grown throughout the world and is used for both human food and animal feed. Barley is cooked and eaten as a grain like rice or used in soups or stews or to make breads. The barley grain is also malted and used to produce beer and whiskey. Whole barley has the inedible hull removed but the bran remains intact. This whole form of barley (barley groats) is the most nutritious and contains more protein, potassium, and iron when compared to pearl barley.
You'll find barley products under various names in the your local grocery or health food store. Here is a quick breakdown:
If you don't have whole barley here are some good substitutes:
metric conversions →