A grain crop grown throughout the world and is used for both human food and animal feed. Barley groats have only the outer hul removed and are the least-processed form or barley.
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. Pearl barley is barley which has had the outer hull removed then the grain is polished.