Barley grass is an example of a grain plant that is used in the preparation of a number of foods for both humans and animals. Known in some places around the world as mai ya, barley grass is also considered in some alternative medical traditions to provide solutions for controlling several health issues. Here are some examples of how barley grass is utilized in ways that benefit both animals and humans.

Barley grass is often used to create feed for livestock. In many cases, this takes place after utilizing the plant in the process of making beer. The remaining components of barley grass are dried, processed, and combined with other grains to produce livestock feed that is both nutritious and affordable. While the process today is usually manufactured and mass marketed, there are countries where the drying and preparation process remains a local phenomenon. Small farmers around the world continue to produce barley that is used for home remedies, with the leftover components turned into natural food sources for cows, pigs, and other animals that are part of the farm.

For humans, barley grass is also considered a healthy means of dealing with several health conditions. For example, there is evidence that barley grass can help to minimize LDL, or bad, cholesterol in some people. Barley seeds are often credited with the ability to regulate blood sugar levels in persons with diabetes. This is accomplished by slowing down the speed at which the body absorbs carbohydrates. However, it should be noted that this benefit to barley grass has typically not been demonstrated in persons who have not yet developed diabetes.

Because of the nutritional value of barley grass, it often is used in soups and as a substitute for wheat flour or oatmeal. Barley grass is known to be rich in beta carotene, folic acid, calcium and a number of the B vitamins. Currently, there are several nutrition supplements on the market today that feature barley grass as one of the main ingredients in the formula.

For cooking purposes, pearl barley is the most common incarnation of barley grass. Pearl barley has gone through a process that has removed both the outer hull and the bran layer that protects the center of the plant. The benefit to pearl barley is that is will take less time to cook, and can be an excellent product to use for soup thickening as well as hot cereals.

Scotch barley, also known as pot barley is another popular form of barley grass. Often found in health food stores, Scotch barley retains some of the nutritional value that is lost when pearling barley grass. Cooking time is not a great deal longer, often a little over an hour.