Group · Cereals & grains
Barley flour
Barley flour was, before wheat, the bread flour of northern Europe. It is still used in Scotland, Scandinavia and the Maghreb, but its weak rising power has largely sidelined it from modern baking.
In terms of nutrition facts: 337 kcal per 100 g, with 64.4 g of carbohydrates, 11.3 g of protein and above all 10.1 g of fibre, the best score of the flours in this selection. It provides 296 mg of phosphorus, 309 mg of potassium, 96 mg of magnesium and 6.27 mg of vitamin B3 per 100 g.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 337 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1430 kJ |
| Protein | 11,3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 64,4 g |
| Fat | 1,6 g |
| Fibre | 10,1 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Manganese1,03 mg52 %
- Phosphorus296 mg42 %
- Vitamin B36,27 mg39 %
- Copper0,34 mg34 %
- Vitamin B10,37 mg34 %
- Vitamin B60,4 mg29 %
- Magnesium96 mg26 %
- Zinc2 mg20 %
See the other 11 nutrients
- Iron2,68 mg19 %
- Potassium309 mg15 %
- Vitamin B20,11 mg8 %
- Omega-6 LA0,7 g7 %
- Vitamin E0,57 mg5 %
- Calcium32 mg4 %
- Omega-3 ALA0,07 g4 %
- Iodine5 µg3 %
- Vitamin K12,2 µg3 %
- Vitamin B50,15 mg3 %
- Selenium1 µg2 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
10.1 g of fibre, including beta-glucans. This is the soluble fibre in barley and oats, the only one for which EFSA has approved a claim about lowering cholesterol. You need 3 g a day for the claimed effect.
6.27 mg of vitamin B3: very high for a flour. That is 39% of the reference intake per 100 g.
It does not rise on its own. Its gluten is weak and not very elastic. A 100% barley loaf is dense and flat; cut to a third with wheat flour, it gives a decent and far more interesting loaf.
It contains gluten. Less than wheat, but enough to be off limits with coeliac disease.
It thickens soups very well. Its beta-glucans give viscosity: a spoonful in a velouté replaces cream and adds fibre.