Wildly collected all around the world, it seems that barley has been grown firstly in Turkistan. Before christian era, turkistan people, skilled horsemen and brave warriors, brought this vigorous cereal to the countries they invade, in turkey and in south of Russia and in the Balkans. Barley can be grown either on southern dry countries or in northern cold ones. Egyptian farmers, which had to diversify sowing in order to avoid famine in unclement years, grew it in the same time as wheat. Hebraic people did also, while assigning a power and bravery symbol to the cereal.

The way barley is peeled determine its nutritive value. Some types of barley are used to produce malt. Barley is the cereal which best resist to malting and germination. Barley malt (powder or liquid) is sold in bio-food stores as a substitute to sugar. It's a very nutritive natural sugar because germination increases its B vitamins content.

Barley contains soluble fibers which contribute to lower cholesterol count. Barley is also tonic, emollient and anti-diarrhoea. It's used to soothe cough as herb tea. It's also suitable for diabetic persons.