Barley vs. Amaranth grain — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Compared to amaranth grain, barley provides more calories per hundred grams. A 100g amaranth grain has 102 calories, whereas barley has 123 calories. The serving size for amaranth grain and barley is 1 cup. One serving of amaranth grain has 251 kcal (246g), whereas one serving of barley provides 193 kcal (157g).

Protein

Amaranth grain and barley are not good sources of protein. A hundred grams of barley provides 2.26g of protein, whereas amaranth grain has 3.8g.

Gluten

Amaranth grain is gluten-free, whereas barley contains gluten (1, 2).

Fats

Amaranth grain has more fat than barley. In a 100g serving, amaranth grain and barley have 1.58g and 0.44g of fat, respectively.

Carbohydrates

Barley is high in total, net carbs, and dietary fiber content.

100g of amaranth grain contains 18.69g of carbohydrates, of which 2.1g are dietary fiber and 16.59g are net carbs.

100g of barley contains 28.2g of carbohydrates, of which 3.8g are dietary fiber and 24.4g are net carbs.

Vitamins

Amaranth grain provides more folate and vitamin E. On the other hand, barley contains more vitamin B1 and vitamin B3. Moreover, barley has small amounts of vitamin K. Both lack vitamin C and vitamin D.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Barley

7

Amaranth grain

2

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+453.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+181.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+777.9%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+1800%
Contains more FolateFolate	+37.5%

~equal in Vitamin C ~mg

~equal in Vitamin D ~µg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0.113mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~µg

Minerals

Barley has over 1.5 times more selenium, whereas amaranth grain has five times more calcium and over three times more manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. Amaranth grain also has more potassium, iron, copper, and zinc. On the other hand, barley has two times less sodium. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Barley

2

Amaranth grain

7

Contains less SodiumSodium	-50%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+56.4%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+195.5%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+327.3%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+45.2%
Contains more IronIron	+57.9%
Contains more CopperCopper	+41.9%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+174.1%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+229.7%

~equal in Zinc ~0.86mg

Oxalate content

Amaranth grain provides over 56 times more oxalates. A hundred grams of amaranth grain contains 1510mg of oxalates, whereas the oxalate content of barley is only 27mg.  

Glycemic Index

Overall, amaranth grain has a higher glycemic index. Amaranth grain has a glycemic index of 97. The glycemic index of barley is 28. The GI for amaranth grain falls in the high category, whereas barley is a low-GI food.

Glycemic Load 

The average glycemic load of barley is 14, whereas the glycemic load of amaranth grain is 40. Barley falls in the medium category, whereas amaranth grain falls in the high category.

Acidity

The potential renal acid load (PRAL) is a way to measure the acidity of the food. The PRAL value of barley is 0.4, whereas amaranth grain has the PRAL value of 2.2. Both are acid-forming, the amaranth grain being more acid-forming.

Antioxidant Properties

Whole grains like amaranth and barley are good sources of phytochemicals and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities (3, 4, 5).

Diabetes

Amaranth grain has anti-diabetic properties. It may lower blood sugar levels (3).

Amaranth grain may improve calcium homeostasis, increase calcium content in the diet, improve calcium signaling in blood, kidney, and liver tissues, and enhance tissue protection against oxidative stress. In this way, amaranth grain may potentially aid in the control of Type 2 diabetes (6). 

Additionally, aqueous extract from steamed red amaranth leaves has shown potential against diabetic retinopathy (3).

Prolonged consumption of the hydroalcoholic extract from barley seeds may offer advantages in managing and controlling diabetes mellitus. This effect is through the euglycemic agents such as biguanides (7). 

Another study suggested that a mixture of barley and rice may reduce postprandial blood sugar levels in individuals with Type 2 diabetes (8).

Digestive Health

Barley contains nutrients like beta-glucan, which may aid gut health.

Eating barley leads to alterations in the gut microbiota. The study revealed a positive correlation between the consumption of barley and increased levels of Bifidobacterium and Butyricicoccus in the gut (5, 9).

Pseudocereals such as amaranth grain, quinoa, and buckwheat could benefit the gut microbiota. They may positively impact the body's metabolism (10).

Cancer

According to the study, amaranth grain has antiproliferative and anticancer properties. It may inhibit cancer cell growth and cause apoptosis (3, 4).

Barley consumption may induce apoptosis. According to the study, barley extract may reduce prostate and breast cancer cell proliferation (11).

Barley extract also may reduce the growth of colon cancer cells while leaving colon epithelial cells unaffected (12).

Gluten-Related Disorders

Barley contains gluten, which can cause reactions in people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. People with gluten-related disorders ( celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten sensitivity) should use gluten-free grains and flour and avoid gluten-containing grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. Amaranth grain, quinoa, millet, and buckwheat are gluten-free grains and can be alternatives for people with celiac diseases or gluten sensitivity (1, 2, 13, 14).