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Barley vs. Buckwheat — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Sveta Badalyan by Sveta Badalyan | Last updated on June 27, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Barley
vs
Buckwheat

Summary

Buckwheat does not contain gluten, provides more magnesium, and is low in calories.

Barley has a higher glycemic and insulin index and more selenium, vitamin B3, and dietary fiber

Barley also contains gluten, and people with celiac disease should avoid it, whereas buckwheat can be part of a gluten-free diet

Introduction

This article will provide information about the similarities and differences between buckwheat and barley. We will discuss their nutrition and effects on health.

Classification

Buckwheat is a pseudocereal․ It belongs (Fagopyrum esculentum) to the Fagopyrum genus and Polygonaceae family. There are some varieties of buckwheat: Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), and perennial buckwheat (Fagopyrum cymosum).

  Barley (Hordeum vulgare) belongs to the Hordeum genus and Poaceae family. Barley classifies into two types based on the number of blooms on its blossom spike: Six-row barley and Two-row barley.

Appearance

Barley is a round and small grain. The color of it might range from pale tan to dark reddish-brown. Unlike barley, buckwheat seeds are triangular and have a gray or dark brown rind.

Taste and Use

Pearl barley has a mild and nutty flavor. On the other hand, buckwheat tastes nutty and a bit bitter, like whole-wheat flour or rye. Buckwheat is used for making noodles, crepes, and granola. Barley is added to soups or salads and is also used in beer production.

Nutrition

 This section discusses the nutritional properties of cooked roasted buckwheat and pearled barley. For the information, we used FDA's database. 

Macronutrients and Calories

Barley contains higher carbohydrates, while buckwheat contains more protein. A 100g of buckwheat and barley contains less than 1g of fats

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Contains more Carbs +41.5%
Contains more Protein +49.6%
Contains more Fats +40.9%
Contains more Other +53.6%
Equal in Water - 75.63
2% 28% 69%
Protein: 2.26 g
Fats: 0.44 g
Carbs: 28.22 g
Water: 68.8 g
Other: 0.28 g
3% 20% 76%
Protein: 3.38 g
Fats: 0.62 g
Carbs: 19.94 g
Water: 75.63 g
Other: 0.43 g
Contains more Carbs +41.5%
Contains more Protein +49.6%
Contains more Fats +40.9%
Contains more Other +53.6%
Equal in Water - 75.63

Calories

 Barley is higher in calories. Buckwheat has 92 calories per 100 grams, compared to barley, which has 123.

Protein

Buckwheat contains 3.38g of protein, whereas barley contains 2.26g. Buckwheat is higher in all essential amino acids, particularly rich in tryptophan, valine, lysine, and threonine.

Gluten

Gluten is a complex combination of hundreds of related but unique proteins, the most prominent of which are gliadin and glutenin. 

 Barley contains gluten, whereas buckwheat is gluten-free(1).

Fats

Buckwheat and barley are low in fats. Buckwheat contains more monounsaturated fats, whereas barley contains more polyunsaturated and less saturated fats.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Contains less Saturated Fat -30.6%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +13.8%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +229.8%
26% 16% 59%
Saturated Fat: 0.093 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.057 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.214 g
26% 37% 37%
Saturated Fat: 0.134 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.188 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.188 g
Contains less Saturated Fat -30.6%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +13.8%
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +229.8%

Carbohydrates

Barley has over 1.5 times more carbs. 100g of buckwheat contains  19.9g of carbohydrates, of which 2.7g are dietary fiber and 17.2g are net carbs.

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

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
57% 29% 14%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 0.4 g
Glucose: 0.2 g
Fructose: 0.1 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0 g
Galactose: 0 g

Cholesterol

Buckwheat and barley are cholesterol-free.

Vitamins

Barley contains two times more vitamin B3. Buckwheat, on the other hand, provides 2.5 times more vitamin B5

Buckwheat and barley are absent in vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin B12.

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
6
:
Contains more Vitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +107.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +59%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +119.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +49.4%
Contains more Folate +14.3%
Contains more Vitamin E +800%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +165.9%
Contains more Vitamin K +137.5%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 1% 1% 0% 0% 21% 15% 39% 9% 27% 12% 0% 2%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 0% 2% 0% 0% 10% 9% 18% 22% 18% 11% 0% 5%
Contains more Vitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +107.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +59%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +119.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +49.4%
Contains more Folate +14.3%
Contains more Vitamin E +800%
Contains more Vitamin B5 +165.9%
Contains more Vitamin K +137.5%

Minerals

Buckwheat provides two times more magnesium and manganese. Buckwheat also contains more phosphorus and copper

100g of buckwheat contains 70mg of phosphorus, whereas barley contains 54mg. Barley, on the other hand, provides four times more selenium. 

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.
Contains more Calcium +57.1%
Contains more Iron +66.3%
Contains less Sodium -25%
Contains more Zinc +34.4%
Contains more Selenium +290.9%
Contains more Magnesium +131.8%
Contains more Phosphorus +29.6%
Contains more Copper +39%
Contains more Manganese +55.6%
Equal in Potassium - 88
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 4% 50% 16% 24% 9% 1% 23% 35% 34% 47%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 3% 30% 37% 30% 8% 1% 17% 49% 53% 12%
Contains more Calcium +57.1%
Contains more Iron +66.3%
Contains less Sodium -25%
Contains more Zinc +34.4%
Contains more Selenium +290.9%
Contains more Magnesium +131.8%
Contains more Phosphorus +29.6%
Contains more Copper +39%
Contains more Manganese +55.6%
Equal in Potassium - 88

Glycemic Index

Buckwheat and barley have a low glycemic index (GI<55). The glycemic index of buckwheat is 45, and for barley, the glycemic index is 28.

Glycemic Load

The glycemic load of buckwheat is equal to 13. The GL of barley is equal to 9

Buckwheat classifies as medium-GL food, whereas barley classifies as low-GL food.

Insulin Index

The insulin index of barley is 46, whereas the insulin index of buckwheat is 53 (2).

Acidity

Buckwheat has a pH level of 6,5. Barley has a pH level of 5-5.3.

An alternative method of measuring acidity is the potential renal acid load or the PRAL. The PRAL values for buckwheat and barley are 1 and 0.4, respectively. That means both foods are acidic, but buckwheat is more acid-forming.

Weight Loss & Diets

Both buckwheat and barley are allowed during the DASH diet. 

Barley is a grain, while buckwheat classifies as a pseudocereal grain. So Buckwheat is Paleo-friendly, whereas barley is not allowed in the Paleo diet.

Due to their high carb content, barley and buckwheat are not keto-friendly.

Buckwheat is also friendly for gluten-free, compared to barley.

Barley and buckwheat are vegan.

Health Benefits

Digestive Health

Barley also contains insoluble and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs and reduces cholesterol formation in the liver and cleans blood arteries. Insoluble fiber increases digestive movement and relieves constipation, cleans colonic pathogenic bacteria and lowers the risk of colon cancer (3).

Cancer

Another study found that young barley extracts suppress colon cancer cell growth, though they have no adverse effects on colon epithelium cells(4).

Based on the findings, buckwheat hull has anticancer capabilities against various cancer cells(5). The study shows that buckwheat has anti-inflammatory effects. So buckwheat can be used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) (6) (7).

Buckwheat also has neuroprotective and anti-diabetic actions(8).

Downsides and Risks

Gluten-related disorders

Barley contains gluten and can cause some gluten-related diseases (9).

Wheat allergy is an IgE-mediated reaction to the insoluble gliadins of wheat. Celiac disease is a multisystem immunological condition caused by gluten consumption in genetically sensitive people.

Gluten proteins also can cause symptoms in persons who do not have coeliac disease, a condition known as non-coeliac gluten sensitivity.

In contrast, buckwheat is devoid of gluten, so it can be an essential part of a person's diet if they have gluten-related disorders, such as celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and wheat allergies (1).

Article author photo Sveta Badalyan
Education: General Medicine at YSMU
Last updated: June 27, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Infographic

Barley vs Buckwheat infographic
Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Barley Buckwheat
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Rich in minerals Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Barley Buckwheat Opinion
Net carbs 24.42g 17.24g Barley
Protein 2.26g 3.38g Buckwheat
Fats 0.44g 0.62g Buckwheat
Carbs 28.22g 19.94g Barley
Calories 123kcal 92kcal Barley
Fructose 0.1g Buckwheat
Sugar 0.28g 0.9g Barley
Fiber 3.8g 2.7g Barley
Calcium 11mg 7mg Barley
Iron 1.33mg 0.8mg Barley
Magnesium 22mg 51mg Buckwheat
Phosphorus 54mg 70mg Buckwheat
Potassium 93mg 88mg Barley
Sodium 3mg 4mg Barley
Zinc 0.82mg 0.61mg Barley
Copper 0.105mg 0.146mg Buckwheat
Manganese 0.259mg 0.403mg Buckwheat
Selenium 8.6µg 2.2µg Barley
Vitamin A 7IU 0IU Barley
Vitamin E 0.01mg 0.09mg Buckwheat
Vitamin B1 0.083mg 0.04mg Barley
Vitamin B2 0.062mg 0.039mg Barley
Vitamin B3 2.063mg 0.94mg Barley
Vitamin B5 0.135mg 0.359mg Buckwheat
Vitamin B6 0.115mg 0.077mg Barley
Folate 16µg 14µg Barley
Vitamin K 0.8µg 1.9µg Buckwheat
Tryptophan 0.038mg 0.049mg Buckwheat
Threonine 0.077mg 0.129mg Buckwheat
Isoleucine 0.083mg 0.127mg Buckwheat
Leucine 0.154mg 0.212mg Buckwheat
Lysine 0.084mg 0.172mg Buckwheat
Methionine 0.043mg 0.044mg Buckwheat
Phenylalanine 0.127mg 0.133mg Buckwheat
Valine 0.111mg 0.173mg Buckwheat
Histidine 0.051mg 0.079mg Buckwheat
Saturated Fat 0.093g 0.134g Barley
Monounsaturated Fat 0.057g 0.188g Buckwheat
Polyunsaturated fat 0.214g 0.188g Barley

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Barley Buckwheat
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
10%
Barley
8%
Buckwheat
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
24%
Barley
24%
Buckwheat

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?
Barley
Barley is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.62g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Barley
Barley contains less Sodium (difference - 1mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Barley
Barley is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.041g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Barley
Barley is lower in glycemic index (difference - 23)
Which food is cheaper?
Barley
Barley is cheaper (difference - $0.9)
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is richer in minerals?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Barley - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170285/nutrients
  2. Buckwheat - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170686/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.