Barley contains 1.3 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. Grams is a measure of weight. To put 100 grams in perspective, consider alternative measures for this food:
- 1 cup equals 157 grams.
In the category of grain, we included whole grains and flours in the Top 10 list. Foods may be fortified with iron but are not included in this Top 10 list.The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:
Barley, pearled, cooked
Read more about iron in grains or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Barley: An Iron-Rich Food
Barley is a high iron food and has a great nutty flavor with a nice texture. It makes a tasty hot breakfast cereal and bakes up nicely as well. However, as with any grain including wheat, rye, sorghum, and kamut, barley contains substances that inhibit your absorption of iron. If you do not prepare barley properly, you will not benefit from the iron in it to the degree that you might expect. The great news is that there are simple kitchen preparation techniques the help you unlock the iron in your barley.
For instance, if you are making a barley breakfast cereal, we recommend that you soak the barley the night before in very warm water. It will cook up twice as quickly in the morning and you will actually absorb more of the iron by taking this extra minor step in your kitchen. If you are using barley in your baking, we recommend that you grind it fresh and, perhaps, even experiment with sourdough baking. We have some simple sourdough processes that anyone can follow. (Really). Read more on our iron rich foods tips page and explore this site for more information on the iron content of your favorite foods.