Fiber has been suggested by previous studies to be of value in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and improving glucose tolerance.  Barley is a food rich in beta glucans, a type of soluble fiber.   Nancy Ames, from the Cereal Research Centre at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and colleagues completed a meta-analysis of eleven studies, finding that barley and beta-glucan isolated from barley significantly lowered both total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations. Observing that beta-glucan has unique characteristics relating to solubility and molecular weight, which may help it to confer its cholesterol-lowering properties, the team concludes that: “Increased consumption of barely products should be considered as a dietary approach to reduce LDL cholesterol concentrations.”