Rice & grains · Glycemic index

Does pearl barley spike blood sugar?

Moderately. Pearl barley has a low GI of 30, and a 157 g serving (1 cup cooked) has a medium glycemic load of 11. Barley has one of the lowest GIs of any grain — helped by its fiber — so it releases its carbohydrate much more slowly than rice.

Key numbers

Glycemic index: 30; Low GI
Glycemic load: 11; Medium GL
Available carbs: 38 g; 6 g fiber
Serving: 1 cup cooked; 157 g · boiled

GI vs GL for pearl barley

The glycemic index (GI) compares how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar against pure glucose (100), using a fixed amount of carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) adds the other half of the story — how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI × available carbs ÷ 100. For pearl barley: 30 × 38 g ÷ 100 ≈ 11.

That figure is an average reported in the 2021 international GI tables (“Barley, mean of 20 foods”). Most boiled pearled and whole barley tests fell between about 20 and 41; the outlier was an Italian pearled barley product that tested 58.

Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.

How to eat pearl barley with less of a spike

Swap it for rice in risotto-style dishes, soups and grain salads.
Cook a batch and keep it in the fridge so it is as convenient as instant rice on busy nights.
A cup cooked is still a sizeable carbohydrate portion; half a cup with vegetables and protein is plenty for most meals.

Lower-GI swaps

Compare with

See all 67 foods in the glycemic index table

Frequently asked questions

What is the glycemic index of pearl barley?

Pearl barley has a glycemic index of 30, which is low. That figure is an average reported in the 2021 international GI tables (“Barley, mean of 20 foods”). A 157 g serving (1 cup cooked) contains about 38 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 11 (medium).

Is pearl barley good for prediabetes?

Barley is one of the best grain choices for steadier blood sugar. Its GI is less than half that of white rice, so using it in soups, salads and grain bowls is an easy upgrade.

Why does barley have such a low glycemic index?

Barley is rich in fiber, including soluble beta-glucan, and high-fiber foods are digested more slowly, producing a more gradual rise in blood sugar. Twenty barley foods in the 2021 international tables averaged a GI of 30.

Sources

GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.

Data last checked September 30, 2026.