Barley
carb · base score 0.5 · also listed as barley, hordeum vulgare
What is it?
Barley is a carbohydrate (starch/filler) ingredient. Graded medium: nutritionally adequate and nothing to worry about, but not a standout ingredient either way.
At a glance
- Category
- carb
- Grade
- medium
- Base score
- 0.5 (from −1 to 1; higher is better)
- Found in
- 345 products
- Also listed as
- barley, hordeum vulgare
Common questions about barley
Is Barley good for dogs?
It is nutritionally fine: we grade it medium, meaning adequate and nothing to worry about, but not a standout either way. The overall recipe matters more than any single ingredient.
How many UK dog foods contain barley?
345 UK products list barley as an ingredient in our database. The full list is shown below, sorted by rating.
What else is barley called on labels?
Manufacturers list it under several names: barley, hordeum vulgare. We match all of these to the same glossary entry when we read a label.
How does Open Dog Food grade barley?
We grade it medium: nutritionally adequate, but nothing special either way. Every ingredient is converted to its dry-matter share and scored from our glossary before a recipe gets its 1-100 rating; the full method is on our methodology page.
Is barley better than wheat in dog food?
Barley is a slower-digesting grain with a gentler effect on blood sugar than wheat, and it brings useful soluble fibre. It is still a carbohydrate filler rather than a nutritional highlight, but among cereal grains it is one of the better choices.
