In Exodus 12 we read that the Passover Feast required unleavened bread. Unleavened bread is simply bread that is made without yeast. Yeast, or leaven, causes dough to become full with volume. And we see that the Israelites took bowls of unleavened dough with them as they left Egypt. Moses instructed his people to keep a seven-day feast each year as a remembrance of that night, the night they were delivered from Egypt.

Experts in Bible history say that barley was a staple food of the masses. Wheat and barley, seen as an ancient and central gift of the earth, became used as a symbol of wealth. Barley, the less expensive of the two grains, was more readily available. The fact that barley was mentioned so often shows that the people of that day consumed large quantities of the grain and that it played a vital role in their health.

The best barley is whole barley. It is often used in bread, soup, stew, and hot cereal. Barley is a high-protein grain. Some people may be sensitive to the protein gluten in wheat. If so, barley is a good choice. Barley contains beta glucans, which help our immune system. It is high in fiber and in vitamin B.

You prepare bread made with barley by grinding the grain and then adding wheat, millet, and spelt, if you choose. Some health food stores have bread with barely already prepared, so you can buy it ready-made if you don't have the time to make it yourself.

It is important to keep this bread in the refrigerator or freezer to preserve its live ingredients. If you leave the bread out for a day or two it molds. However it will remain fresh for about a week or so if placed in the refrigerator.

Many people (especially Americans) are low in B vitamins due to all the processed foods they eat. This causes some to suffer from constipation. Barley helps prevent that while providing essential B6, B12, and folic acid. It also helps prevent heart disease.