This study shows that barley foods containing /3-glucan and prepared from dietary-fiber-rich fractions of milled barley are capable of lowering plasma cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic men, relative to similar wheat foods. A slightly greater fall was
achieved with LDL cholesterol, which is the major risk factor lipoprotein for coronary heart disease. This response is equivalent to that produced when 95 g oat bran/d is ingested (20). The amount of fiber ingested (as barley foods) was greater than for
this previous study, the bulk deriving from barley flakes in muesli (equivalent to lightly pearled barley) and bread. Barley food intake was ı I 70 g/d, which is a greater proportion oftotal intake than is likely to be generally acceptable. However, the palatability of the prepared barley and wheat foods compensated for the intake requirements of this study, as shown by a high level of compliance.