**6. Conclusion**

Barley is one of the first cultivated crops, globally grown in diverse soil conditions and in areas where other crops cannot be easily cultivated. Although the crop is primarily grown as an animal feed and as a source of malt for alcoholic beverages, more and more it is included as a component of various foods due to the health benefits attributed mostly to dietary fibre, lipids, vitamins and antioxidant phytochemicals. These components are broadly distributed in barley and play an important role as substrates in the biosynthesis of various metabolic compounds and influence the flavour, taste, and colour of foods. Nutritional attributes of barley contribute to the prevention of numerous metabolite disorders providing antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and cardio- and neuro-protective effects. Overall, having barley in animal and human diets showed beneficial effects against the development of chronic illnesses.
