Pearl barley is high in protein and fat. In relation to other grains, it is low in carbohydrates. Many doctors thus encourage those who suffer from diabetes or glandular obesity to eat barely instead of rice.
薏仁的蛋白質、脂肪含量居所有穀物之冠，纖維質多，卻只有極低的澱粉含量，因此許多醫生鼓勵「文明病」患者，以薏仁代替米麥食用；薏仁也因營養高、滋味好，在國內頗受歡迎與重視。