Barley Milk vs Macadamia Milk: What’s The Difference?

In this article, we are going to compare barley milk and macadamia milk to see how they compare in many aspects including calories, nutritional content, taste, usage, effects on weight loss, and environment.

To make this comparison as fair as possible and get a realistic picture of how barley and macadamia milk compare, we’ve used USDA’s date on products that are unsweetened and that aren’t fortified or that are minimally fortified if the completely unfortified product isn’t available.

Both barley and macadamia milk are dairy-free, and therefore suitable for vegans and people that stick to a plant-based diet for a variety of reasons, but there are also many differences between these plant-based drinks.

Let’s see what barley and macadamia drinks are, how they are produced, and finally how they compare in various ways.

What is Barley Milk and How It’s Made?

Barley is a type of grain. It is one of the most consumed grains in America.

It is very rich in nutrients. It contains many vitamins and minerals and is associated with a number of health benefits.

Another plant-based milk option made using barley is barley milk. It is frequently on the shelves and can reach many consumers thanks to both its taste and composition.

The nutritional value of barley is high due to its high content of vitamins, minerals, and other useful plant elements.

Pearl barley is the only kind of barley that does not utilize the whole grain; this type of barley has been polished, which removes part or all of the exterior bran layer as well as the husk. Nearly all other types of barley do use the complete grain.

When ingested in its whole-grain form, barley is a very rich source of fiber, selenium, molybdenum, and manganese. In addition, it has a respectable quantity of copper, chromium, magnesium, phosphorus, and niacin.

During the barley milk preparation process, however, the fiber and pulp are separated, so this is a crucial consideration to keep in mind. Because it is not ingested in its whole, it is unable to give all of the health advantages that are associated with consuming whole barley.

What is Macadamia Milk and How It’s Made?

Macadamia milk is another plant-based milk product that has gained popularity in recent years and is appreciated by many individuals.

Sugar-free versions are low-calorie, low-carb, and gluten-free.

It’s also loaded with a host of properties, such as it can support your vitamin D intake, its calcium content is even higher than cow’s milk, and it’s non-GMO.

Unsweetened macadamia milk is keto-friendly. It is one of the milk with the lowest carbohydrate content of all plant milk.

Along with unsweetened pea milk, they contain less than 1 gram of carbohydrates and no sugar at all.

Instead, they’re rich in heart-friendly healthy fats thanks to the composition of macadamia nuts. However, it is worth noting that since they are made into milk, they contain less than 4% macadamia and mostly contain water.

Barley vs Macadamia Milk Nutrition and Calories

In this section, we’ll analyze the similarities and differences between barley milk and macadamia milk based on nutritional information provided by USDA.

Macronutrients

Plant-based milks mostly consist of water, and barley and macadamia milks are no exceptions.

3.5 oz or 100 g of barley milk contains 29 calories, and consists mostly of protein (2.08 g), followed by fat (2.08 g) and carbs (1.25 g).

Speaking of macadamia milk, the same amount contains 21 calories, and consists mostly of fat (2.08 g), followed by protein (0.42 g) and carbs (0.42 g).

The table below compares the nutrition of a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) portion of barley milk to the same amount of macadamia milk.

Fiber

Fiber is important for our health as it keeps us feeling full, prevents constipation, lowers sugar spikes and regulates sugar levels, lowers total and LDL cholesterol, and provides many other benefits.

Both barley and macadamia milk contain almost the same amount of fiber, 0.4 g per b .

Micronutrients

What about micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in barley and macadamia milk?

The table below shows the most important vitamins and minerals in unfortified or minimally fortified plant-based drinks available in the market. Some of these nutrients are hard to get on a vegan diet.

Weight Loss

If you’re trying to lose weight, you probably want to know whether barley or macadamia milk is better for you.

Barley and barley are very similar in calories.

Barley milk has 29 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g), while macadamia milk has 21 calories, so speaking strictly about calories, there’s no much difference.

Barley vs Macadamia Milk Taste and Uses

Barley milk is creamy and has a slightly earthy-grainy aftertaste.

Like other plant-based milk, you can use barley milk in coffee, tea, and smoothies. You can use it in your baked items for its earthy smell.

Barley milk can add to the taste of chocolate-based dishes.

It can enhance the flavor of chocolate fudge cake and brownies. You can use it in pasta sauces to add a grainy taste.

Macadamia milk has a perfect balance of flavor and texture. It is creamy, sweet, and slightly nutty.

Many people may get a vanilla-like aftertaste when using it.

Macadamia milk is the perfect plant-based milk choice for coffee and chai.

It pairs well with both hot and cold drinks. It goes well with iced tea and hot chocolate. Macadamia milk can be poured over any breakfast cereal or used as a base for vegan ice-creams.

You can use macadamia milk as an ingredient when baking cakes and bread. You can also use it to complement vegetable curries.

Conclusion

Barley milk and macadamia milk are both plant-based, non-dairy beverages, suitable for vegans.

Barley milk and macadamia milk have their similarities and differences, but both are nutritious and a healthful addition to your diet. When available, always choose unsweetened, fortified products or try making them at home.

Plant milks, including barley and macadamia milks are easy to add to a diet, and can be used in varieties of recipes and dishes.

Fortified products will help get different nutrients, including micronutrients that are usually hard to get on a plant-based diet, such as vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium and others.

If you’re willing to learn more about these non-dairy milks, read our articles about them: Barley Milk and Macadamia Milk.

Other Barley Milk Comparisons

• Almond vs Barley
• Barley vs Cashew
• Barley vs Coconut
• Barley vs Oat
• Barley vs Pea
• Barley vs Rice
• Barley vs Soy

Other Macadamia Milk Comparisons

• Almond Milk vs Macadamia Milk
• Cashew Milk vs Macadamia Milk
• Coconut Milk vs Macadamia Milk
• Macadamia Milk vs Oat Milk
• Macadamia Milk vs Pea Milk
• Macadamia Milk vs Rice Milk
• Macadamia Milk vs Soy Milk