Talbina is a soup made from barley flour, formed by adding milk and honey to the dried barley powder. It is called talbina, which comes from the Arabic word laban meaning yogurt (milk/fermented churned milk), because of its resemblance to yogurt, as it is soft and white.

In Islam, Prophet Muhammad prescribed barley for seven diseases.^[1]

Barley is a good source of insoluble and soluble dietary fiber. The soluble fiber portion contains the richest source of beta-glucans compared to any other grain; these can aid immune function. Barley also contains B vitamins, iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and copper, and is one of the richest sources of chromium, which is important in maintaining blood glucose levels. Barley is also rich in antioxidants and contains a high concentration of tocols and tocotrienols, oils that help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.^{[citation needed]}

Barley has been cited as a possible food source for increasing tryptophan, and thus serotonin in the body. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/kc/serotonin-facts-232248

Avicenna, in his 11th century work The Canon of Medicine, wrote of the healing effects of barley water, soup and broth for fevers.^[2] Additionally, barley can be roasted and turned into roasted barley tea, a popular Asian drink.

• Barley
• Tsampa

• A Brief History of Barley Foods
• Barley from NutritionData
• Nutritive value of barley
• Medical Research on Barley Benefits
• The National Barley Foods Council (NBFC) home page.