Barley Grass is a major cereal grain which grows in temperate global climates It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Europe & Asia as early as 13,000 years ago. It has also been used as animal feed, as a source of fermentable material for beer & spirits & nowdays as a component of various health foods & supplements. It is used in soups & stews, & in bread & Barley grains are commonly made into malt in a traditional & ancient method of preparation. in a 2007 ranking of cereal crops in the world, barley was fourth both in terms of quantity produced (136 million tons) & in area of cultivation (566,000 square kilometres or 219,000 square miles) Organic Barley Grass (Hordeum vulgare ) in powder form like this product is to make it easier to incorporate into smoothies & health drinks. It is made from the very young barley shoots. These are absolutely full of minerals & vitamins & are gluten free. The grass is usually hand harvested when collecting so young for this type of product. Like Oat Straw, Barley Grass contains more calcium than fresh milk, & also more iron than spinach & more fibre than brown breads & a multitude of natural vitamins & minerals. As a general rule, as there is no science attached to it, a couple of teaspoons of barley grass powder added to your smoothie ingredients before liquidising it is what most people do. If you want to add more or less - its up to you. Some people just use the barley grass to make a smoothie of just the product. in old English the word for ‘barley is bre & the word barn, which originally meant barley-house, is also from the same root. Barley Grass Powder - Hordeum Vulgare 50 Grams