Ancient Egyptians used barley as their primary cereal grain. The first drink developed by Neolithic humans was probably barley beer. Needless to say, the versatile uses of barley was discovered early in history. Barley is popular today in soups and stews, and used as an ingredient in many beers and other alcoholic beverages. Especially noted for its high levels of fiber and selenium, barley is heart healthy and helps lower cholesterol.