The pearl-shaped “ptitim” wheat product came about during a period of intense rationing in Israel in the 1950s, when the country was seeing an influx of more than 700,000 new immigrants.

Bajra has more fibre, i.e., 11.3 grams, than wheat, i.e., four grams. According to PubMed, bajra is rich in antioxidants and fibre, whereas wheat is rich in protein and has a low glycemic index ...

The other two varieties are pot barley and pearl barley. Barley has significantly less gluten than wheat. FAQs about BBC Food ...