Barley malt extract

[oxford]

Is it okay to take it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malt#Malt_extract

[Oscar]

Why would you want to take it? And what is "okay"?

[oxford]

telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/8971466/Just-a-spoonful-of-malt-extract-could-banish-winter-sniffles.html

I am thinking of using it as a sweetener. If table sugar is okay to take, why not malt extract since it's basically sugar?

[Oscar]

Table sugar is okay because it has almost no impurities (read: harmful substances). It should be used only as an additional source of carbs, after the micronutrient requirements have been fulfilled. Barley does not give us anything useful that we're not getting from the items on the diet, and if what you say is true and it's basically sugar, why not use table sugar instead?