Although risotto is traditionally made with rice, I have started to swop the grain to barley as barley is high in beta-glucans so is excellent at balancing blood sugar levels as it improves insulin sensitivity. It is higher in fibre than risotto rice so will fill you up for longer. In addition it contains a fair amount of protein and Vit-B and magnesium. Magnesium is a good muscle relaxant and in studies barley has been shown to reduce blood pressure as well as LDL cholesterol.