Whole grain wheat is comprised of the full, unrefined seed of the wheat plant, and contains the bran, germ and endosperm. As a source of dietary fiber, essential nutrients and phytochemicals, whole grain wheat is a healthy source of carbohydrates. Whole grain wheat can be cooked and eaten unprocessed or can be cracked or ground into flour for use in baked goods or pasta.
Types
There are about 30,000 varieties of wheat divided into six different classes, according to the Wheat Foods Council. These classes, hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, hard white, soft white and durum, all have similar nutritional profiles. Most wheat products, such as whole wheat bread and pasta, are made with the red varieties of wheat. Durum wheat is slightly higher in protein than the other types and is used to make semolina pasta and durum flour. White whole wheat bread is made with white wheat varieties, so it looks and feels like white bread but retains the nutritional qualities of whole wheat.
Basic Nutrition
In 100 g of whole hard red winter wheat there are 327 calories and 13 g of protein. This same 100 g of wheat has 71 g of carbohydrates, of which 12 g is fiber. This wheat has 2 g of fat, none of which is saturated fat, no cholesterol and 2 mg of sodium. The water content is 13.1 g in 100 g of wheat.
Micronutrients
There is 4 mg of manganese in 100 g of whole grain wheat, almost 200 percent of the daily recommended intake, and 70.7 mcg of selenium, about 101 percent of its daily value. Whole grain wheat is also high in the vitamins thiamin and niacin and the minerals magnesium and phosphorus, supplying over 25 percent of the recommended daily value in 100 g of wheat. In addition, it contains 10 percent or more of the recommended intake of folate, iron, potassium, zinc, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Other nutrients present in smaller amounts in wheat include riboflavin, calcium, choline and vitamins E and K.
Phytochemicals
A 100 g serving of wheat contains 220 mcg of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. These phytochemicals are important for eye health and may reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration. Whole wheat also contains lignins, a phytochemical that may help protect against heart disease and hormone-dependent cancers such as breast cancer. Because lignins are found in the fibrous part of whole wheat, refined grains do not have them.
Considerations
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people consume three or more servings of whole grains every day, since this amount is associated with a decreased risk of chronic disease. Products using whole grain wheat can be substituted for refined wheat products, such as eating whole grain bread instead of white bread or whole grain pasta instead of other varieties of pasta. The first ingredient on the list for whole grain bread and other products should be whole wheat or white whole wheat.
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