It's the rare health-conscious consumer who doesn't know that whole grains comprise a crucial part of a healthy diet. Yet wheat bread, wheat pasta and brown rice can get boring after awhile. That's when grains such as cracked wheat come to the rescue. With a soft texture and a taste often described as "nutty," cracked wheat is a remarkably versatile grain that adapts itself to cold salads, main dinner dishes and even breakfast cereals.
Description
Cracked wheat represents a lesser-known member of the wheat family. Although some people use the terms bulgur and cracked wheat interchangeably, technically a difference exists. Cracked wheat comes from wheat berries broken into small pieces, rather than left intact as wheat berries for cooking, or processed into the flour we call whole wheat. Bulgur is cracked wheat which has been cooked part-way, then dried, before being processed for sale. Nutritionally, the two are virtually identical, according to Oklahoma State University.
Basics
A 1-cup serving of cracked wheat contains 151 calories and less than 1 g fat, according to "Fitness Magazine." It also contains 5.6 g protein and 33.8 g carbohydrates. Bulgur delivers a health serving of fiber in each serving. One cup contributes 8.2 g, or about 33 percent of the daily value (DV) of fiber recommended for optimum health. Fiber helps you maintain healthy digestion and may help lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar, notes MayoClinic.com
Vitamins and Minerals
Contributing about 15 percent the DV for magnesium, cracked wheat also provides almost 7 percent of the DV for zinc and copper as well as 9 percent niacin and 10 percent iron. Magnesium helps build strong bones and keeps muscles and nerves working properly. Niacin, or vitamin B-3, helps convert food into fuel, as well as promote healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Iron encourages healthy blood cells, which helps you fight fatigue and illness. Zinc improves your sense of smell and taste, as well as boosts your immune system and promotes metabolism and blood sugar rates. Copper actually makes the healthy effects of zinc stronger, while also promoting tissue health, thyroid function and healthy skin and hair.
Additional Nutrients
Cracked wheat also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids which often appear in foods together. As antioxidants, they help the body in ways similar to caretoids which convert to vitamin A in the body. Aside from strengthening your immune system, the two carotenoids are linked to eye health, including the prevention of macular degeneration.
Serving Suggestions
Tabbouleh salad, a classic Middle Eastern dish featuring cracked wheat, typically combines cooked and cooled cracked wheat with olive oil, raisins, tomatoes, lemon juice, herbs and seasonings. MayoClinc.com's featured tabbouleh is 101 calories per serving, and provides 4 g fiber, 2 g protein and no dietary cholesterol. "Fitness Magazine" notes that cracked wheat or bulgur pairs well with meat, as in the Middle Eastern dish kibbe. Use fine-grained cracked wheat when making meat dishes, medium for tabbouleh and large for pilaf-like side dishes, suggests Fitness.com.
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