While grocery shopping, you have many choices of bread and may want to go with perhaps the darkest, heaviest or even the tastiest wheat bread. The methods by which you choose your bread, educated or not, determine the health benefits you receive from wheat products. Wheat milling, or processing, has the potential to strip the whole grain kernel of vital minerals, nutrients and vitamins, leaving you with a less than desirable food product.
What is Wheat Germ?
A whole-grain kernel consists of three important components. The bran, or outer covering, protects the inner parts of the wheat kernel and provides the majority of fiber to whole-grain products. The endosperm, the largest part of the kernel, is the source for white flour and provides the majority of carbohydrates, protein and B vitamins in bread. The final component, wheat germ, is nutrient dense and provides the majority of unsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals to grain products. Processed wheat kernels are typically stripped of the bran and germ, leaving a refined product void of fiber and several key health-promoting nutrients.
Choosing Whole Grains
Despite health claims written on food packaging, you must read the food label to determine the type of grain provided. Choose grains with the words "whole grain" instead of "enriched" or simply "wheat." If "whole" is absent from the food label, you are not consuming a whole grain with the wheat germ intact. Dark wheat bread without "whole" on the label is simply providing your body with no more than what a slice of white bread would. Aim to choose foods with greater than 3g of fiber per serving to ensure that you are receiving all of the benefits of a whole-grain kernel.
Health Benefits of Wheat Germ
The phytosterol, omega-3 and antioxidant content of wheat germ lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease risks and reduce risks for developing cancer. Consuming a diet high in whole grains and wheat germ also prevents risks for diabetes and obesity. A dietary pattern high in whole-grain intake is predictive of a healthy body weight, according to research published in the May 2005 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Supplementing With Wheat Germ
Wheat germ is available for purchase in many forms. Commonly found forms of wheat germ include raw, toasted, oil and powder. You may purchase the majority of these products in your local health food store. The high unsaturated fat content of wheat germ requires you to store any opened forms of wheat germ in your refrigerator to prevent rancidity. By adding wheat germ to your cereal, baked goods, bread crumbs and other various recipes, you provide your body with not only additional fiber but the health benefits of wheat germ.
References
- Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition: Whole Grains and Health, Get the Whole Story
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Plausible Mechanisms for the Protectiveness of Whole Grains
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Inhibition of Cholesterol Absorption by Phytosterol-Replete Wheat Germ Compared with Phytosterol-Depleted Wheat Germ
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Identification of a Food Pattern Characterized by High-Fiber and Low-Fat Food Choices Associated with Low Prospective Weight Change in the EPIC-Potsdam Cohort
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