What Is Red Wheat?

Most flour in the United States comes from some variety of wheat, or Triticum aestivum. After China, the European Union and India, the United States is the fourth-greatest wheat-producing unit in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Wheat is the third-largest American crop, after corn and soybeans.

Types of Wheat

The five main kinds of wheat in the United States are hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, white wheat and durum wheat, which is most common in pasta, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Winter wheat is planted during the winter, and it is more common than spring wheat, which is planted in the spring. The climate and soil characteristics determine which kind of wheat grows best in each region, and red wheat tends to grow in the Great Plains, Northern Plains and eastern United States.

Uses

The flour in regular whole-wheat bread is red wheat flour, according to the Mayo Clinic. The main use of red winter wheat flour in the United States is for bread-making, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hard red spring wheat is higher in protein than other wheat, which makes it good for mixing with lower-protein flours. Common uses for milled soft red winter wheat include as an ingredient in cakes, cookies and crackers.

Calories and Macronutrients

Each 100-g serving of red wheat flour provides about 330 calories and less than 2 g fat, with almost no saturated fat, which raises your blood cholesterol levels. Hard red spring wheat flour has 68 g total carbohydrates and 16 g protein, and hard and soft red winter wheat flour have 71 to 74 g total carbohydrates and 10 to 12 g protein. Red wheat flour has about 12 g dietary fiber per 100 g, and it is cholesterol-free.

Vitamins and Minerals

Each 100-g portion of hard spring, soft winter and hard winter red wheat flour provides more than 100 mg magnesium, compared to the daily value of 50 mg. Red wheat flour is high in iron, with about 3.5 mg, or about 20 percent of the daily value. Fortified refined or enriched whole-grain breads made with red wheat flour are sources of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.