Get the Facts on Fiber

Wheat Bran Fiber

Most grains, like wheat and oats, have a hard outer layer. When they are processed, this layer becomes a byproduct, and is called bran. In the case of processing wheat to make wheat flour, one gets miller's or wheat bran. Wheat bran is packed with nutrition, and offers many dietary benefits.

One commonly sees wheat bran in certain cereals, like All-Bran, Raisin Bran or Bran Flakes. All-Bran cereals and snacks are really good sources of wheat bran fiber as most of them contain it as their primary source of fiber. Further many are familiar with bran muffins, which rose to popularity in the 1980s. Wheat bran is beneficial toward providing digestive regularity and ending constipation because it is very high in dietary fiber. Some also claim that foods containing wheat bran provide a feeling of fullness. This claim may be true, since wheat bran tends to absorb water and expand in the digestive system.

The nutritional benefits of wheat bran are mainly undisputed. For a time, it was thought that wheat bran might fight cancer, but this remains largely unproven. However, a cup (58 g) of wheat bran does offer significant nutritional pluses. One cup of wheat bran contains 99% of the US recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fiber, nine grams of protein, and 34% of the RDA for iron. Wheat bran is also high in protein, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin B6, and is low in fat, with no cholesterol, and no sugar or sodium.

One can purchase wheat bran in bulk, which makes it quite easy to add to cereals like granola or to baked goods. Wheat bran muffins are a natural choice, but adding wheat bran to pancakes, biscuits, waffles, or even cookies is a great way to bulk up the nutritional value of a food. Some people even take wheat bran in powdered form as a way of getting their needed dietary fiber each day. A small amount of wheat bran can be added to smoothies, especially when it is finely powdered.

Wheat bran has a sweet taste, but not all find it appealing. It's also important to start slow when adding wheat bran to foods. A little too much can easily translate to diarrhea. Further, as with all wheat sources, those who have celiac disease should not use wheat bran.

Also wheat bran is frequently added to foods that aren't that nutritionally valuable. For example, some wheat bran cereals may be high in high fructose corn syrup or sugar.

Wheat bran muffins may contain a lot of fat. Wheat bran pancakes may lose a bit of their nutritional value if slathered with butter and syrup. Using wheat bran is not permission to eat unhealthily in other respects.

Wheat bran cannot be stored like regular wheat flour. It tends to get rancid and is best stored in the refrigerator, especially if one plans to store it for long. Alternately, it may be stored in a vacuum-sealed canister at a moderate temperature. If you note that the wheat bran tastes bitter, it is probably rancid, and should be discarded.

Wheat bran is one of nature's richest sources of natural food fiber, recognized for its role in helping to maintain regularity. Many commercial oat bran and wheat bran products (muffins, chips, waffles) contain very little bran. They also may be high in sodium, total fat and saturated fat. Read labels carefully.

Wheat bran can help:

- Give you 100 percent of the natural fiber you need.
- Help maintain regularity
- Help maintain normal bowel function
- Relieve occasional constipation, such as caused by changes in dietary habits or travel.

Sources: WiseGeek, Belly Bytes, WheatBranFiber.com

 

- What is dietary fiber?
- What is insoluble and soluble fiber?
- Why do we need fiber?
- How much fiber do we need?
- Is all fiber the same?