What is wheat germ, and is wheat germ good for you? Wheat germ is a part of the wheat kernel that helps the plant develop new wheat plants. Although it is typically removed from refined wheat products in an effort to lengthen the shelf life of the processed food, it can also be added to food for the health benefits.
Why Do People Use Wheat Germ?
Many people also choose to purchase wheat germ in shiruto supplement form to reap the rewards. Some of the health benefits of wheat germ include being high in vegetable protein, fiber, and healthy fats. It contains vitamins and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, folate, and thiamin.
Another benefit of wheat germ is it is also naturally high in vitamin E, which is an essential nutrient that has antioxidant benefits. Research suggests that natural antioxidants are the best source for preventing disease, as antioxidants are believed to decrease the body’s free radicals. With all these wheat germ benefits, what drawbacks are there? Still, some people are curious if wheat germ is bad for you.
Is Wheat Germ Bad For You?
With wheat germ’s nutrition and many health benefits, it seems as though everyone can benefit from consuming it. However, it may not be a great idea for some people. Those who have gluten or wheat allergies, are gluten intolerant or have Celiac Disease can experience wheat germ side effects and should avoid consuming wheat germ or products that contain it.
Wheat germ is high in triglycerides, which is a type of fat. If you’re at risk for heart disease or suffer from heart disease, you may experience shiruto side effects. It may be a good idea to avoid wheat germ, as high triglyceride levels have been linked to adverse health effects.
People who are on a ketogenic or low-carb diet may want to avoid consuming large quantities of wheat germ, as one cup contains almost 60 grams of carbohydrates. If you’re unsure if wheat germ would be beneficial for your health, it’s best to consult your doctor for their professional opinion.
What is Wheat Germ Used for?
You may be wondering what someone would use wheat germ for. There are many wheat germ uses, and you have probably consumed wheat germ without even knowing. Even though many of the refined flours do remove the wheat germ before processing, some companies add wheat germ extract into their products. Some cereals, granolas, and cornbread all add wheat germ to their recipes for the added health benefits and taste.
Additional wheat germ uses can be food substitutes- wheat germ powder can be used instead of breadcrumbs when making meatloaf or meatballs, and also can provide a delicious breading for meats. Some people like to use wheat germ extract as a topping to ice cream, yogurt, fruit pies, and hot or cold cereals. If you’ve got picky eaters but want to pack a nutritional punch in their diet, you can add wheat germ powder directly into smoothies. You can also add wheat germ extract into baked good recipes- muffins, pancakes, breads, cakes, and waffles, as you can replace up to a ½ cup of flour with wheat germ. It’s a very versatile, neutral flavor profile food.
Is Wheat Germ Oil Good For Your Skin?
There are quite a number of wheat germ benefits for skin. The oil has been used as a natural skin care treatment for many years, as it helps treat dryness, reduce scarring, dark spots, and inflammation. You may think it’s counterproductive to use an oil on your face, or that it will clog pores, but in all actuality, it is a great option for skin care. ‘Like dissolves like,’ so if you’ve got oily skin it can actually help purify your face naturally.
It can help dispose of an overabundance of sebum, which can help your skin’s overall health. Wheat germ oil naturally contains vitamin A, vitamin D, and unsaturated fats that can help even skin tone. Besides helping to improve skin’s appearance, it also has been said to be anti-aging for the skin since it naturally contains vitamin E, folic corrosive, and B6. There definitely isn’t a lack of wheat germ benefits for the skin.
Is Wheat Germ Oil Good For Weight Loss?
Fats can help keep your body feeling full and satiated. When you’re dieting, often you think of eliminating fats in your diet because you’re trying to reduce fat on your body. In all actuality, this can foil your weight loss plans, because if you eat too low fat you can do more harm than good.
There are actually wheat germ benefits for weight loss, and the fat in wheat germ oil is what increases its popularity among the fitness-savvy and healthy eater crowd. Wheat germ oil contains polyunsaturated fat, which is considered a “good” fat. Since it’s liquid at room temperature, it may help increase your heart health when it’s swapped with a less healthier oil.
Is Wheat Germ Good For Hair?
One surprising fact is that there are actually wheat germ benefits for hair. Both consuming wheat germ oil and using hair care products containing wheat germ oil can provide many benefits to your hair’s look and health. Wheat germ is helpful for the scalp’s health, and also encourages elasticity and strength of the hair strand.
Vitamin E and lecithin are building blocks to make your hair look healthy and act strong. Essential fatty acids in wheat germ oil are also believed to strengthen the hair’s root and follicle. Linoleic and linolenic acid in the oil help balance the scalp and add shine and bounce to the hair. Whether you are consuming the wheat germ oil orally, or are using the oil in your hair, the benefits are noticeable.
How to Eat Wheat Germ
Now that you know all the benefits of wheat germ, you’re probably wondering how to consume more wheat germ. Wheat has been a staple in diets of cultures worldwide. As far back as 9,000 years ago, people in Europe and Asia were growing the wheat plant.
While there’s no specific wheat germ diet, it can be very easy to eat more wheat germ. Since it has a very neutral flavor profile, it’s easy to mix into smoothies, yogurt, and cold or hot cereal. When baking and cooking, you can add organic wheat germ into meatloaf, muffins, and casseroles. Adding wheat germ to water and drinking it like a fiber supplement can also be helpful.
Supplements May Help
If you’re the kind of person that would rather take a supplement form of a product, the spermidine supplement may be a great option for you. The easily absorbed capsules contain wheat germ, and you reap all the benefits of wheat germ in one convenient capsule. Some suggest that wheat germ oil can help control cholesterol levels. Organic wheat germ is high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that is believed to decrease the number of free radicals in the body. By supplementing with a good quality product, you can consume more wheat germ without having to add it directly into your diet. Given all the health benefits and options to incorporate it in your routine, you no longer have to ask yourself is wheat germ healthy.
