In fact, enrichment of wheat flour is mandatory in many countries ( 16).Įnriched wheat flour may be a good source of iron, thiamine, niacin, calcium, and vitamin B6, in addition to the above nutrients. Therefore, white wheat is relatively poor in many vitamins and minerals compared to whole-grain wheat.īecause wheat accounts for a large portion of people’s food intake, flour is regularly enriched with vitamins and minerals. Some of the most nutritious parts of the grain - the bran and germ - are absent from white wheat because they’re removed during the milling and refining process. It’s particularly important during pregnancy ( 15). One of the B vitamins, folate is also known as folic acid or vitamin B9.

Deficiency may have adverse effects on heart health ( 14). An essential trace element, copper is often low in the Western diet. This dietary mineral plays an essential role in the maintenance and growth of body tissues. Found in high amounts in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, manganese may be poorly absorbed from whole wheat due to its phytic acid content ( 13).

The selenium content of wheat depends on the soil - and is very low in some regions, including China ( 11, 12). This trace element has various essential functions in your body. Whole wheat is a good source of several vitamins and minerals.Īs with most cereal grains, the amount of minerals depends on the soil in which it’s grown. Its protein mostly comes in the form of gluten. Still, this grain harbors significant amounts of fiber, which may aid your digestion. SUMMARYĬarbs are the main nutritional component of wheat. Wheat gluten can have adverse health effects in people with gluten intolerance. It’s responsible for the unique elasticity and stickiness of wheat dough, the properties that make it so useful in breadmaking. Gluten a large family of proteins, accounts for up to 80% of the total protein content. Proteins make up 7–22% of wheat’s dry weight ( 1, 10). What’s more, wheat contains small amounts of soluble fibers, or fructans, that may cause digestive symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ( 9).īy and large, though, wheat bran may have beneficial effects on gut health. Some fibers also feed your gut bacteria ( 6, 7, 8). Most wheat fiber is insoluble, passing through your digestive system almost intact and adding bulk to stool. The rest is mostly made up of cellulose ( 4, 5). The main fiber in wheat bran is arabinoxylan (70%), which is a type of hemicellulose. The fiber content of whole-grain wheat is 12–15% of the dry weight ( 1).Īs they’re concentrated in the bran, fibers are removed during the milling process and largely absent from refined flour. Whole wheat is high in fiber - but refined wheat contains almost none. On the other hand, some processed wheat products - such as pasta - are digested less efficiently and thus don’t raise blood sugar levels to the same extent ( 2). Similar to white rice and potatoes, both white and whole wheat rank high on the glycemic index (GI), making them unsuitable for people with diabetes ( 2, 3). High digestibility may cause an unhealthy spike in blood sugar after a meal and have harmful effects on health, especially for people with diabetes. The health effects of starch mainly depend on its digestibility, which determines its effect on blood sugar levels. Starch is the predominant carb in the plant kingdom, accounting for over 90% of the total carb content in wheat ( 1). Like all cereal grains, wheat is mainly composed of carbs. Here are the nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of whole-grain wheat flour ( 1): Wheat is mainly composed of carbs but also has moderate amounts of protein.

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