Wonders of wheat germ

As it turns out the Mayo Clinic ranks wheat germ as one of the 10 healthiest foods… so why aren’t we all eating it? Last weekend I was at the grocery store and my beau reminded me that Michael Pollan talks about how wheat germ (short for germination) is the healthiest, most nutrient rich part of the plant. Being adventurous eaters, we bought a jar and I hit the internet to learn more. Turns out this simple grain is an incredible source of nutrients and protein and is easy to include in your daily routine (and it tastes good too).

Not everyone can eat wheat and we’re seeing an increase in gluten intolerances and allergies. But for those of us who can eat wheat, let us not overlook the wondrous wheat germ!

What is wheat germ?

You can buy it at most grocery stores (finding organic wheat germ is a bit harder if your shopping at a conventional grocery store, but is easy to buy online). It’s usually hiding by the oats and grain cereals and is most often found in a jar. It is ground up wheat and looks like fine wheat grain, I like the “toasted” wheat germ. There is also fermented wheat germ and wheat germ oil, neither of which I’ve tried.

Wheat germ is the embryo of the plant which is one of the reasons it’s the most nutrient and mineral rich part of the plant. The germ feeds the new wheat plant and your body!

Health benefits of wheat germ

You’ll be amazed at how many nutrients and minerals are stored in this seemingly simple grain.

B vitamins: Including folic acid which helps support expectant mothers and athletes with the perk of reducing the risk for certain cancers. Wheat germ also includes the B vitamin Thiamin which helps convert carbohydrates to energy (great for athletes).

Phytosterols: Decreases unhealthy cholesterol and supports heart health

Fiber: Helps aide digestions and balance blood sugar levels

Minerals (magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, selenium, manganese): Which help your body repair itself, support healthy balance to ward off headaches after a hard workout and reduce soreness after working out.

Vitamin E: Aids in immune function, supports cell membranes, brain cells, assists in liver detox and is considered an antioxidant.

Protein: There are nearly 13 grams of protein in four table spoons of wheat germ. For a point of reference, adult men and women are recommended to get around 75 grams of protein a day.

Fermented wheat germ

There is some interested and compelling science from peer reviewed journals like the British Journal of Cancer, that found fermented wheat germ has helped cancer patients and reduce side effects of chronic arthritis in some patients.

How to include wheat germ in your diet

So have I convinced you yet to give it a go? Here are some simple ways I’ve incorporated wheat germ into my diet:

• Sprinkle it on yogurt with walnuts (my favorite)
• Add it to smoothies
• Add to oatmeal or hot cereal

Remember: 

• Avoid wheat germ if you are sensitive or allergic to gluten
• You need to refrigerate wheat germ after you’ve opened it to prevent it from spoiling (yes it’s alive, yay!)
• Organic wheat germ is hard to find, read more here to find out why
• Avoid buying “de-fatted” wheat germ which uses hexane to extract oil from the wheat germ, and also removes Vitamin E

(Disclaimer: If you purchase wheat germ from these links, I may get a small fee at no extra cost to you. These brands have not paid me in anyway to promote them, I just simply love their products.)

I was surprised to find there aren’t that many brands of wheat germ on the market, let alone organic wheat germ. My favorite brands so far are Kretschmer Original Toasted Wheat Germ and Bob’s Red Mill.

I love that I’m still discovering delicious and incredibly healthy foods that are easy to incorporate into my daily meals. I’m always open to hear about other old or new foods, if you have suggestions please leave them in the comments below!

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