WHEAT… A SUPER GRAIN?

Collaboration avec la Boulangerie St-Méthode

While whole grains aren’t always greatly appreciated, they certainly have proven their worth. Each in their own way provides multiple health benefits. That’s why they should make up one quarter of a healthy plate. Several whole grains exist, but today, we’ll take a look at a very popular and versatile grain: wheat!

Wheat is one of the three most harvested cereal grains on the planet. In Canada, we produce close to 22 million tons of wheat annually. While some wheat is produced in Quebec, the grain is mainly grown in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba. Wheat can be found in several elements of our diet, including bread, pastry, and pasta. But did you know that wheat is also used to make beer, vodka, and even biofuel?

Wheat, a cereal in the grass family, consists of three parts: the bran, the endosperm, and the germ. Its outer layer—the bran—provides several nutrients including fibre, B-group vitamins, and minerals such as iron, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium. Wheat’s middle layer—the endosperm—is its source of complex carbohydrates and protein. While it is the smallest part of the grain, the germ provides such nutrients as B-group vitamins and vitamin E; it also contains good fats, antioxidants, iron, and zinc.

Eating wheat grains in their entirety can provide several health benefits. Its fibre content can help improve blood cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar levels, and facilitate intestinal transit. The wide range of nutrients contained in whole wheat also helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, and even the development of certain cancers. Wheat—so small and yet so important to overall health!

Boulangerie St-Méthode takes Quebecers’ health to heart. That’s why 16 of its breads are mainly made with whole wheat flour—a flour than includes all parts of the wheat grain. These include Les grains’ 9 Whole Grains Bread, La Récolte’s Integral Bread, and Campagnolo’s 100% Whole Wheat Loaf.

Summing up

• Wheat is found in a variety of products.

• A wheat grain is made up of three parts: the bran, the endosperm, and the germ.

• Eating wheat grains in their entirety provides several benefits.

• Most of Boulangerie St-Méthode breads contain whole wheat flour.

You want to know more about St-Méthode Bakery's product line? CLICK HERE

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