Health Benefits of Wheat Germ

Other name: Cereal germ

Origins & Properties

Wheat germ is part of a wheat kernel and is responsible for helping the plant reproduce and spawn new wheat. Although it’s removed from most processed wheat products, it is a major nutritional component of whole grain wheat.

Wheat germ or wheatgerm is a concentrated source of several essential nutrients, including vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc, and magnesium, as well as essential fatty acids and fatty alcohols. It is a good source of fiber.

Common Uses

Wheat germ can be added to protein shakes, casseroles, muffins, pancakes, cereals, yogurt, smoothies, cookies, and other goods. Wheat germ is also useful in biochemistry since it contains lectins that bind strongly to certain glycoproteins; therefore, it can be used to isolate such proteins.