What is the difference between cracked wheat and wheatgerm?
What is the difference between cracked wheat and wheatgerm?
I have used both items in completely different contexts - cracked wheat in salad and wheatgerm in muesli - but would like to know what the difference is between them so that I can incorporate them into my cooking appropriately.
Best Answer
Cracked wheat is a whole wheat berry that has been crushed or cut into smaller pieces.
Wheat germ is a very small part (1.5 to 2.5%) of a whole wheat berry. It is rich in protein and dense with nutrients. It's hard to overstate how much wheat germ is a nutrition powerhouse. It has more protein than most meats (28%), contains more potassium and iron than any other food, and also is packed with riboflavin, calcium, zinc, magnesium, as well as vitamins A, B1, B3, and E.
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Is cracked wheat and wheat germ the same?
Cracked wheat includes the germ of the wheat kernel. A similar product, bulgur wheat, is also made by cracking wheat kernels.What is the difference between wheat and wheat germ?
The endosperm, what makes up most of a wheat berry, is inside the bran. The germ is the part of the wheat berry that sprouts to grow into a new plant. When wheat is being refined into white flour, usually the bran and the germ are removed. However, the germ is the healthiest part of the wheat berry.What is another name for cracked wheat?
Bulgur (sometimes spelled bulghur) is a form of whole wheat that has been cracked, cleaned, parboiled (or steamed), dried and then ground into various sizes. Bulgur is sold by its size.What is cracked wheat?
Cracked wheat is a wheat product made from whole wheat grains that have been cracked/ground/crushed/cut into smaller pieces. Many people use cracked wheat as a base, like couscous, serving vegetables or meats alongside it. It can also be used in grain pilafs and multi-grain bread, pancakes, and other grain dishes.More answers regarding what is the difference between cracked wheat and wheatgerm?
Answer 2
To build on what @hobodave said :
A kernel of wheat is composed of three main parts:
- bran
- germ
- endosperm
(see a diagram of the parts)
The endosperm is what's milled into white flour; the germ is removed from white flour because it contains fat which can go rancid, spoiling the flour and shortening the shelf life.
Cracked wheat, as it still contain the bran still has a healthy amount of fiber to it, and although I like it in baked goods, I'm more likely to keep bulgar wheat around (which is toasted and parcooked cracked wheat), as I prefer the nuttier flavor and shorter cooking times.
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Images: Klaus Nielsen, Klaus Nielsen, Laura James, Klaus Nielsen