Why add Wheat Germ to Bread?
A blogger I generally trust recently posted a recipe for a simple, brown soda bread.
The recipe calls for: bread flour, whole wheat flour, and wheat germ.
What is the purpose of adding wheat germ to a bread dough? What function does that serve?
I thought wheat germ was what you removed to turn whole wheat flour into white flour. So is the wheat germ just there to make the bread darker? Or is it something to do with it being a soda bread, instead of a more standard yeast bread?
Best Answer
Wheat germs are the repoductive parts of the wheat grains. Like all germs, they are rich in vitamins, nutrients and oils. The oils are the reason the germs are removed during the milling process: they can become rancid quickly and reduce the shelf life of the flour. In whole wheat, the germ remains included, hence the shorter shelf life.
But the germ is not what makes the bread "dark", that's the outer bran - also removed during milling for white flour. Your recipe uses whole wheat flour, which explains the "dark" in the name.
In your recipe, I assume the wheat germ is included to make the bread "healthier" - like in many totally different recipes that use it. It may also influence the taste with "nuttier" tones and a tiny bit the texture. But combined with whole wheat flour, the effect is limited.
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Quick Answer about "Why add Wheat Germ to Bread?"
Toasted wheat germ bumps up the sweet, nutty flavor of the whole wheat and adds texture.What does wheat germ do in bread making?
Wheat germ is the embryo of the wheat kernel which constitutes 2.5% of its weight. In baked goods, this provides valuable nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals. Toasted wheat germs can also impart a pleasant crunch and nutty taste.Why might you add wheat germ to foods?
What can wheat germ do for me? Wheat germ has excellent nutritional value as a food supplement, experts say. It's a great source of vegetable proteins, along with fiber and healthy fats. It's also a good source of magnesium, zinc, thiamin, folate, potassium, and phosphorus.Why is wheat germ removed from flour?
Removal of bran is aimed at producing a flour with a white rather than a brown color, and eliminating fiber, which reduces nutrition. The germ is rich in polyunsaturated fats (which have a tendency to oxidize and become rancid on storage) and so germ removal improves the storage qualities of flour.Can you add wheat germ to flour?
Livestrong.com recommends toasting wheat germ on a baking sheet at 325 degrees for 15 or 20 minutes, stirring it occasionally, then cooling it and adding it to flour in an amount that doesn't exceed 1/3 of the volume of flour. (Some wheat germ is already toasted, in which case you can skip that step.)Whole wheat oatmeal wheat germ bread
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Answer 2
The recipe is credited to America's Test Kitchen - According to Cooks Country part of the ATK family:
Toasted wheat germ bumps up the sweet, nutty flavor of the whole wheat and adds texture.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Klaus Nielsen, Klaus Nielsen, Klaus Nielsen, Klaus Nielsen