Author: Ryan Thomas

Article:
Twenty years ago if someone were to talk to me about wheat
berries I wouldn't have the foggiest idea as to what they were
talking about. My lack of knowledge about health kept me in the
dark about the difference between white wheat products and whole
wheat products in the early years of my life and I paid the
consequences with a toxic system later on down the road. Thank
goodness I started doing my own research about the importance of
whole grains for optimal health. Besides that I discovered that
the wheat berry is not the cousin of the blueberry bush.

Fast-forward twenty years. Knowledge is good. Wheat berries are
little kernels of grain that are ground down into making whole
wheat flour. Whole wheat flour can be used for making the same
flour products that come from white enriched all-purpose flour.
The difference? Your health. Whole wheat is naturally grown and
enriched with important vitamins and minerals that our body
needs to stay healthy. These important nutrients have all been
taken away from all-purpose white flours and can be found in
bags labeled wheat germ and bran in your health food stores.

The incredible, edible wheat berry is where all flour
originates. Whole wheat flours contain three important parts of
the wheat kernel, which are bran, endosperm, and germ. The bran
is the hard, brownish outer protective skin of the grain berry
and consists of 7 layers; these layers are a concentrated source
of dietary fiber, which is absolutely necessary for a healthy
system. The endosperm is the inner part of the grain and
consists of the protein part of the kernel. The germ contains
the plant embryo where most of the vitamin E content is stored.
Whole wheat flour is a complete food.

White enriched all-purpose flour does not have any nutrients
left in it - it is an incomplete food. This is why they label it
"enriched". They add a few trace vitamins back into the flour so
they can call it enriched but it cannot compare to the benefits
of whole wheat flours. Take away the bran, the germ, and the
endosperm and what do you have left? A powdery white substance
that has no nutritional value whatsoever. White wheat products
have no flavor, they are light but fattening, fluffy but not
very filling, and they almost always stick to the roof of your
mouth. The really awful part about white wheat products to the
diet is they back up the intestinal tract causing numerous
health problems in the long run.

The wheat berry is an incredible kernel filled with life-giving
nutrients, and the neat thing about it you can eat it just the
way it is without grinding it into flour. You can soak the wheat
berries in hot water and a little sea salt and give yourself a
fibrous, nutritious meal anytime throughout the day. You can add
some honey or molasses, and you'll be good to go for several
hours.

Wheat berries are energizing, and don't make you feel tired,
bloated and sluggish like many breakfast cereals do. I'm going
to share this recipe with you with much thanks to author Marlene
Anne Bumgarner from her book The Book Of Whole Grains.

About the author:
Dr. Grandma's sells nutritious whole wheat mixes and <a
href="http://www.doctorgrandmas.com/store/wheat-berries">wheat
berries</a> (aka: <a
href="http://www.doctorgrandmas.com/store/wheat-berries">wheat
kernels</a>). To learn more about whole wheat foods and to find
some great <a
href="http://www.doctorgrandmas.com/recipes/wheat-berry-recipes">
wheat berry recipes</a> visit http://www.doctorgrandmas.com