Do you know how to take wheat bran, the benefits and harms of which have been repeatedly considered by leading nutritionists? The effect of this product is mixed. With the right approach, it helps make up for the shortage of missing substances. But this does not mean that bran can be eaten in any quantity. Good nutrition is to balance the intake of elements. For bran, as for any other supplement, there are rules and regulations for admission.
Material Content:
Wheat bran: benefits for the body
Bran is a secondary product obtained from the production of flour. It consists of external hard and hard to digest shells of grain.
The main value of bran is a high content of coarse fibers.
Fiber should be present in the diet of any person. Plant fibers stimulate the digestive tract. Their shortage has an acute effect not only on digestion, but also on metabolic processes throughout the body.
Coarse fibers have low nutritional value. They are not digested in the stomach and small intestine, but they are successfully decomposed in the lower gastrointestinal tract, turning into oligo and polysaccharide.
Complex carbohydrates become food and stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria. Food enriched with coarse fibers helps restore internal flora, so bran can be used to prevent dysbiosis.
Plant fibers not only create the conditions for the growth of beneficial microorganisms, but also mechanically stimulate the digestive tract. Fiber swollen in water bursts into the walls of the intestinal tube, causing a response.Stretched muscles of the digestive tract, trying to return to their original form, are actively contracting. As a result, peristalsis is enhanced. Food moves faster in the digestive tract.
The intestinal tract must receive the necessary load daily. This reduces the likelihood of atony, constipation and diseases arising from digestive disorders.
Fiber actively binds cholesterol, prevents its excessive absorption. A diet rich in plant fiber is effective in preventing cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and hypertension.
Bran is beneficial for people with diabetes. They lower the glycemic index of food by linking excess glucose. Thus, a herbal supplement can be used to prevent diabetes, as well as be included in the diet of those who are already struggling with this disease.
Coarse fibers are an effective natural sorbent. They absorb toxins resulting from the oxidation of food, take heavy metals onto themselves, and neutralize metabolic products.
Thus, bran make up for fiber deficiency. Their influence positively affects the metabolism throughout the body. Bran reduces the level of slagging, contributes to the extension of youth and health.
Composition and calorie content
For a long time bran was considered an unnecessary product. The outer shell of the grain contains a lot of fatty acids, because of which whole grain products quickly deteriorate. To extend the shelf life of white flour, they try to clean it of coarse impurities as much as possible.
White flour has a higher commercial and consumer value. It is much more commonly used in the food industry. In the 20th century, bran almost disappeared from the human diet.
White flour is more nutritious than whole grain, as it is largely composed of easily digestible starch and simple sugars. But it has low biological value, it has significantly less essential acids, vitamins and minerals.
Bran, on the other hand, does not have such great nutritional value, but plays a serious role in replenishing biologically important compounds.
The husk contains much more useful substances than the wheat itself and the flour obtained from it.
Coarse shells contain a small amount of energy (216 kcal). They practically do not contain sugar (0.4%), but there is a huge amount of dietary fiber (43% versus 10% in whole grains).
Due to the high protein content (16%), waste from flour production is quite nutritious. Compared to the original product, bran contains twice as much beneficial fatty acids (4.3%), including essential ones. The outer shell of the grain is rich in B vitamins, which are responsible for the growth and renewal of cells and tissues.
Read also:bran for weight loss: how to use
The food supplement is rich in minerals. When burning 100 g of bran, 5 g of ash residue is formed. The non-combustible substrate contains trace elements such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.
Daily intake
According to information from various sources, the consumption rate of bran per day is from 16 to 50-60 g. You can navigate by the number of teaspoons. One unit contains 4 g of product. On average, manufacturers recommend eating 2 teaspoons 2-3 times a day.
On different packages you can find different information. Bran is a natural product in which the amount of substances can vary depending on the composition of the feedstock. Very often, salt, sugar, herbs, fruits, berries, artificial and natural flavoring and mineral additives are added to ready-made bran. Therefore, the rate of use will depend on the final composition of the product.
It is necessary to introduce the additive into the diet carefully. Starting with a teaspoon once a day, gradually (in 1-2 weeks) bringing the amount to the daily norm.When taking the husk, you must always follow the drinking regime (at least 2 liters of water per day).
How to use for weight loss?
The use of wheat bran for weight loss is obvious. The product has a low calorie content, helps to speed up metabolism. Swelling in water, increases in volume, fills the stomach and gives a feeling of fullness.
In order to reduce weight, bran is consumed before meals. They are pre-soaked in water or kefir, the excess liquid is drained and a thick, swollen mass is eaten. If you repeat this three times a day, you can significantly reduce the amount of food consumed and, accordingly, get rid of extra pounds.
Application in traditional medicine
In folk medicine, bran is used as a tonic. They are slightly boiled, mixed with honey and eaten throughout the day. Hot broth from bran and burnt sugar is drunk as an expectorant for respiratory infections.
Cereal husk is an excellent remedy for constipation. Bran is washed down with plenty of water. They often eat once at night. Or they are used along with kefir during the day as a cleansing and laxative.
Due to the high content of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, bran has a beneficial effect on the skin. They take baths, prepare masks and facial scrubs.
Powder from cereal shells is included in the diet to lower blood cholesterol. Official studies confirm that with such a diet, its concentration sometimes decreases by 30%.
Diabetes patients use a dietary supplement in their diet to lower the glycemic index of the food they eat. Ready foods are sprinkled with bran. Food must be washed down with plenty of water.
Wheat bran recipes
You can not only eat bran on your own, add it to food, but also cook tasty and healthy dishes with them.
The simplest meal is buckwheat porridge with bran. The croup must be boiled first and left to languish under the lid. At this time, onions and bran are fried in a frying pan in butter until the products have a golden hue. All components are mixed and salted to taste. About 100 g of boiled buckwheat take about a glass of bran.
Okroshka on kefir - A dish that improves digestion and helps fight weight gain.
To prepare it you will need:
- fresh cucumber;
- boiled egg;
- half boiled beets;
- greens (preferably onion feathers).
Cut everything into cubes, put in a bowl. Season with kefir, half diluted with water. Add bran (30 g per serving) to the finished dish, to taste salt and sour cream. Stir and let it brew a little.
You can make bread to replace bran cakes. To do this, you need to heat 100 g of sour cream in a water bath, so that it becomes liquid and flowing, but does not have time to curl.
In a separate container, beat the chicken egg with a spoon of granulated sugar until a stable foam. Combine both substances. Add to them 60 g of bran and 40 g of hard grated cheese.
Form cakes from the dough. Put on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 180 ° C until cooked (about 30 minutes).
Can I give children?
Most often, instructions for using the supplement limit the age at which a product can be taken at 12 or even 14 years old. For this reason, bran should not be given to children.
Coarse fibers can provoke irritation of the fragile intestines, causing bloating, gas and constipation.
Sometimes, on the advice of a pediatrician, babies, starting at 10 months of age, are given a decoction of bran as a vitamin supplement. A teaspoon of grain husk is poured into half a glass of boiling water. Insist 30 minutes, filter and add a spoonful to ready meals or drink up to three times a day.
This drink promotes digestion and enhances immunity.Minerals contained in bran positively affect the growth and development of the musculoskeletal system.
Possible harm from use
The influence of bran is not unique. Do not get involved in them. It is better to use intermittent courses, after consulting with your doctor.
Despite the natural origin, the dietary supplement has contraindications.
Bran is not recommended for:
- adhesions in the digestive tract;
- erosive and ulcerative lesions of the mucous membranes of the stomach or intestines;
- inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract in the acute stage;
- obstruction.
In these cases, an active effect on the walls of the intestine can lead to an exacerbation of the underlying disease.
In addition, an excess of dietary fiber in the diet causes the opposite effect in the form of bloating, constipation, increased gas formation and intestinal pain.
As a natural sorbent, bran partially absorbs nutrients from food. Their active use can lead to a lack of vitamins and minerals.
In recent years, many discoveries have been made. Phytic acid was found in bran. According to some researchers, this substance interferes with the absorption of magnesium, calcium, iron and other trace elements from food, so the frequent use of bran can lead to a deficiency of some compounds.
The phytic acid version is not final. Disputes are ongoing at the moment. It was found that under temperature exposure, the insidious compound is destroyed. According to the latest recommendations, it is better to use the grain additive in a steamed or culinary processed form, thus, it becomes less dangerous.
Product selection and storage
On the shelves of shops and pharmacies you can find a wide range of similar products. But not all bran is equally useful. By themselves, they have no taste. To increase the attractiveness of the product, manufacturers often add salt, sugar, natural or artificial flavorings to it.
It is worth giving preference to a product with a simple composition, without sugar and components "identical to natural". Bran should not contain a lot of salt. To solve specific problems, you can choose an enriched product, for example, bran with calcium.
Grain husks should be stored in tightly closed jars or paper boxes. Keep away from moisture and direct sunlight.
In pursuit of health, a person sometimes takes rash steps. Practice shows that the craze for dietary supplements does not lead to anything good.
Before consuming bran, it is advisable to check the health, eliminate possible contraindications. And only then proceed to the selection of a quality and really useful product.
