Wheat

Wheat is one of the oldest cultivated plants of mankind and plays an important role in the European food chain.

Numerous (> 1000) species of sweet grass (Poaceae) in the genus Triticum L. are known as wheat.

Wheat grows about 0.5-1 m high. Wheat provides the flour for white bread, bread rolls, cookies, sponge cake and cakes, spaghetti and other types of pasta. Brewer's wheat is used to make wheat beer.

Triticum aestivum is the parent plant of Tritici aestivi oleum virginale, the native wheat germ oil, and of Tritici aestivi oleum raffinatum, the refined wheat germ oil, as well as of Tritici amylum , the wheat starch, the starch from the endosperm of the fruit. Tritium aestivum plays the main role in our dietary habits. In other regions, however, other types of wheat are also cultivated, e.g. T. durum in the south (for pasta, cous-cous), in other areas T. spelta or T. turgidum. The allergological relationships between these species have not yet been investigated (Jäger L et al. 2001).

The bran of Triticum aestivum(wheat bran) can be used as a dietary supplement. However, it is also a proven bath additive (see bran bath below). In the cosmetics industry, see also Triticum vulgare starch (INCI).

Linguistically, wheat is derived from the "white" of white flour (wheat).

Wheat allergies: Pollen allergies are rare because, among other things, the pollen count is low (wheat usually pollinates its own flowers).

Food allergies can be caused by the different protein fractions of wheat (see wheat allergy below).

1. Jäger L et al. (2001) Food allergies and intolerances. Urban & Fischer Verlag Munich, Jena p 117