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, rolls, biscuits, sponge cake and cakes, spaghetti and other types of pasta. Wheat beer is made from brewing wheat.

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, and of Tritici amylum, the wheat starch, the starch from the endosperm of the fruits. Tritium aestivum plays the main role in our eating habits. In other regions, however, other wheat species are also cultivated, e.g. T.durum in the south (for pasta, cous cous), and in other areas T. spelta or T. turgidum. The allergological relationships between these species have not been investigated so far (Jäger L et al. 2001).

The bran of Triticum aestivum (wheat bran) can be used as food supplement. However, it is also a proven bath additive (see below bran bath).

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

Wheat allergies: Pollen allergies are rare, since, among other things, there is little pollen (wheat usually pollinates its flowers itself).

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

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