Bran

Bran is a by-product of flour production. This is a shell that envelops the grain, protects it from external influences, accumulates useful nutrients and vitamins.

The specificity of bran depends on the grain from which the product was isolated (buckwheat, rice, millet, barley). The product is classified not only by grain, but also by the degree of grinding of bran: coarse (large, reminiscent of whole grain flakes) and thin (small, similar to flattened and ground grain).

Nutritional value of the ingredient

Initially, the bran was separated from the grain in order to increase the shelf life and preserve the taste of the flour. An excessive amount of bran, due to the high content of fatty acids, gives the grain bitterness, reduces the percentage of its digestibility. A small amount of the hard shell of the grain provides the opposite effect: the taste becomes more saturated and “bready”, intestinal motility improves, saturation occurs faster and better.

A Brief Historical Reference

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the hard shell of the grain was completely excluded from the diet of the then Europe. Bran was considered cheap by-products, which the flour mills dumped and burned by the ton. By that time, scientists had already acquired some equipment, carefully studied the composition of bran and recognized their high nutritional value.

The end of the twentieth century was marked by a return to the roots. The grains are no longer scrupulously cleaned, thereby depriving them of useful vitamins, micro- and macroelements. Oat bran was the first to return to the diet. They were recognized as a valuable source of dietary fiber, they began to be added to ready-made breakfasts, introduced into low-calorie diets, added to nutrition programs for those who were trying to lose the hated kilograms. A similar practice can be traced now: bran is popular among vegetarians, adherents of proper nutrition, athletes and losing weight.

Nutritionists support the desire of the masses for rational nutrition. Fashion trends classify bran into the category of “superfoods” (foods of plant origin, enriched with vitamins and nutrients) and introduce everyone to the right eating habits.

Useful Properties

The benefits of bran are determined by the high content of dietary fiber. They regulate the work of the intestines, normalize the stool, restore the microflora of the internal environment.

Other Benefits of Dietary Fiber:

1. Remove cholesterol from the body.
2. Reduce weight due to faster and longer saturation (do not forget about the nutritional value of the ingredient). Bran accelerates metabolism and helps the digestive tract to more easily absorb useful micro and macro elements.
3. Normalize blood sugar levels.
4. They have a detox effect.

How Bran Normalizes Cholesterol Levels

The product “binds” dietary fiber and bile acids of the stomach. Thus, the degree of activity of the acid is regulated, the level of its aggressiveness in relation to the internal environment is normalized. In addition, bran stimulates the production of B vitamins. Intestinal bacteria, “connected” with dietary fiber, begin intensive production of the vitamin that supports the work of the whole organism. Bran slows down the level of starch breakdown and affects the glycemic index of the product (adjusting it to the needs of the body at the current moment).

The role of bran in weight loss

Bran contains a high percentage of fiber. Fiber, in turn, is one of the most important products for losing weight and athletes. It is absorbed more slowly, causing the body to feel full for several hours longer, improves intestinal motility. Fiber minimizes the percentage of absorption of nutrients and, thereby, reduces the total calorie content of the meal. Food enters the body, stimulates satiety, but is only partially absorbed. Unprocessed foods are simply excreted from the body, and do not remain extra centimeters on the sides.

Fiber does not break down fat deposits, but fights the cause of their accumulation. The substance stimulates the digestive system to work faster, better and more efficiently. Only with this principle of losing weight can real success be achieved.

What is a detox and how bran affects it

Detox is like a reset button on your phone. We stuff the body with toxins through food, bad habits, aggressive external environment. Internal cleaning systems simply cannot cope with the entire amount of pathogenic microflora and some particles are missed. These missed particles accumulate and grow, provoking diseases. Detox pushes the “reset” button, refreshes the natural cleansing processes and makes them work several times harder, faster and better.

Bran stimulates detox and does a great service to the entire human body. The ingredient breaks down and removes slags, toxins, heavy metals, excess liquid, pathogenic decay products of food products.

Chemical composition

Use in cooking

Bran has taken the position of “superfoods” in cooking, they are used in the niche of a healthy balanced diet. How to eat bran:

1. Porridge. Bran is placed in boiling water for 20-30 minutes. The product swells, has time to be saturated with water, becomes softer and more pliable. The liquid is drained and a coarse, tasteless slurry is obtained. It can be added to desserts, first and second courses, or consumed separately with your favorite sauce or dressing.
2. Salad dressing. Bran is added to vegetables in its pure form or mixed with greens, Greek yogurt or sour cream. It turns out a real vitamin bomb from plant products that have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, well-being and external beauty.
3. Ingredient for desserts. You can make flour with bran, and from it the right pies, cookies, bread or bread rolls. Bran is added to sweet yoghurts and even sweets.
4. As a breading. Breadcrumbs are not the right and healthy ingredient. Bran is an excellent plant replacement for a high-carbohydrate product. The frying process is similar and will not cause difficulties even for a beginner. It is recommended to fry foods in bran in a non-stick frying pan without oil or with a drop of coconut oil.

The maximum benefit of bran is achieved only if there is liquid. The product “works” only when it swells in water / milk, absorbs the required percentage of liquid and becomes soft.

Bran pancake recipe

We need:

• bran (to taste from any grain) – 2 tablespoons;
• soft pasty fat-free cottage cheese (sold in briquettes) – 1,5 tablespoons;
• chicken egg – 1 pcs.

Preparation

Bran pancakes are the staple of the Dukan diet. According to the principles of the diet, such pancakes can be eaten at any time of the day, regardless of the quantity. Low-calorie pancakes are especially fond of French women. Any chain store in France sells vacuumed healthy pancakes that need to be slightly warmed up and boldly added to the diet.

Mix bran, egg (you can use a whole egg or just protein) and cottage cheese in a deep container. Heat up a non-stick frying pan, pour batter into it and form a pancake. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve immediately with your favorite sauce or topping.

Recipe for apple cookies with nuts and seeds

We need:

• bran (to taste from any type of grain) – ¼ cup;
• instant oatmeal – ¾ cup;
• applesauce (it is recommended to cook it yourself from fresh apples) – 250 g;
• almonds – 30 g;
• walnuts – 30 g;
• sunflower seeds – 30 g;
• dried fruits – 100 g;
• nut butter – 2 tablespoons.

Preparation

Finely chop nuts, seeds, dried fruits. Take a deep container and combine all the ingredients in it. Stir the mixture thoroughly and refrigerate for 30-50 minutes (to make the mixture more plastic and pliable). Take out the chilled mass, form several cookies out of it. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with special baking paper that can be used without oil. Spread the cookies on baking paper and place in the oven for 40 minutes at 160°C. Serve immediately after preparation or store in a suitable container for 3-4 days.

Side effects and contraindications

The ingredient is forbidden to be introduced into the diet for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract at the stage of exacerbation of the pathology. As soon as the inflammatory process goes into remission or disappears for good, it is necessary to examine the body and wait for the doctor’s decision. The specialist will assess the possible risks, draw up an approximate diet and indicate the acceptable dosage of bran in the daily nutrition plan.

Remember that excessive passion for even the most healthy and useful products is fraught with pathology. An imbalance occurs in the body (albeit healthy substances), which leads to unstable operation of all body systems.

What can uncontrolled consumption of bran lead to:

1. The development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The transition of pathologies from the state of remission to the stage of exacerbation with additional manifestations and deterioration.
2. Bloating, flatulence.
3. Disruptions in the work of the intestines.
4. Hypovitaminosis or “vitamin deficiency”. An imbalance of vitamins and nutrients occurs in the body. Between the consumption and intake of nutrients, a huge hole is formed that cannot be filled without therapeutic intervention.

Possible effects of superfood consumption

Even if a person is absolutely healthy and full of energy, there is a risk of not getting enough fiber from traditional plant foods in the daily diet. Patients often, without a doctor’s appointment and for obvious reasons, inject fiber on their own, without controlling the dose and without monitoring the body’s reaction. What it can be fraught with: increased gas formation, nausea / vomiting, bloating, stool disorders, disruptions in the level of absorption of some useful nutrients.

An adult needs 2-3 tablespoons of fiber per day. There is no need to use the product in its pure form (this is both problematic and absolutely unappetizing). Use bran instead of unhealthy breadcrumbs, add to baked goods and add to salads. Combine the product with a high-quality healthy diet, and at the slightest failure in the body, consult a doctor.

Combination with medicines

It is forbidden to use drugs along with bran. The product acts as an active substance that is able to break down the elements of the composition of medications. Bran will simply block the drug and deprive the body of the necessary help. The minimum time interval between the intake of food (with the addition of bran) and the medication should not be less than 6-7 hours.