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For many years, bran has been the basis of slimming and pro-health diets. They are perfect as an addition to yoghurts, soups or fit-cookies, but you can also reach for them as a snack. What exactly are bran and what are their priceless properties? Which type of bran is the healthiest and is each one worth reaching for?
What is bran?
Bran is a by-product of wheat, oats, and spelled rye. What we call bran is the outer shell of the grains. In the past, bran was treated as mill waste, but over the years it has turned out that it is in the casing that there are huge amounts of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Currently, various types of bran can be found in shops and supermarkets, and wheat, oat and rye bran are the most frequently purchased. Bran has health-promoting properties, and each type has slightly different values.
Properties of bran
Regardless of the types of bran, most of them have common properties. The most frequently mentioned advantage of bran is its high content of dietary fiber, which improves intestinal peristalsis and supports the work of the entire digestive and digestive system. The benefits of bran consumption also include their influence on the development of beneficial bacterial flora and the regulation of blood glucose levels. In addition, people who include bran in their diet enjoy lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol. Eating bran may also help to reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Bran is also appreciated by those who are on a slimming diet. This is because bran has a positive effect on the metabolism. It is worth mentioning that bran is also a rich source of vitamin B, as well as magnesium, potassium and zinc. Bran is healthy, but you shouldn’t eat it in excess. It is recommended not to supply the body with more than 2-3 tablespoons of bran a day.
Wheat bran
Wheat bran is one of the most frequently chosen bran. They are chosen especially by those who are undergoing a slimming treatment. The distinguishing feature of wheat bran is its high fiber content. In 100 g of wheat bran there is as much as 43,6 g of this ingredient. Wheat bran activates metabolic changes in the body, and this affects weight loss. The advantage of wheat bran is also the richness of such minerals as magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine and potassium. However, wheat bran is not recommended for everyone. People with kidney and other diseases of the urinary system are not recommended to eat wheat bran.
Oat bran
Oat bran is considered to be one of the healthiest ingredients in the daily diet. 40% of the fat in oat bran consists of linoleic acid. On the other hand, oat bran contains the lowest amount of dietary fiber of all bran. 100 g of wheat bran contains only 10 g of fiber. It is worth noting, however, that dietary fiber, which is a component of oat bran, belongs to the beta-glucan fraction. Beta-glucans line the inside of the digestive tract, protecting the mucosa from irritation and, consequently, reducing the risk of intestinal or stomach cancer. The composition of the macronutrients of oat bran is very similar to that of oat flakes.
Rye bran
Rye bran is a product that, due to the content of dietary fiber, can be placed between wheat and oat bran. 100 g of rye bran contains approx. 39 g of fiber. They also contain less zinc and phosphorus than wheat bran. A characteristic feature of rye bran is the high content of magnesium and potassium. Thanks to this, rye bran is a great supplement to the diets of people suffering from hypertension or heart disease. In addition, they are recommended for people who are just starting a slimming treatment. Rye bran swells in the stomach, thanks to which it effectively reduces the feeling of hunger.
At Medonet Market you can buy Otrębuski – Pro Natura 300g wholemeal flakes, which will work as a nutritious breakfast for the whole family.