Wheat fiber effects
Wheat germ ranks up there for its all-encompassing nutritional value. A ΒΌ cup packs 5 grams of fiber, as well as B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc. It's also rich in chromium, manganese and vitamin E. Whole wheat bread contains triple the fiber found in white bread and is much richer in magnesium and vitamin B.
Wheat bran's high fiber content is one of the richest dietary sources of insoluble fiber known. Nothing quite matches the power of this fiber in keeping wastes moving regularly throughout our systems.
The fiber in wheat is our best protection against - and cure of - constipation. It prevents intestinal infections, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, improves bowel function, and guards us against colon cancer.
Recently, a team of researchers at a nutritional clinic in England set out to compare the effectiveness of various vegetable fibers in our diets. Volunteers were given wheat bran, carrots, cabbage and apples to eat. The conclusion was that wile all the vegetables were useful, none came close to matching the effective of wheat bran.
Experts report that in other parts of the world where fiber intake is much higher than the US, colon and bowel disorder are rare. The same was true centuries ago in the lands of the Bible where fiber-rich diets, especially grains, were standard fare. In a study in Finland, farmers whose normal diet is high in fats from dairy products, the rate of colon cancer was way down when it should have been very high, according to the American Health Foundation.
The reason is that these farmers also ate lots of whole grain cereal and whole wheat bread. This confirms the belief that the high fiber content of their diet somehow blocked the formation of the cancers that are often a result of a very high fat intake. Most people only need about 1/3 cup of 100% whole wheat bran cereal daily. But cereals and whole wheat breads aren't the only way to add fiber. The Bible mentions several various types of grains and ways to use them.