Wheat bran: its composition and benefits to health, a European perspective

Figures & data

Table I.  Average content (g/100 g food) of bioactive compounds in wholegrain wheat and wheat bran and germ fractions.

Bioactive compound	Wholegrain wheat	Wheat bran	Wheat germ
α-Linoleic acid (18:3n–3)	–^*	0.16	0.53
Sulphur compounds	0.5	0.7	1.2
Total free glutathione	0.007	0.038	0.27
Fibre (as AOAC)	13.2	44.6	17.7
Lignins	1.9	5.6	1.5
Oligosaccharides	1.9	3.7	10.1
Phytic acid	0.9	4.2	1.8
Minerals and trace elements	1.12	3.39	2.51
B vitamins	0.0091	0.0303	0.0123
Vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols)	0.0047	0.0095	0.0271
Carotenoids	0.00034	0.00072	–^*
Polyphenols	0.15	1.10	>0.37
Phenolic acids	0.11	1.07	>0.07
Flavonoids	0.037	0.028	0.300
Lignans	0.0004	0.0050	0.0005
Alkylresorcinol	0.07	0.27	–^*
Phytosterols	0.08	0.16	0.43

Note: From Fardet (2010)

^* No data found.

Table II.  Fibre concentration in wheat and wheat bran.

	Total fibre (g/100 g)	Insoluble fibre (g/100 g)	Soluble fibre (g/100 g)
Wheat grain	11.6–17.0	10.2–14.7	1.4–2.3
Wheat bran	36.5–52.4	35.0–48.4	1.5–4.0

Note: From Vitaglione et al. (2008).

Table III.  Cereal products consumption and % contribution to energy and fibre intakes by French adults.

		Consumption (g/person/day)
	Age (years)	Males	Females	Total	% contribution to energy	% contribution to fibre
Bread and rusk	18–34	104.1	70.3	83.8	14.7	20.8
	35–54	149.7	89.8	117.0
	55–79	163.5	101.7	136.1
Breakfast cereals	18–34	6.7	7.9	7.4	0.9	1.7
	35–54	3.5	4.7	4.1
	55–79	4.1	3.2	3.7
Pastas	18–34	64.7	39.2	49.3	2.0	3.5
	35–54	47.5	28.5	37.1
	55–79	35.8	22.8	30.1
Rice and hard wheat/semolina	18–34	33.9	21.7	26.5	1.4	0.9
	35–54	32.9	24.1	28.1
	55–79	22.1	16.7	19.7
Other cereals	18–34	0.3	0.7	0.6	0.1	0.2
	35–54	0.7	0.8	0.7
	55–79	0.3	0.4	0.3
Pastry/bakery products	18–34	20.6	14.3	16.8	2.1	1.5
	35–54	13.6	11.5	12.4
	55–79	8.6	6.0	7.4
Sweet and savoury biscuits/bars	18–34	15.3	14.5	14.8	2.0	1.6
	35–54	8.8	8.1	8.4
	55–79	5.7	4.7	5.3
Cakes	18–34	42.2	35.6	38.2	6.0	4.0
	35–54	41.8	38.6	40.0
	55–79	32.0	37.1	34.2

Note: From AFSSA (2009).

Table IV.  Sources of wheat bran in the diet.

Product	Fibre per 100 g AOAC	Standard portion size (g)	Fibre per portion (g)
Bran shreds breakfast cereal	27	40	10.8
Bran flakes breakfast cereal;	15	30	4.5
Shredded wheat breakfast cereal	11.8	45	5.3
Extruded pillos breakfast cereal	9.9	45	4.5
Whole wheat biscuits breakfast cereal	10	37.5	3.8
Wholemeal bread	7	36	2.5
Granary bread	5.3	36	1.9
Brown bread	5	36	1.8
Sliced white bread	2.5	36	0.9
Dried wholemeal pasta (uncooked weight)	9	44	4.0
Dried wholemeal pasta (uncooked weight)	9	87	7.8
Dried wholemeal pasta (uncooked weight)	9	130	11.7
Dried white pasta (uncooked weight)	2.8	75	2.1
White pasta (cooked weight)	1.2	180	2.2
Wheat couscous (dry weight)	5	60	3.0

Note: Compiled from Manufacturer's websites 2011.

Table V.  Effects of faecal bulking.

Property/effect	Consequent effect
Bulkiness	Bulk transfer
Bulk transfer	Toxin removed, colonic exposure reduced, decreased transit time
	Replenishment of substrates for fermentation – decreased colon cancer risk
Decreased transit time	Less protein putrefaction to harmful products – decreased colon cancer risk
	Less time for dehydration and stool hardening
Increased water load	Diluted colon contents, stool softening
	Pressure distribution – decreased risk of diverticulitis and haemorrhoids
Replenishment	Provides substrate for bacterial growth.
	Butyrate produced by fermentation protects against colorectal cancer.
	Short chain fatty acid production decreases solubility of carcinogenic bile acids
Binding	Decreased toxin / carcinogen activity
Pressure distribution	Reduces risk of diverticulitis and haemorrhoids by reducing pressure points
Distension	Stimulates defaecation, preventing stagnation
Defaecation	Digestive Comfort and continued flow, sense of well-being

Note: From Monro (2002).

Fardet A. 2010. New hypotheses for the health protective mechanisms of whole-grain cereals: what is beyond fibre?. Nutr Res Rev. 23:65–134.

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Vitaglione P, Napolitano A, Fogliano V. 2008. Cereal dietary fibre: a natural functional ingredient to deliver phenolic compounds into the gut. Trends Food Sci Technol. 19:451–463.

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AFSSA. 2009. Report of the 2006/2007 Individual and National Survey on Food Consumption 2 (INCA 2). Available at: http://www.anses.fr/Documents/PASER-Ra-INCA2.pdf. Last accessed March 2012.

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Monro JA. 2002. New approaches to providing nutrition information. In: Henry CKJ, Chapman C. editors. The nutrition handbook for food processors. Boca Raton, NC: CRC Press165–192.

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