Wheat germ oil
Encyclopedia
Wheat germ oil is extracted from the germ
of the wheat
kernel
, which makes up only 2½% by weight of the kernel
Wheat germ oil is particularly high in octacosanol - a 28 carbon long-chain saturated primary alcohol found in a number of different vegetable waxes. Octacosanol has been studied as an exercise and physical performance enhancing agent. Very long chain fatty alcohols obtained from plant waxes and beeswax have been reported to lower plasma cholesterol
in humans. Wheat germ oil is also very high in Vitamin E
and has the highest content of Vitamin E of any food that has not undergone prior preparation or vitamin fortification. As a cooking oil, wheat germ oil is strongly flavored, expensive and easily perishable. Wheat germ oil contains the following fatty acid
s:
Other uses of wheat germ oil have also been explored, including increasing blood flow and reaction time, as well as for treating certain skin conditions.
Cereal germ
The germ of a cereal is the reproductive part that germinates to grow into a plant; it is the embryo of the seed. Along with bran, germ is often a by-product of the milling that produces refined grain products. Cereal grains and their components, such as wheat germ, rice bran, and maize may be used...
of the wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
kernel
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
, which makes up only 2½% by weight of the kernel
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
Wheat germ oil is particularly high in octacosanol - a 28 carbon long-chain saturated primary alcohol found in a number of different vegetable waxes. Octacosanol has been studied as an exercise and physical performance enhancing agent. Very long chain fatty alcohols obtained from plant waxes and beeswax have been reported to lower plasma cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
in humans. Wheat germ oil is also very high in Vitamin E
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is used to refer to a group of fat-soluble compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are many different forms of vitamin E, of which γ-tocopherol is the most common in the North American diet. γ-Tocopherol can be found in corn oil, soybean oil, margarine and dressings...
and has the highest content of Vitamin E of any food that has not undergone prior preparation or vitamin fortification. As a cooking oil, wheat germ oil is strongly flavored, expensive and easily perishable. Wheat germ oil contains the following fatty acid
Fatty acid
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have a chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually derived from...
s:
| Component | g/100g |
|---|---|
| Linoleic acid Linoleic acid Linoleic acid is an unsaturated n-6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature. In physiological literature, it has a lipid number of 18:2... (omega-6) |
55 |
| Palmitic acid Palmitic acid Palmitic acid, or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants. Its molecular formula is CH314CO2H. As its name indicates, it is a major component of the oil from palm trees . Palmitate is a term for the salts and esters of... |
16 |
| Oleic acid Oleic acid Oleic acid is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in various animal and vegetable fats. It has the formula CH37CH=CH7COOH. It is an odorless, colourless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. The trans isomer of oleic acid is called elaidic acid... |
14 |
| Linolenic acid (omega-3) | 7 |
Other uses of wheat germ oil have also been explored, including increasing blood flow and reaction time, as well as for treating certain skin conditions.