# Wheat Bran and weight loss.



## RexStunnahH (Oct 1, 2004)

I was wondering if wheat bran is good for losing body fat.I was wondering if wheat bran has any benefits in the weight loss dept.also what is the diffrence between wheat bran,wheat germ and oat bran,they all pretty much look the same.


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## Emma-Leigh (Oct 1, 2004)

RexStunnahH said:
			
		

> I was wondering if wheat bran is good for losing body fat.I was wondering if wheat bran has any benefits in the weight loss dept..


Yes, wheatbran is good for fat loss. It is low in calories, high in undigestable fibre and acts as a 'bulk filler' in your intestines. So it makes you fuller faster and it keeps you fuller for longer. It also increases the energy your body uses to digest any food eaten with it.



> also what is the diffrence between wheat bran,wheat germ and oat bran,they all pretty much look the same



A grain is made out of three main layers - 
The Bran, which is the outer protective layer for the grain. It is higher in fibre and lower in starchy carbohydrates than the inner parts of the grain.
The germ, which is the 'seed' or the germinal part (that is, the start of the baby plant). The germ of a seed is where most of the fats of a grain are found. It is also where lots of the vitamins and minerals are.
The endosperm, which is the 'energy/food' for the developing plant. It is high in starchy carbs and protein because of this.

So the difference between wheat bran and wheat germ is that -
Wheat germ contains 414 cals, 27g protein, 60g carbs (1g of fibre) and 11g fat (mostly polyunsaturated fat). It also has high levels of your B vitamins (esp B1, B2 and B6), folate, lots of vitamin E (which is lost when you by de-fatted wheatgerm), iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. 

Wheatbran has 125 cals per cup, 9g protein, 37g carbs (25g of which is fibre) and only 2g fat. It is also a good source of your B vitamins, potassium,  magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium. Only problem is that it is REALLY high in fibre, so you might not actually get the benifit of all of these due to decreased digestion.

Oat bran is also high in fibre (but it is mostly soluble fibre, which is responsible for some of the benefits of oats such as lowering cholesterol). Soluble fibre also helps increase satiety of a meal as it signals to the brain that you have eaten. But, per cup, has about 230 cals, 16g protein, 62g carbs (14g of which is fibre) and 7g fat. It is also a good source of manganese, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium.


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## RexStunnahH (Oct 1, 2004)

Whoa! That was alot of useful info.Thanks.So supllementing this into my meals would be pretty good for helping me to shed those extra pounds?I was thinking about adding this to my oatmeal,or whatever I can find that would go good wiith it.So far I can only think of oatmeal.Maybe a postworkout shake??I dunno,I usually mix a cup of oats in a blender witih my affter workout protein drink.


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## trHawT (Oct 1, 2004)

Emma, do you like Wheat Bran?


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## Emma-Leigh (Oct 1, 2004)

RexStunnahH said:
			
		

> Whoa! That was alot of useful info.Thanks.So supllementing this into my meals would be pretty good for helping me to shed those extra pounds?


Well, in conjunction with a good diet and training program, yeah it can help. Without the other things then it is just going to keep you regular. 



> I was thinking about adding this to my oatmeal,or whatever I can find that would go good wiith it.So far I can only think of oatmeal.Maybe a postworkout shake??I dunno,I usually mix a cup of oats in a blender witih my affter workout protein drink.


 Don't add it to your post-workout shake - stick to thinly rolled oats. You do not want lots of fibre in this meal as you want to promote gastric emptying and uptake of nutrients, not delay/decrease them.

It would be a good addition to oats to increase fibre content and add bulk to help fill you up (which is esp helpful if cutting... or if you just have a bottomless stomach like myself  ). You could also stir it into cottage cheese, add it to shakes at other times of the day, add it to recipes etc.

I must warn you though - it takes a while to get used to... It is not the most flavoursome of products and is much like eating chaff.


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## Emma-Leigh (Oct 1, 2004)

trHawT said:
			
		

> Emma, do you like Wheat Bran?


Yeah - I use it a lot in cooking (muffins, breads, slices, pancakes) and I add it into my breakfast sometimes to add bulk and fibre (fills you up big-time) and it also helps in that it decreases the GI and insulin response to meals. I am also odd in that I do not mind the taste or texture of it - although I know a lot of people find it somewhat bland and -worthy!

I am also a big fan of oatbran and barley bran, especially cooked for breakfast.   I tend to only use wheatgerm in recipes (it is really yummy toasted when you add it to things like muffins and it increases the protein, fibre and healthy fats), but I know people who add it to shakes or stir it into oats and they really like it like that.


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