Dietary Bran

Bran is the hard outer layer of Cereal grains, and consists of combined Aleurone and Pericarp . Along with Germ , it is an integral part of Whole Grain s, and is often produced as a By-product of milling in the production of refined grains. When bran is removed from grains, they lose a portion of their nutritional value. Bran is present in and may be milled from any cereal grain, including Rice , Wheat , Maize , Oat s, and Millet .

Bran is particularly rich in .

Bran is often used to enrich Bread s (notably Muffin s) and Breakfast Cereal s, especially for the benefit of those wishing to increase their intake of dietary fiber. Bran may also be used for Pickling , as in the Tsukemono of Japan .

Rice bran finds particularly many uses in Japan, where it is known as ''nuka'' (糠; ぬか). Besides using it for pickling, Japanese people also add it to the Water when Boiling Bamboo Shoot s, and use it for Dish Washing . In Kitakyushu City, it is called ''Jinda'' and used for stewing fish, such as Sardine .

The high oil content of bran makes it subject to Rancidification , one of the reasons that is often separated from the grain before storage or further processing. The bran itself can be heat-treated to increase its longevity {Link without Title} .

Eating foods rich in bran became somewhat of a health craze in the late 1970s and early 1980s , with massive promotion of bran cereals and Granola . In the late 1980s , there was the " Oat Bran Craze ," with oat products in all shapes and sizes flooding the market (including Potato Chips with oat bran added), claiming to lower blood Cholesterol and fight Heart Disease . This craze peaked in 1989 and was short-lived, as studies in the early 1990s showed that oat bran only modestly reduced cholesterol. However, in January 1997 , the Food And Drug Administration decided (with some controversy) that food with a lot of oat bran or rolled oats can carry a label claiming it may reduce the risk of heart disease, when combined with a low-fat diet. As of 2005 , this fact still appears on many Oatmeal packages.

Bran oil may be also extracted for use by itself for industrial purposes (such as in the paint industry {Link without Title} ), or as a Cooking Oil , such as Rice Bran Oil .

Bran is widely used as a major component in pet foods for Rabbit s and Guinea Pig s.

The capacity of bran to absorb large volumes of water is exemplified in a well known demonstration in which bran packed into a 1 litre container can be made to absorb 1 litre of water without any spillage.

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Dietary Bran