A delicious staple diet

You don't have to grind wheat to flour to enjoy its unique flavour. You can use wheat grains in all types of dishes and they taste equally good. Plus, they are a powerhouse of nutrition. Friday asks chefs to rustle up delicious recipes using wheat as an ingredient

Wheat is the largest cereal grass crop cultivated all over the world and as a staple diet is second only to rice.

What makes wheat the grain of life? Wheat is a source of vital vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fibre, which makes it an almost complete food.

Many of us associate wheat only with bread and flour. However, with the growing world-wide tendency of consuming foods in their natural form, wheat grains have recently become a favourite addition to a variety of healthy dishes.

Whole wheat, cracked wheat and burghol have been used for centuries in Middle Eastern cuisine.
It is not surprising that whole wheat is on its way to topping the health food list. Wheat is low in fat and rich in complex carbohydrates.

Nutritionists are unanimous that carbohydrates are the ideal energy-giving nutrients, and are essential if we are to maintain a healthy physical and mental condition.

Complex carbohydrates also help support physical activity during prolonged periods, which makes wheat ideal for physically active people.

Adding some whole wheat to your diet can help control food intake and improve digestion, thanks to its high content of dietary fibre.

Fitness experts define wheat as a 'satiatogenic' food, a scientific term which simply means that whole wheat satisfies hunger more rapidly, ensuring we consume only the quantities our body needs. In this way, by regulating the appetite, wheat contributes to fitness maintenance.

Whole wheat is also praised for its high content of protein – it has almost twice the protein found in rice. This makes it an ideal part of a vegetarian diet with legumes or dry vegetables.

What's more, it provides essential vitamins and is particularly rich in B1, B6 and niacine, which optimise the digestion of carbohydrates and proteins, in other words, help the body make proper use of the food we eat.

In fact, the quantity of Vitamin B6 in wheat is three times higher than in rice and four times higher than in pasta. Wheat's high content of niacine – the vitamin of growth – makes perfect food for children.

Wheat's unique texture and subtle taste enhances the taste of soups, salads and puddings, making them much more fun to eat for fussy kids.

Lamb Freek