Wheat Germ - a 1950's Wonder Food
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| A Top 10 Mayo Clinic Great Foods for You |
Back in the spring, I decided to buy wheat germ to add to my daily probiotic yogurt.
Mayo Clinic lists it as one of the top 10 health foods*. A tablespoon has only 25 calories and is packed with Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Thiamin, Phosphorous, and Zinc plus protein. It is, of course, not gluten free, because it is the heart of a grain of wheat.
I was pleasantly surprised to find it still for sale in the cereal aisle. It is something we did as kids, that is, put it on our cereal. I asked my siblings if they remembered why we did this. We'd put it on our Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Raisin Bran or Frosted Flakes along with honey which is another thing our dad always did.
I thought it was something we learned from our grandfather who went on a health kick in the 1970's. But they said it was something our father always did, not our grandfather. Hmm...I began to wonder if it was a Pittsburgh thing.
So, I searched the newspapers from the area where we grew up, outside Pittsburgh.
Bingo! There were newspaper articles in the Pittsburgh Press. It turns out to be a food promotion from the 50's which stuck in our household.
www.kretschmer.com has more history and recipes. (Their Apple Cinnamon Wheat Germ Coffee Cake looks good.) You can tuck it into recipes or do as we did as kids, put it on your cereal!
A jar lasts a long time, especially when you use only a tablespoon or two a day. So, be sure to keep it in the refrigerator, as it spoils easily.
My jar is going to last me through the end of the year at the rate I am going.
It tastes a little like powdered honey wheat bread.
---Barbara
* the other Mayo Clinic 10 Healthy Foods are
- almonds
- apples
- blueberries
- broccoli
- beans
- salmon
- spinach
- sweet potatoes
- vegetable juice drink
- wheat germ