Types of Wheat

What? There are several types of wheat that have different health benefits for our body?

Yup! For those of you who are on a diet, you are certainly familiar with wheat. These grains, which are still in the same family as rice and oats, are known to contain carbohydrates and fiber that are good for the body.

But do you know that wheat can have different types? Here are the different types of wheat that you can consume!

Types of Wheat

Wheat is a type of grain crop from the Poaceae family, which is still in the same group as rice, oats, sorghum, rye, and millet.

This carbohydrate-rich food is suitable as a staple food or source of energy for the body. 

Wheat is mainly available as whole grains or processed into various types of flour.

In addition, wheat comes in a variety of processed products such as cakes, breads, and cereals.

The benefits of wheat are so diverse, thanks to its high content of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and other minerals that can be beneficial for our health.

To put it simply, there are at least three types of wheat that are widely used as food, which are hard wheat, soft wheat, and durum wheat.

The following are the benefits and nutritional content of each type of wheat.

1. Hard Wheat

Hard wheat is the most widely cultivated type of wheat worldwide. It has a hard texture and high protein content, including gluten, which gives strength and elasticity to dough. 

The high gluten content makes it ideal for bread, pasta and pizza making, as it provides a chewy texture and good liquid absorption.

Hard wheat has white or red colored seeds and prefers dry conditions and moderate temperatures when grown. 

Besides its usefulness in bakery products, hard wheat also offers health benefits, such as digestive support and long-lasting energy. 

However, as this wheat contains gluten, it may not be suitable for those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.

2. Soft Wheat

Soft wheat is wheat that has a soft texture and less protein content. This wheat is more widely used for making cakes, cookies, and pastries.

In addition, this type of wheat, unlike the hard wheat, also has a white or red seed color, softer texture, and does not easily absorb liquid. 

3. Durum Wheat

Durum wheat is a special wheat variety that has different characteristics from the other two types that we’ve mentioned earlier.

This type of wheat tends to have yellow seeds with a hard texture. Semolina is the flour products from durum wheat that contain higher levels of protein and gluten.

And for its application, this wheat is widely used in making pasta, such as spaghetti and macaroni.

Also Read: “Benefits of Wheat“

4. Whole Wheat

The next one on our list of types of wheat is the whole wheat. Whole wheat is a grain that hasn’t undergone further milling or processing.

Because it is still in its pure form, the nutritional content of this type of wheat is maintained intact.  

The type of wheat that includes whole wheat is composed of three main contents, namely the skin (bran), institution (germ), and endosperm.

• Bran: the outer layer of the grain that is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Germ: the part inside the grain that contains good fatty acids.
• Endosperm or body: the part that is rich in carbohydrate and protein content.

The nutritional content of whole grains make it so important as it can provide important benefits for our digestive health.

And it’s not going to stop there, as the whole grains also act as prebiotics, a food source for good bacteria in the gut.

5. Refined Wheat

Unlike whole wheat, refined wheat has gone through a number of milling and processing processes. 

The process aims to remove the skins so that the texture of the wheat is smoother, the color is whiter, and the shelf life is longer.

All-purpose flour is one of the refined wheat products that you can easily find. It is used for making bread and pastries.

However, the processing of wheat usually “trims” most of the important nutrients, such as carbohydrates, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins thus reducing the overall benefits of wheat consumption.

For diabetic patients, avoid consuming refined wheat as this type is less effective at helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.

6. Enriched Wheat

Food fortification is the process of adding essential nutrients to food products to increase their nutritional value. 

This practice is usually also applied to wheat products to replace nutrients lost during processing.

In wheat flour production, fortification usually involves adding key nutrients such as folic acid and iron, along with other vitamins and minerals. 

This helps to ensure that the flour products produced can meet daily nutritional needs, address nutrient deficiencies common in foods, and improve its overall health benefits.

There you have it! The types of wheat that you can choose!

And, other than contemplating about the types of wheat that you want to choose, choosing the right wheat product with a high quality one is also important.

Wheat, especially in the form of flour, is in the mandatory list of things that needs to be certified before being sold and distributed in Indonesia.

The certification itself is called the SNI Certification, that regulates most if not all of the products and or services that are sold, distributed or provided in Indonesia.

This certification aims to give peace of mind to the Indonesian customers, knowing that the product that they bought has already been tested for its quality and safety.

And, for the regulation that regulates the wheat flour, it is clearly stated in SNI 375:2009.