Notable Wheat Preparations

Whole grains of wheat, often called wheat berries, are usually sold with their bran fully intact, and can take an hour or more to cook unless presoaked. Farro is now available with part of its bran milled away—similar to partly milled pigmented rice and wild rice—and cooks much more quickly, while retaining the stronger flavor and integrity of separate grains provided by the bran.

Wheat germ is sometimes added to baked goods or other foods; it is a good source of protein (20% by weight), oil (10%), and fiber (13%). Wheat bran is mainly fiber, with about 4% oil. Their oil content makes both bran and germ susceptible to developing stale flavors. They’re best stored in the refrigerator.