bran the husks which are removed when grain is milled to produce flour. The husks usually have a part of the endosperm adhering to them; the more the better in terms of the value of the bran. Because it contains a significant amount of fibre, bran is considered a useful dietary supplement. It was often an ingredient of animal feed, but its health benefits have promoted it to a human nutrient, either as part of bread or in breakfast cereal.
Rice bran (nuka), mixed with salt, is used in preparing certain kinds of pickle in Japan (nukazuke, see japanese culinary terms, under tsukemono). It is also eaten as a food in S. India and is being promoted as a health-food in the US and W. Europe.
