Wheat Germ: Natural Weight-Loss Food

When you cut back on saturated fat, you cut back on the amount of meat you eat. When this happens, you may also be cutting back on important nutrients. I have a solution for you:  fat-fighting wheat germ!

 It provides a multitude of minerals, including all-important iron and zinc, vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s a powerhouse antioxidant with lots of fiber that can be mixed into almost any meal. Eating wheat germ can also increase your sense of being full, stabilize blood sugar, and decrease cravings. It's one of the best sources of folic acid. Folic acid reduces a compound in your body called homocysteine. Lowering homocysteine reduces the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis bone fractures, and dementia. Thus, pay attention to the levels of folic acid you have in your diet! The recommended daily intake is 400 micrograms of folic acid. In addition to Wheat Germ, the folic acid is found in healthy foods like beans, fruit, and vegetables. (Just to give you a reference: one cup of orange juice contains 60 to 100 micrograms of folic acid.)

Back to Wheat Germ:....

Germ: The germ is the part of the wheat kernel that germinates and turns into a plant. It is the most nutrient-rich part of the wheat.
Due to the high levels of nutrients contained in the wheat germ, it is extracted from the kernel and used as a supplement to create healthy meals.

Selection and Storage

Because of its unsaturated fat content, wheat germ goes bad easily, especially if it's raw. Fresh wheat germ should smell something like toasted nuts, not musty. Unopened, a sealed jar of wheat germ will keep about one year on the shelf. Always store opened wheat germ in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, where it'll keep up to nine months.
I use Wheat Germ where the precipices call for “breading”; thus, I no longer use bread crumbs or flower. Look for it on the food-store shelf:

Preparation and Serving Tips

Wheat germ makes a nutritious and often undetectable addition to a lots of dishes. It's a lower-fat alternative to granola that can be added to yogurt and cereals.
As you work on your weight-loss plan to cut back on fatty meat dishes, remember that wheat germ can provide you with those vitamins and minerals you may be missing, as well as give you fiber to satisfy your appetite.

My personal recipes and ways I incorporate Wheat Germs into my diet:

1.     Wheat Germ Smoothie

Ingredients (mixed in the blender)

6 oz Original KEFIR (avoid fruit flavors!)

1 cup FLEX or Almond milk

1 banana

1 tbsp wheat germ

1 tbsp of RAW Almond Butter

1 tbsp of RAW Sunflower Seed Butter

1 tbsp cacao powder (no sugar!)

1 tbsp cinnamon spice (no sugar!)

2.     Wheat Germ “breaded” Fish

 

Ingredients

2-4 Filet of Cod
2 tbsp Wheat germ

1 egg

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

Your favorite seasonings

Wisk 1 egg in a mixing bowl (big enough to fit filet of Cod into it later.) Cut filet into smaller pieces and roll them in the egg. Add your spices and Wheat Germ to the fish and roll all the pieces so they receive an even amount of wheat germ on them.

Slice onion and garlic and sauté it in the olive oil using large fry pan. As soon as you see the onion is turning color, add the “breaded” fish pieces to the fry pan. Cook until done (approx 10 minutes. I will leave the timing up to you because it will depend on the size of the pieces)

Serve on the top of mashed sweet potatoes!

3.     Wheat Germ Salmon

            Ingredients

             Skinless wild caught salmon fillets

             2  tbsp Dijon mustard

             3 tbsp wheat germ

             2 cloves of garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

             1 tbsp olive oil

             1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or your favorite spice)

             Salt and pepper

Directions

Make marinade using mustard, olive oil, garlic, and spices. 

Coat salmon fillets with marinade, and then dip salmon into wheat germ. Cook salmon in skillet, and enjoy!