The contribution of wheat to human diet and health

Shewry, P. R. and Hey, S. J. (2015) The contribution of wheat to human diet and health. Food and Energy Security, 4 (3). pp. 178-202. ISSN 2048-3694 doi: 10.1002/fes3.64

Abstract/Summary

Wheat is the most important staple crop in temperate zones and is in increasing demand in countries undergoing urbanization and industrialization. In addition to being a major source of starch and energy, wheat also provides substantial amounts of a number of components which are essential or beneficial for health, notably protein, vitamins (notably B vitamins), dietary fiber, and phytochemicals. Of these, wheat is a particularly important source of dietary fiber, with bread alone providing 20% of the daily intake in the UK, and well-established relationships between the consumption of cereal dietary fiber and reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and forms of cancer (notably colo-rectal cancer). Wheat shows high variability in the contents and compositions of beneficial components, with some (including dietary fiber) showing high heritability. Hence, plant breeders should be able to select for enhanced health benefits in addition to increased crop yield.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/67631
Identification Number/DOI	10.1002/fes3.64
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Crop Science
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
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