Bran Is the Part of the Grain White Flour Removes
Bran is the outer husk of cereal grain. Whether it stays in the flour is what separates brown bread from white.
Bran is the hard outer layer of cereal grain, separated from flour by milling. A grain has three parts: bran on the outside, germ at the base, and the starchy endosperm that fills most of it. White flour is the endosperm alone; wholemeal keeps all three, which is why it carries more fibre and spoils faster — the oils in the germ go rancid. Bran was long treated as animal feed before its fibre was valued.
- The outer husk of grain. *Wheat bran.*
- Bran flakes. *A bowl of bran flakes.*
- Wholemeal — flour keeping the bran. *Wholemeal bread.*
- Germ — the other removed part. *Wheat germ.*
- Old French — *bren*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bran | Bran. |
| Compound | bran flakes | Bran flakes. |
| Related | germ | Wheat germ. |
| Related | endosperm | The endosperm. |
| Old French | bren | Bran. |
- Add bran for extra fibre.Food.
- White flour has the bran removed.Milling.
- Wholemeal keeps all three parts.Fact.
The three parts of a grain
- Bran — the fibrous outer layers
- Germ — the embryo, rich in oil and vitamins
- Endosperm — the starchy store, most of the grain by weight
- White flour — endosperm only, keeps for months
- Wholemeal — all three, spoils faster as the germ oil turns
Old French *bren*, of uncertain origin, possibly Celtic.
What is the difference between bran and wholemeal?
Bran is one part of the grain. Wholemeal flour keeps the bran, germ and endosperm together.
Why does wholemeal flour spoil faster?
It keeps the germ, whose oils turn rancid over time. White flour has that removed and lasts far longer.