Dietary Fiber: Bran

In cereals, the bran represents the outer parts of the kernel including the pericarp (or fruit coat) and the testa (or the seed coat) and, depending on the grain and milling process, parts of the aleurone layer and the starchy endosperm. Wheat, oats, and rice brans are commercially available and are the most studied. The bran is rich in soluble and insoluble types of fiber, some minerals and B vitamins, and bioactive compounds including phenolic antioxidants and phytosterols and other healthy molecules. Cereal fiber is believed to provide a number of health benefits including weight and diabetes management, lowering of blood cholesterol, regulation of blood glucose levels, modulation of the immune system, and anti-inflammatory effects leading to lower risk of heart disease and cancer. Cereal brans may be incorporated in a wide number of food products such as breads, cookies, crackers, snack foods, beverages, sauces, dairy products, imitation cheeses, meats and meat analogues, and many other products.