What is bran? And why are they useful? The action of bran on the body.
Nutritionists recommend eating bran for those who want to lose weight. What is it and how to take them correctly? People often go to extremes, consuming the product in large doses and provoking inflammation of the digestive tract. To prevent this from happening, this article will tell you in detail about what it is - bran and how they should be handled. When the intricacies of taking this useful product are studied in detail, you can safely proceed to cleansing the body.
What is bran?
These are leftovers from the processing of grain into flour or cereals for cereals. The people call them "sifting", that is, what remains after grinding grain and sifting flour. Small pieces of grain not ground into flour, its upper shell (husk) - this is bran, which can be obtained from almost any grain. Nutritionists say that it is in them that most of all active components grain, according to some sources, more than 85%.
In appearance, the sifts resemble very small chips or large breadcrumbs without a pronounced aroma, the color depends on the grain from which the product was made. They are not very attractive in appearance, as some people think, but the benefits of their use are confirmed by doctors and nutritionists around the world. Some ignorant people confuse bran and cereal flakes made from grain flattened under heavy weight - these are two different product used in dietary nutrition.
What are bran?
They are made from almost any grain containing a shell and a starchy core, because the main thing in the screenings is fiber, of which it mainly consists. Bran can be of three types:
The composition of bran includes fiber (cellulose), which can be of two types: soluble in the fluids of the human body and insoluble, that is, that after going all the way through the digestive tract, it will come out with other waste products of the body. To appreciate the importance of fiber, you should know: in bran, it is about 50% of total weight, and in fresh vegetables and fruits only 22%, which makes bran the main supplier of cellulose in human nutrition.
Beneficial features
The calorie content and the presence of active substances in the seedings depend on the grain from which they were prepared:
Buckwheat, that is, made from buckwheat kernels, are indispensable if a person is allergic to gluten or gluten - the main component of all grains. The protein content in this bran is 38 g per 100 g, and the calorie content is 364, so buckwheat seed is another favorite among weightlifters.
Oatmeal is a leader in removing toxins and toxins from the body, which can also significantly lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, so they are highly recommended for patients with diabetes and obesity. different type. Their calorie content is only 110 kcal.
- Wheat bran is very useful in cardiovascular diseases, reduce blood cholesterol levels, therefore they are one of the most popular among nutritionists. The energy value of 100 grams of the product is 168 calories, so they are very welcome by those who want to lose weight.
Rice also exist: this upper shell grains of brown rice is quite rich in soluble fiber, while it is somewhat reminiscent of cereals according to properties, but half the usual dose is taken as food. The calorie content of rice bran is quite high - 316 calories.
Rye has a calorie content of 190 kcal and is ideal for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, as they contain large dose B vitamins. Also ideal for improving intestinal motility and preventing bloating, constipation and other similar problems.
Corn bran contains the most insoluble cellulose, so they are recommended as a prophylaxis for intestinal cancer, to eliminate dysbacteriosis and reduce appetite.
Also in the modern eco-world food additives there are bran from flax, milk thistle, barley, sesame and many other seeds and grains.
Application in everyday life
At home, bran is used as a food supplement, especially in diet days. In cosmetology, face masks, scrubs and body wraps with bran give a significantly rejuvenating effect, smoothing the skin and making it velvety and tender.
Vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists also actively use this product in their diet, cooking amazingly. delicious dishes, which you can’t immediately determine what they are made of. Recipes with bran are passed from hand to hand by supporters of weight loss, healthy lifestyle life and people who care about their health. Even non-adherents of these movements use bran when cooking: cutlets and fried vegetables are breaded in them, added to pastries.
Yeast-free bread with bran is in greater demand than white wheat: it is more tasty and satisfying, it cannot be compared with “airy” bread with baking powder and harmful additives. Such bread can be baked at home using an oven, slow cooker or bread machine, which have also gained popularity in the last five years.
Can everyone eat bran?
Grain sowings have both positive traits and recommendations for use, as well as contraindications. Every person who wants to improve the quality of nutrition, cleanse the body of toxins that accumulate in the intestines, as well as in winter time to supply the body with useful trace elements, it should eat at least a small amount of bran to your taste and preference.
It is forbidden to use bran as a dry product that has not undergone heat treatment during periods of exacerbation of such diseases:
- Stomach ulcer, duodenum.
- Acute gastritis of various types.
- Pancreatitis.
- Intestinal adhesions.
As you can see from the list, the main ban on taking bran is diseases digestive system in an acute stage, while these ailments of seeding help to cure! Similar to vicious circle and the discrepancy between the facts, but the explanation for this is quite simple: the fiber of bran so actively removes toxins from the internal cavities of the organs that it can involuntarily slightly irritate the mucous membrane (stomach or intestines). For those who already have an inflammatory process, such an action can lead to increased inflammation and pain: it is necessary to wait for remission and only then introduce bran into the diet in small portions.
How to properly cleanse with bran?
How do seedlings cleanse the digestive tract? Once in the stomach, they swell, and when a large amount of liquid is taken, they soak even more and gradually move in the intestines, moving the feces and cleaning the stones of compressed waste from the walls that have been there for years. In this case, the body should be gradually accustomed to bran, if a person is prone to constipation or has too much weight.
How to use bran so as not to provoke inflammation of the gastric or intestinal mucosa? Just break the process into several stages, each of which must be stretched for five to eight days:
- Add one teaspoon per day to just cooked porridge.
- Pour boiling water over one or two teaspoons and let it swell for 10-15 minutes. Eat mixed with fruit, raisins or a spoonful of butter.
- Eat one teaspoon of raw bran on an empty stomach and drink big amount water. Over time, increase to two tablespoons per day.
Ground bran is also added to smoothies and yogurts, to cereals and pastries, minced meat and vegetables.
After the bran is taken in its raw form, it is necessary to increase the amount drinking water up to two liters per day, because the seedings are useful and effective only with sufficient swelling in the digestive tract. Otherwise, they will not bring much benefit and will only irritate the stomach in vain, because it is important to constantly remember that bran is a product like a sponge that absorbs everything that is nearby, so it is worth doing such cleanings no more than one or two times per year, otherwise useful trace elements and vitamins run the risk of passing by.
Simple recipes for use
Bread with bran is prepared in the same way as regular bread, only in the process of kneading the dough, a third of the flour is replaced by sifting.
You can make bran biscuits using the principle of making oatmeal cookies, replacing some of the flakes with bran.
A face mask is prepared from a tablespoon steamed in boiling water. wheat bran and half a teaspoon of olive oil. Apply to the face in an even layer, press paper napkin and lie down for about 15 minutes, then rinse warm water.
Fasting days
After lengthy public holidays many people who overindulge in large amounts of food experience heaviness in the stomach, chronic intestinal cramps, and bloating. Then you should spend three or four fasting days, for example, on kefir with the addition of bran.
Throughout the day, every four hours, you should eat a glass of low-fat kefir with a teaspoon of seeds soaked in it, while not eating any other foods, only drinking water.
Recently, foods such as bran and germ of cereals often appear in dietary nutrition. This is not surprising, since it is in these parts that all useful elements culture. Today we will talk about the bran of various grains, their benefits for the body.
What is and what bran is made of
Bran is hard shell grains, peeled husk, which is carefully separated during flour milling. Fatty acids are concentrated in this part of the grain so that later the flour does not go rancid, the so-called waste is removed. 
Did you know? Such great minds of antiquity as Asclepius, Hippocrates, Galen, Avicenna, Pliny the Elder wrote about the beneficial properties of peeled flour and a decoction from it.
Caloric content, BJU, vitamins, macro- and microelements
All bran contains fiber, amino acids, polyunsaturated and monoacids. Essential acids are especially important for the coordinated work of the body:
- arginine;
- valine;
- lysine;
- leucine;
- tryptophan;
- methionine.
Wheat
- - 15.6 g;
- fats - 4.3 g;
- - 64.5 g;
- caloric content - 216 kcal / 100 g.
- vitamins:,;
- macronutrients:,;
- trace elements: , .
Oat
- proteins - 18 g;
- fats - 7.7 g;
- carbohydrates - 45.3 g;
- calorie content - 320 kcal per 100 g.
- vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, B6, E, K,;
- macronutrients: calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus;
- trace elements: iron, zinc, selenium,.
Corn
- carbohydrates - 6.64 g;
- fats - 0.92 g;
- proteins - 8.36 g;
- calorie content - 224 kcal / 100 g.
- vitamins: A, K, E, beta-carotene, B1, B2, B4, B6, PP;
- macronutrients: magnesium, sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus;
- trace elements: iron, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium.
Rice
- proteins - 13.4 g;
- fats - 20.9 g;
- carbohydrates - 49.7 g;
- caloric content - 316 kcal / 100 g.
- vitamins: B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, E, K, PP;
- macroelements: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium;
- trace elements: iron, manganese, copper, selenium, zinc.
Did you know? rice bran used in the diet of sports horses, and in Japan they are used for pickling vegetables, as a component of a spicy marinade.
Rye
- proteins - 11.2 g;
- fats - 3.2 g;
- carbohydrates - 32 g;
- caloric content - 221 kcal / 100 g.
- vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, E, K;
- macronutrients: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium;
- trace elements: iron, manganese, iodine, cobalt, zinc, copper.
What are the benefits of bran
"Waste" grains supply the body with valuable amino acids, vitamins and minerals; improve metabolism; regulate digestive processes; take an important part in the nutrition of brain cells, strengthening the nervous and immune systems.
Many components of the composition are involved in hematopoiesis, cleansing the body of toxins, decay products of drugs, cholesterol; help break down fats, maintaining normal weight. Antioxidants keep you young skin and health of nails and hair.
For the gastrointestinal tract
Thanks to the dietary fiber in the composition, which "sweep" the remains undigested food from the intestines, with the help of bran, you can forget about constipation. The rich composition of this supplement will help improve intestinal motility, break down solid food speed up the process of its digestion. In diseases associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane, bran will have an enveloping and soothing effect on the irritated membrane.
Classic prescription for constipation:Steam 30 g of fiber with a glass of water (200 ml), leave for about an hour. Divide the resulting portion into three parts: consume before meals with a glass of water.
For the cardiovascular system
Potassium, magnesium and B vitamins are taken Active participation in synthesis blood cells, improve blood circulation, protect the walls of blood vessels from the deposition of cholesterol, increase their elasticity. The elements have a positive effect on the heart muscle, normalize the heartbeat, and help in the absorption of enzymes important for cardiac activity. Regular use reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, blood clots.
For the reproductive system
Zinc, iodine, selenium, B vitamins and tocopherol are important for normal operation urinary and reproductive systems men and women:
Men:
- male hormones are produced;
- improved seed quality;
- improves blood circulation in the pelvic organs;
- the risk of prostate adenoma is reduced;
- increased sexual desire.
- hormones are produced that promote ovulation;
- the menstrual cycle is normalized;
- improves the functioning of the endocrine system;
- the possibility of conception increases;
- the body is saturated with the elements necessary for bearing the fetus (its growth and development);
- reduces the risk of gynecological diseases:
- symptoms of menopause are relieved (women after 50).
For skin
Antioxidants, vitamins (A, E, B5, B6, B9, K,) selenium, magnesium, calcium - these substances in combination are responsible for the following:
- youth and cell health;
- melanin level;
- moisturizing and nourishing the skin;
- blood circulation in upper layers epidermis;
- strengthening hair follicles;
- shine and strength of hair and nails;
- hardness of bones and teeth;
- visual acuity and health of the mucous membranes;
- strengthening nervous system.
For weight loss
Bran helps to normalize weight: a small portion of the product swells in the stomach under the influence of water, causing a feeling of fullness. In addition, fiber and coarse dietary fiber, helping the processes of digestion of food, together with it, remove from the body everything that is "stale" in the intestines, toxins, and slags. Recipe for a fasting day:
Mix prunes, raisins and pre-steamed bran (200x100x100 g) chopped in a meat grinder or in a blender. Stretch the resulting mixture for the whole day, on this day you need to drink at least one and a half liters of water.
Another recipe for weight loss is a low-calorie breakfast: in the evening, pour 1.5 teaspoons of bran (oatmeal) with one percent kefir. In the morning of the next day you will receive a hearty and tasty breakfast to which you can add fresh berries. Drink water throughout the day, up to two liters.
How can it be used in cosmetology
The rich composition of bran did not disregard cosmetologists and women who prefer natural skin and hair care products.
For face
The product is especially useful for skin prone to irritation, with peeling as a result of, for example, chapping or prolonged exposure to frosty air.
Universal
Mix a teaspoon of bran with the same amount of honey and natural yogurt. Let stand for about an hour, then apply to face and neck, leave for fifteen minutes, rinse with warm water.Cleansing
Pour warm water over a spoonful of blue clay and bran, two tablespoons of chopped parsley leaves until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Leave for half an hour, apply on the face, bypassing the area around the eyes, keep for twenty minutes. Gently remove with a cotton pad, rinse with warm water.From wrinkles
Mix the egg yolk, a spoonful of bran, a spoonful of chopped parsley root into a homogeneous mixture. Leave on face for fifteen minutes, then rinse with warm water.Important! Masks should be prepared in a glass bowl and kneaded with a wooden spatula: the ingredients lose their properties from contact with metal. For cosmetic masks oat or wheat products are more suitable.
For body
Useful substances in the composition of grain "waste" will help heal microcracks on the skin of the hands and feet, relieve irritation on the body, and soothe the skin. By the way, bran baths help with psoriasis: they exfoliate the scales on the plaques, gently, without damaging the wound.
Mask
Steam 100 g of bran in fat milk, apply the resulting mixture to problem areas of the body (décolleté, hands, and others). After twenty minutes, rinse with running water, apply a moisturizer or baby oil.
Bath
Wrap a glass of bran in a gauze bag, lower it into the bath. For healing effect for skin diseases, you can add decoctions of chamomile, calendula or celandine. After water treatment it is advisable not to wipe the skin, but to let it dry naturally.For hair
Cosmetic products with grain by-products nourish the scalp, strengthening hair follicle; give hair softness and shine, glue split ends.
Wellness
Pour 250 g of the product with water (0.5 l), boil. Leave to infuse for twenty minutes, then boil again. Allow the resulting mixture to cool to room temperature, strain. Apply the decoction to clean hair, gently rubbing into the scalp. Wrap your head in a towel and leave for half an hour. Wash off with warm water.
strengthening
Steam a glass of peeled husk in two glasses of boiling water, leave for an hour. Mix the resulting swollen mixture with kefir, apply to hair and leave for twenty minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.How to choose and what bran is better to buy
When choosing a product, it is better to give preference to loose, since granulated husks have fewer useful properties. Bran can be both fine and coarse grinding: both types are useful. When buying, pay attention to the expiration dates, the structure (there should be no lumps), the composition: there should be nothing but peeled husks in it.
The ideal container for the product is a paper bag with a transparent window. So you can see the quality of bran, make sure they are dry and crumbly. Fresh goods have the color of grain.How to store at home
You should not buy bran in large quantities, the oils present do not allow them to be stored for a long time, increasing the risk of rancidity. Purchased goods must be poured into glass jar Close the lid tightly and store in a dry, dark place.
How much bran can you eat per day
It should be started gradually, with a teaspoon per day, within a week, bring the rate to 30 g (about three tablespoons). More than this amount is not recommended. 
Features of use
When using bran, it should be noted that during the day you need to drink a lot of water, up to two liters. After a month of use, you should take a break for two to three months.
When is the best time to eat bran?
Bran can be eaten for breakfast, it can be added to soups or side dishes at lunchtime, but not in a common pan, but separately on a plate. It is not contraindicated to eat in the evening, but given the need to “dilute” the product with water, it is better to take them in the morning.
Is it possible for pregnant women
During pregnancy, women often experience digestive problems: flatulence, constipation, heaviness in the stomach. Use pharmacological preparations during this period it is not desirable, so as not to harm the fetus, therefore peeled husk - best helper in such situations. In addition to the digestive system, the nervous, cardiovascular and immune system women. 
The body will replenish the reserves of minerals and vitamins necessary for both the woman and the fetus. It is especially important to replenish calcium, which the baby draws from the mother's body, for future mother during this period, the risk of injury increases, the strength of dental tissue and bones decreases. The only thing to remember is the admission rules.
At what age can children
- children under one year old can only be given a decoction of bran;
- children from one to three - half a teaspoon in three divided doses per day;
- from three to ten years - no more than two teaspoons, in three divided doses;
- from ten years - three teaspoons.
Important! Remember that the child should drink a lot, the use of the product should be started with a consultation with a pediatrician.
What can be done, where to add
The product is light, has a neutral smell and taste, so you can add it to any dishes:
- cereals, vegetable side dishes;
- as a breading for meatballs, fish;
- soups, borscht;
- milk drinks or jelly (for children);
- in salads;
- as a sprinkle for baking and in dough.
Contraindications
It is contraindicated to use oatmeal supplement in the following cases:
- exacerbation of gastritis;
- the presence of an ulcer;
- other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, with a violation of the mucosa.
Harm and Precautions
In order not to harm yourself, you should use bran as an additive, and not an independent dish, it is not recommended to eat them dry and forget about breaks in taking. Be sure to drink up to two liters of water a day. Excessive and misuse can lead to beriberi, since with the cleansing of the body of harmful elements and undigested food, the product will "wash" and beneficial substances. healthy eating implies not only the use of natural, environmentally friendly products, but also the measure in their use. Any, the most useful substance, in case of an overdose, instead of benefit, can cause significant damage to the body and even provoke certain diseases.
Bran. What is this product
After the grain is harvested, it needs to be given marketable condition and do everything so that the grain can be eaten. A by-product of such processing - a hard shell - this is bran. It doesn't matter if it's rice or wheat, rye or barley, oats or buckwheat. During the processing of any grain, waste remains - bran - the shell of the grain in the form of the smallest dust or husk.
This husk is formed after the grain is ground, cleaned and sent to the manufacture of cereals or flour. Not very useful are prepared from this flour. sweet buns, from which we successfully recover by gaining weight. And bran is that by-product of grain production, the use of which will not allow us to get fat. From the fact that we eat bran correctly, it is simply impossible to get better.
What is the composition of bran
The composition of bran, i.e. grain shells include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. But more than half of its composition, bran contains coarse fibers or fiber.
- Substances: ash, starch, mono and disaccharides, unsaturated fatty acids, protein, water, dietary fiber,
- Vitamins: PP, B1, B2, E,
- Minerals: selenium and magnesium, potassium and zinc, iron and phosphorus, sodium and calcium, chromium and copper.
Bran - why are they needed and what are the benefits
It seems that bran is just garbage, waste material. But not everything is so simple. Bran is a very valuable food product, both for healthy people and for those who want to improve their health.
The composition of the product, which is called bran, includes enough dietary fiber or fiber, as well as carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats, protein and protein. Vitamins, trace elements included in bran are also very valuable. Therefore, bran is included in the composition dietary products . Bran saturates well, but at the same time has low calorie content.
Bran contains beta-glucan. The polysaccharide beta-glucan has the ability to bind fatty acids together in our intestines and, thus, quite noticeably lower cholesterol. So, we can conclude that bran helps to clean blood vessels.
The composition of bran contains a lot of the trace element selenium. Selenium in conjunction with vitamin E takes part in all the processes of oxidation of our body and is always involved in the synthesis of DNA cells. Selenium in bran is enough. And this is good, because without it the human body cannot be healthy. Wheat bran is the champion in selenium content.
For those who suffer diabetes bran is very useful. After all, if you add bran to food, it will allow change glycemic index virtually any product, reducing its number. Bran for diabetics is a way to expand the menu in nutrition. And for those who are in a state of prediabetes, this is a good prevention.
With regular use of bran with food, not only blood sugar decreases, but also improves metabolism and strengthens the immune system.
Bran is the main source of fiber - coarse fibers and trace elements. This grain husk, like a brush, removes everything superfluous in our body, helps intestinal motility and easily deal with constipation.
Bran absorb a lot on myself toxins accumulated in our body as a result of life activity. These are rather coarse fibers, they are not digested by the body and are not absorbed. They just swell inside the intestines and clean it like a regular brush, and absorb it like a sponge excess water, fats and toxins.
Due to the regular use of bran with food beneficial microflora intestine increases its growth, because there is a sufficient amount of fiber and nothing prevents it from multiplying and performing its tasks well. For example, in the treatment dysbacteriosis diet food includes dishes with the addition of bran.
At healthy intestines And appearance a person becomes healthier and more attractive. After all hair, nails and skin have a nicer look. And this is possible thanks to the introduction of bran into the diet.
Bran is a natural calorie blocker, thanks to which you can regulate your weight. This product gives a feeling of satiety. After all, bran, getting into the stomach, swells there and it seems to us that we are already full. But it must be remembered that without additional physical activity, using bran for weight loss, it will be difficult to achieve a result. Bran is not a panacea for weight loss, but only a component of a set of measures to reduce weight.
Who needs to eat bran
Everyone healthy people to maintain and normalize weight and to prevent diseases, especially colon cancer. Bran is part of a healthy diet.
And also for those who suffer:
- diabetes
- atherosclerosis
- hypertension
- dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract
- biliary dyskinesia
- atony of the gallbladder (with stagnation of bile)
- gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer in remission
- constipation
- obese
- skin diseases
- diseases urinary tract and kidneys
- prostatitis
- decreased immunity
- infectious diseases, especially viral and colds
- allergies
Where can you find bran
Bran can be purchased in pharmacies and supermarkets among diabetic products and diet food. And also in the market.
It must be remembered that the ecology is disturbed and polluted, therefore, in order to reduce the impact of toxins and other harmful substances bran on the body should be disinfected as much as possible. To do this, you can use water, soaking the bran and then draining it. Also an oven, and sometimes a microwave, but some of the vitamins may lose their properties.
Is it possible to give bran to children
In order to normalize the work of the digestive tract, children only after 3 years of life can be given bran and only after they have been previously soaked in water. Use bran along with the main food.
Carefully! Bran - harm!
An excess of bran in the diet is not good. It is impossible to eat bran in large quantities, because the rapid elimination of food, which occurs due to the action of bran, deprives our body of many useful nutrients, they simply may not have time to be absorbed into the body.
This can inevitably cause colic, bloating and heaviness of the abdomen, stool retention and diarrhea, as well as disrupt the balance of trace elements and vitamins inside the body.
You can not eat bran without heat treatment. In the shell of the grain, which, during processing, turns into bran, there is a substance that is not absorbed by humans even when frequent use can just become toxic. Store bran and pharmacy bran has already undergone such processing, but loose bran from the market has not.
People who take medications need to know that bran is absorbent. Their effect on drugs is the same as that of activated carbon. They can both reduce the effect of the drug, and reduce it completely to nothing. Therefore, if you are taking medication with meals, then consult your doctor if and when you can consume bran.
Contraindications for eating bran
Patients with gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, acute form gastritis and exacerbation of colitis bran can be harmful. After all, their fibers are very coarse. But in the stage of remission of these diseases, bran is even indicated for dietary nutrition.
How to choose bran
High-quality bran should be dry, have no taste or smell. Usually the bran is crumbly, but it is now increasingly being sold shaped into granular balls or cubes.
You can evaluate the quality of bran according to the following criteria:
- sniff - whether or not the bran has a moldy smell,
- try - there should be no bitter taste impurities, because it is still a grain processing product with an initial yeast content in it
- the color of the bran is usually gray-brown
How to store bran
Bran should be stored in airtight jars, tightly closed, in a dark and fairly dry place. It is correct when bran is sold in sealed packages.
How to eat bran
Bran is always food supplement. It is better not to eat bran as a separate product. After all, if we eat them dry, then in the process of digestion in the stomach and passage through the intestines, they do not have time to perform all their beneficial functions.
Before you eat bran, they need to be soaked, pouring water for half an hour. Then the water must be drained, and the swollen bran added to the dish. For example, ordinary buckwheat with onion sautéing, to which bran soaked in water was added.
Bran is usually added to cereals, salads, soups, meatballs. By adding bran to flour, we make baking healthy.
You can consume bran no more than 30 grams per day.
Bran treatment
It is necessary to start bran treatment with small doses: no more than 1 or 2 teaspoons per day for one week, gradually bringing it to the daily norm - 30 g.
While eating bran, the body needs more water than usual. Therefore, if you use bran dry, then be sure to drink it with water.
Carry out bran treatment in cycles:
- 10-12 days: One teaspoon of bran should be diluted in half a glass of hot boiled water. Let it brew. Strain, drain water. Eat this portion, divided into three parts, during the daytime.
- 2 weeks: Pour two tablespoons of bran with half a glass of the same water. The resulting slurry must also be eaten three times.
- 2 months: Use two teaspoons, but already dry bran, with meals, adding as a seasoning to various dishes during the day.
Today, you can often hear about the benefits of bran. In the form of a separate product, they appeared relatively recently, along with the highest grades of flour. Until then, there was no way to separate them. During the grinding process, all the grain got into the flour, so its properties were slightly different from modern ones. What have we lost with the advent of new methods of grinding and cleaning, and why are bran good?
What is bran
Bran is all the husk that remains after the production of premium flour. Many consider them a waste or a by-product. But in fact, this "garbage" contains all the most valuable things that are in the grain - its rinsings and seed germs. It is in them that almost all the most useful biologically active substances are collected. White refined flour is devoid of all this, which is why pastries from it are classified as harmful products carrying too many empty calories.
Bran - by-product production of flour and cereals
Sometimes flour manufacturers try to make it more useful and add additional vitamins. Such a product, although it carries more substances needed by the body, still cannot be classified as dietary. The most simple and natural way fortification of flour - stop cleaning it from useful bran. But this will negatively affect palatability baking and not everyone will like it. Therefore, bran is often sold as a separate food product.
Types and composition
When it comes to bran, most often refers to wheat. But this is far from the only kind, you can also buy rye, buckwheat, barley, oatmeal, rice, millet, even linen and many others.
Absolutely all bran has a lot of fiber - this is one of their main useful properties. No other product contains it in such quantities, in fish, meat, etc. they are not at all, and in fruits and vegetables they are very few. In bran, fiber is about 80%. In addition, they have a lot of nutrients, their calorie content is at least 165 kcal.
barley and oat bran contain a lot of soluble fiber and help lower cholesterol. Corn contains insoluble fiber, they are useful for the prevention of colon cancer. Rice bran is very rich in vitamins and is used to make bread and vitamin concentrates.
Bran - a by-product of the production of flour from grain
A lot of bran and vegetable protein. There are also useful saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. very rich mineral composition bran: they contain potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, calcium, iron. In small quantities, there are compounds of selenium, chromium, zinc, copper and other elements.
Separately, it is worth noting the high content of B vitamins in bran. There is also carotene and vitamin E.
What are the benefits of bran
As we said before great amount dietary fiber is the main plus of bran. This allows you to use this product to regulate the functioning of the intestines, improve the microflora of the colon, normalize weight and blood sugar levels, as well as remove cholesterol and other harmful substances from the body.
Scientists confirm that diseases such as hemorrhoids, diverticulosis and chronic colitis associated with a lack of plant fibers in food, so the use of bran can be used as their prevention.
Cellulose - great medicine from constipation. It is practically not digested in the intestines, and being there, it adsorbs other substances and water. This leads not only to the cleansing of the body, but also to an increase in volume. stool and this reduces the chance of constipation. In addition, plant fibers bind bile acids, which have a fairly high atherogenic activity. This allows them to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
Useful bran and diabetes. They are able to slow down the breakdown of starch and reduce the glycemic index of foods.
They are also indispensable in the fight against overweight. Foods high in fiber are digested much more slowly. This gives a long feeling of fullness, and accelerated intestinal motility will reduce absorption. useful substances and hence the calorie content of the food. In addition, bran can suppress appetite.
Bran can be added instead of flour to any cutlets, as well as to puddings instead of semolina and even to sauces, but after grinding in a coffee grinder.
It should also be noted that the use of bran has a positive effect on the body's resistance to various infections. This is due to improved digestion, and hence general condition organism. It is necessary to use bran for patients with atony and dyskinesia of the intestines, as well as the gallbladder, constipation and bile stasis. They will be useful for violations of the liver, pancreas, gastritis and some other gastric diseases.
We can recommend the use of bran and people living in ecologically disadvantaged areas, or those whose activities are associated with hazardous industries. They will help to remove toxins from the body and strengthen its defenses.
Contraindications
In general, there are few situations where bran can harm. They are contraindicated in acute period at peptic ulcer and with gastritis, as well as with colitis and enterocolitis of infectious origin. As the inflammatory process subsides, bran intake can be slowly resumed, but you will have to start with small doses.
Bread with bran - delicious and useful product
You also need to always remember the sense of proportion. Bran is useful if consumed correctly and in recommended doses. Exceeding them can lead to exacerbation chronic diseases stomach and intestines, bloating and flatulence. In addition, the functioning of the intestines is sometimes disrupted and diarrhea appears, which is fraught with hypovitaminosis. Therefore, you need to start taking about one tablespoon of large granular bran per day.
To improve the taste of wheat bran, they can be roasted a little in the oven.
You should never combine the intake of bran with the use of drugs. Vegetable fibers will absorb part of the drug, and it healing effect will decrease significantly. Therefore, the interval between taking medications and bran should be at least 6 hours.
How to use
The effect of bran largely depends on the correctness of their use. They must be taken with water. A portion of bran must first be steamed with boiling water and left for 20-30 minutes. After this time, the liquid must be drained, and the resulting bran gruel can be eaten immediately or added to any dish.
Some bran is meant to be eaten dry. They are produced in the form of snacks that are eaten before dinner or with tea. Such bran is sweet and savory and often contains different flavors.
Maximum daily dose bran is 30 grams, but you need to start taking it with small volumes - 1-2 teaspoons per day. Gradually, their number must be increased to 1-2 tablespoons three times a day. This gradual increase in dosage will avoid many side effects, such as heaviness in the abdomen, unstable chair, increased gas formation and others. In addition, when taking bran, it is necessary to increase fluid intake. As soon as desired effect will be reached, the dosage of bran must be reduced to maintenance - 1-1.5 teaspoons daily.
Proper use of bran is the key to success
You can take bran in cycles:
- The 1st cycle lasts 10-12 days. During this time, it is necessary to brew a teaspoon of bran in a third of a glass of boiling water and use it divided into three parts - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- 2nd cycle - 2 weeks. It is necessary to brew two tablespoons of bran with half a glass of boiling water, take the resulting porridge also three times.
- The 3rd cycle lasts 2 months. It is necessary to take 2 teaspoons of bran 2-3 times a day with meals in a dry form.
Fermented bran is taken in the same way, but, unlike regular bran, they are more effective, better remove toxins from the body and stimulate the immune system.
Video: Useful properties of bran
Bran is the most useful product that contains grain germs and almost all of its vitamins. In addition, they are a valuable source of plant fiber, the lack of which provokes hemorrhoids, excess weight and many other diseases. But to achieve the optimal effect, they must be used correctly.
Balancing nutrition for health and harmony has recently become such a common trend that almost everyone knows what proteins, fats and carbohydrates are in food, what role they play and in what quantities they should be consumed. But there is a fourth, no less important component healthy diet, which is sometimes forgotten, although its role cannot be ignored. We are talking about fiber, that is, plant fibers, without which normal digestion, and hence proper nutrition, are impossible.
By itself, fiber is practically not absorbed by the body, but, passing through the digestive tract, it swells, absorbing liquid and filling the stomach. There are several useful effects of this ability at once. Firstly, the stomach filled with vegetable fibers sends a signal of satiety, that is, with the help of fiber, you can eat up faster and not overeat. high-calorie food. Secondly, hard fibers are something like a symbolic brush for the body, which, passing along the walls of the intestine, cleanses it and takes everything unnecessary and superfluous, decay products and other “garbage” out of the body. Thirdly, by stimulating the intestinal walls due to gentle but intense pressure on them, fiber enhances peristalsis, helps fight toilet problems, and has a mild laxative effect. Finally, all these properties together stimulate the metabolism and contribute to the loss excess weight.
We are ready to bet that it is this last-named property of fiber that has made it so popular among adherents of a healthy lifestyle and slim body. Everyone else should also be interested and learn more about dietary fibers, their sources and properties. After all natural source fiber for humans and animals - these are vegetables, fruits, cereals and any other food plant origin. But it is precisely this that is often missing in our daily menu. Especially in the cold season, when fresh herbs are in short supply, as well as cooking time. fresh food. I want to quickly run from work to home, from home to the nearest cafe, where to warm up with pizza, steak or other semi-finished products. As a result, an organism that does not receive the required amount of plant fibers gradually becomes clogged with the products of its own vital activity, loses energy, and slows down metabolism. The result of such nutrition, as they say, is obvious: it is a tired, sad face with dull skin and a faded look. In order to prevent such a reflection from appearing in your own mirror, you need to provide your body with a sufficient amount of coarse fiber. And it, in addition to fresh vegetables and fruits, can be found in bran, equally available throughout the year. You can find them in any pharmacy and even grocery stores. But it’s not enough to buy a useful product - you also need to know how to use it correctly. About how to use bran for weight loss and maintaining the body in good vitality, we'll talk today.
What is bran? The composition and properties of bran
Bran is nothing more than a product of flour milling, and a by-product. In fact, this is the waste that remains after the grain is cleaned from the hard shell. The nutritious and tender core is used to make premium flour, and all that is superfluous is bran, which becomes an additive to some varieties of unleavened pastries, feed for farm animals, and even fertilizer. Doesn't sound very appetizing, does it? Indeed, bran long time were considered a kind of garbage, garbage and an ingredient unworthy of being included in products for people. This stereotype was reinforced by the fact that bran, rich in fatty acids, quickly rancid and spoil the flour, not well cleaned of them. Bread made from such flour is tasteless and poorly digested. However, for some reason, it was not taken into account that adding a small amount of bran to baking, on the contrary, improves its taste and digestibility. Justice was restored quite recently, when at the end of the 20th century, nutritionists proved their usefulness as a catalyst for digestive processes and intestinal motility, as well as a source of dietary fiber and several essential trace elements and organic acids at once. An additional role in the popularization of bran was played by the fashion for vegetarianism, in recipes which they are widely used. Since then, the American, Western, and then Eastern European society has become so fascinated by this product that they have elevated it to the category of almost a panacea for any weight problems, violations metabolic processes and for the general health of the body. All these properties of bran, of course, are greatly exaggerated. But there are still some benefits to using them.
Bran is almost 65% carbohydrates, and their energy value estimated at 216 kcal / 100 grams. Nevertheless, you can not be afraid to get better from bran, because the human body does not have enzymes that can break down those carbohydrate bonds that make up fiber. It is so resistant to decomposition that, when it enters the stomach, it only swells with liquid and fills it, and then it is excreted from the body through the intestines, taking with it other waste products. But you can and should count on the fact that bran will supply the body with proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Being part of the grain, the shell was responsible for supplying the grain germ with nutrition, but now these components are at your disposal, and this is almost 90% of the biologically active substances of the entire grain. Among them, the lion's share is occupied by B vitamins, which are necessary for the health of the nervous system. In a slightly smaller, but also significant amount, bran contains fat soluble vitamins A and E, providing visual acuity, hair shine and skin elasticity. Vitamins K and PP help the absorption of trace elements, including vital calcium, zinc, fluorine, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. The rest is carotene, disaccharides and water. And the main property of plant fibers that make up bran is their ability to act as a natural absorbent, absorbing and removing toxic substances, including salts of cadmium, lead and mercury. In addition, the use of bran helps to lower blood cholesterol levels, cleanse blood vessels and strengthen their walls, and increase the absorption of nutrients from other foods. Normalizing digestion and preventing constipation, bran thereby improves liver function, facilitates the treatment of diseases of the biliary tract.
With long-term regular use, bran helps to reduce arterial pressure, bring blood sugar levels closer to normal and strengthen the immune system, beneficially affecting the entire body. They are an excellent means of preventing dysbacteriosis, useful in atherosclerosis, and even varicose veins veins (since they indirectly improve the condition of blood vessels and blood composition). All these positive properties for metabolic processes, of course, affect the figure most in the best way: bran really helps to reset overweight. And they act in two directions at once. On the one hand, cleansing the body and improving its work. On the other hand, filling the stomach and providing a feeling of fullness without extra calories. But not all of them are certainly useful. For example, patients with diseases of the stomach, duodenum, treated for gastritis, colitis and ulcers should eat bran with great care, and completely abandon them during exacerbations. Contraindications to taking bran are also erosion, adhesions in any part of the digestive and excretory tract, diarrhea various origins. Any inflammatory processes under the influence of bran fiber can be aggravated. In addition, bran is incompatible with some medicines(this must be checked with a doctor and read in the instructions for medications) and interfere with the absorption of zinc. At overuse cause bloating and intestinal upset. That is, like any ingredient, they are useful only in moderate amounts. And even then, not all bran that the food industry offers us is useful.
What bran to choose
On store and pharmacy shelves, you can find two main types of bran: granulated and ground. Please note that the first ones have been subjected to additional processing, so the second option is much more preferable. As a rule, it is also cheaper, as is more and more simple products. Then be sure to turn the package reverse side and carefully read the composition of its contents. You need natural bran, without additives and impurities. Any dyes, flavoring and aromatic additives, preservatives, sugar (and its substitutes) and salt are incompatible with the benefits that we expect from eating bran. Therefore, if you saw all this or at least some of this in the composition, put such bran back in the window and look for a clean and healthy product. Semi-finished products and various pseudo-useful products based on and with the addition of bran are also produced. These are muesli, cereals, cereals, cookies, bread and bars. No one will forbid you to buy and eat all this as snacks. Moreover, it is quite possible that they really will cause less harm to your body than standard fast food and sweets. But you should not expect from them the effects that real bran produces.
As for genuine bran, they are also not the same and differ depending on the grain from which the shell was removed. The most useful and common were and remain:
- Oat bran considered to be the most useful, they are also the most fibrous and therefore tough among bran. But they are able to increase in volume up to 20 times, therefore they surpass all other varieties in terms of the rate of satisfying appetite. In addition, oat bran has a pronounced choleretic action and markedly lower blood sugar levels. It is oat bran that is most often used for weight loss, but the greatest caution and strict dosage must be observed just in their use.
- wheat bran the structure is slightly softer than oatmeal, so it is with them that nutritionists advise starting taking bran for weight loss. An additional benefit from such a reception will be the enrichment of the body with B vitamins and potassium, normalization water-salt metabolism. Wheat bran is often added to homemade cakes, cereals and soups to reduce their calorie content and increase the content of dietary fiber.
- Rye bran most often become a component medical nutrition. They are prescribed in complex therapy with anemia, endocrine and oncological diseases suffering from diabetes mellitus and potency disorders. Vitamins and minerals in them are in the concentration that is most easily absorbed, and fiber in terms of rigidity takes intermediate position between oat and wheat bran fiber. For weight loss rye bran are also used, but less frequently.
- Flaxseed, buckwheat, rice, barley and other bran on sale are less common, sometimes not in pure form but mixed with other varieties. All of them are useful in their own way, especially for healthy people who want to balance their diet. Therefore, the bran recipes below can be used with any bran you buy and want to try.
If you are introducing bran into your diet for the first time, then you need to start using bran to improve digestion and / or lose weight very gradually, starting with small portions - a large number of The body may simply not accept coarse vegetable fiber out of habit and react to it with intestinal upset, indigestion, constipation and others. backfire. Therefore, it should be taught little by little, starting with 1 teaspoon per day. That's the first rule. Secondly, along with bran, you need to take a lot of liquid, you can just drink it with plenty of water or soak it in milk, fermented milk products, juices. Without abundant hydration, bran simply will not “work” in the body. In all other respects, bran is quite easy to use, and they can be given even to children over two years old. Both for weight loss and for the prevention of weight gain, bran is suitable both in its pure form and as part of other foods, dishes and drinks. For example, try them like this:
- Before any meal, preferably before breakfast, eat one teaspoon of bran and drink it with a full glass of water, tea or juice. After 15 minutes, you can start eating. After a week of this intake, you can take bran more often - before each meal and / or increase their portion to two teaspoons. After another week, you can take a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon. So you slowly but surely accustom your stomach to the perception of bran. But this does not eliminate the need plentiful drink after each intake.
- Bran cannot replace wholesome food, but it can be supplemented. For example, add a spoonful of bran to your morning porridge or put them in a bowl of soup at dinner. A good alternative to a heavy dinner is a tablespoon of bran, swollen for 15 minutes in a cup of low-fat kefir or yogurt. They will give a feeling of satiety, but will not increase significantly daily allowance calories.
- To overcome hunger pangs between main meals, take a teaspoon of bran into your mouth and hold it, gradually wetting it with saliva. Then swallow and drink with a glass clean water without gas. Appetite will recede until the next meal, and the stomach will stop growling, because it will be busy digesting fibers.
- Fasting days on bran are used when excess weight loss has slowed down and you need to give the body a digestive “shake”. Choose a free day in advance, because during it you will have little energy, but you will need to be close to the toilet. On the eve of a fasting day, before going to bed, eat a tablespoon of bran with plenty of liquid. In the morning, steam 2 tablespoons of bran in a glass hot water and eat when the water has cooled to room temperature. Repeat this three times a day, alternating soaked bran with low-fat kefir (only 1.5 liters of kefir per day). Don't make such fasting days more than once every two weeks and start practicing them only after accustoming the body to bran.
- Many nutritionists, in particular, Pierre Dukan, who is at the peak of popularity and beloved by Hollywood stars, have included bran in the list of mandatory components of their author's nutrition systems. This is very reasonable, especially when we are talking about the diet protein composition, poor in carbohydrates and, therefore, bad for digestion. But it is forbidden to combine bran intake with a low-calorie (less than 1200 kcal per day) diet.
- Starting taking bran with one teaspoon per day, you can gradually increase their amount, but only up to a certain limit. This limit is 30 grams of bran per day. Anything in excess of this norm threatens you with problems in the digestive tract and other side effects, such as dry skin, hair loss, brittle nails, etc. Feeling these or other symptoms, refuse to take bran without regret or reduce their amount in your diet. Perhaps they provoked an exacerbation of a dormant disease that you did not suspect about for the time being - so this is a signal that you need to visit a doctor (therapist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, etc.).
- Bran can hardly be called a delicacy; at best, they will seem tasteless to you. That's why best option their method for losing weight and enriching the diet with fiber is the addition of bran to your favorite dishes. The bran can be turned into flour and used in baking bread, muffins, etc. In the form of crackers, they go well with salads, and in muesli, cereals and desserts, they either do not spoil the taste or enrich it due to additional rigidity.
- And the last piece of advice: bran is not recommended to be taken on permanent basis, especially in large (more than 15-20 grams per day) dosage. Therefore, plan to use them in courses. For example, eat bran for weight loss for two months, then take an equal break in duration, during which try to stick to balanced nutrition and there are enough plant food. Then the course of taking bran can be repeated. With such an alternation, bran can and should be taken at least for a lifetime.
