Cereals

• What is a cereal?

  a grain used for food e.g wheat
• Cereals are made from grains. They are important sources of carbohydrates which are the body’s main source of energy. They also provide vitamins, especially B - vitamins, minerals such as iron and magnesium, and dietary fibre.
• Flour is a finely ground substance made from cereal grains or other starchy food. It is mainly used in baking and is a key ingredient in many staple foods like bread, pasta and pastries. Its main nutritional content is carbohydrates, but it also contains moderate amounts of protein, and small amounts of minerals and vitamins.
• Cereal definitions:

  Germ - source of fat and B vitamins, where the new plant grows

  Endosperm - the main part of the grain, a starch and protein supply

  Bran - the outer covering of the grain separated from the flour

  Gluten - a structural protein naturally found in certain cereal grains

  Durum wheat - a type of wheat which has a glutenous flour

  Coeliac - condition where the immune system attacks your own tissues when gluten is eaten