Miller's bran: The unsung hero of your diet and health

Have you warmed up to oat flakes but find bran too much? Not at all. These products have a lot in common. Bran offers a whole range of health benefits and aids in weight loss. Find out why it's worth eating, not just during a diet.

What do bran and flakes have in common? Bran is simply the outer shell of the grains from which flakes are made. It is a by-product of milling wheat, oats, rye, or spelt. Previously regarded as waste, bran is now considered a healthy and valuable product. The husk contains huge reserves of fibre, minerals, and vitamins.

You can buy different types of bran in stores and markets. The most popular are wheat, oat, and rye. They have similar properties, all containing fibre. What distinguishes them?

Wheat bran is the richest fibre, making it especially recommended for weight loss. Oat bran has less fibre, but it contains valuable linoleic acid. Meanwhile, rye bran supports heart function because it contains potassium and magnesium. It regulates blood pressure.

As soon as you start fighting excess weight, the word "fibre" comes back like a boomerang. Dietitians recommend choosing products that contain a lot of it. And that's the most important ingredient of bran, especially wheat bran.

Fibre makes you feel less hungry for longer, and snacks between meals stop tempting you. How to easily include bran in meals? Just add them to your morning yoghurt, juice, or oatmeal. The recommended dose is from one to three tablespoons daily.

Once you enjoy their taste, you can use bran in many other ways. Importantly, they do not lose their properties during heating or baking.

They're delicious after toasting in a pan for salads or coleslaw. You can sprinkle them on cream soups. They're suitable for sweet baked goods, like oatmeal cookies and bread. They are used in vegetarian pâtés and potato pancakes and work well as an ingredient in breading for meat or vegetable cutlets. It's worth adding them to muesli.

Bran in the diet also means a faster metabolism. Bran is very good for the intestines. Scientists believe it can even reduce the risk of cancer in this organ. Bran also promotes the development of beneficial bacterial flora and regulates blood glucose levels. Have high cholesterol? In this case, it's also worth including bran in your diet.