Wheat soba forms of wheat have evolved under human selection. This diversity has led to confusion in the naming of wheats, with names based on both genetic and morphological characteristics.

Free-threshing wheat is closely related to spelt. As with spelt, genes contributed from Aegilops tauschii give bread wheat greater cold hardiness than most wheats, and it is cultivated throughout the world’s temperate regions. Common wheat was first domesticated in Western Asia during the early Holocene, and spread from there to North Africa, Europe and East Asia in the prehistoric period. Roman burial sites ranging from 100BCE to 300CE . Wheat first reached North America with Spanish missions in the 16th century, but North America’s role as a major exporter of grain dates from the colonization of the prairies in the 1870s. As grain exports from Russia ceased in the First World War, grain production in Kansas doubled. Worldwide, bread wheat has proved well adapted to modern industrial baking, and has displaced many of the other wheat, barley, and rye species that were once commonly used for bread making, particularly in Europe.

Modern wheat varieties have been selected for short stems, the result of RHt dwarfing genes that reduce the plant’s sensitivity to gibberellic acid, a plant hormone that lengthens cells. Triticum compactum, but in India T. Their shorter rachis segments lead to spikelets packed closer together. The world wheat book : a history of wheat breeding. Excellent resource for 20th century plant breeding. Wheat taxonomy : the legacy of John Percival.

London: Linnean Society, Linnean Special Issue 3. Domestication of Old World plants: the origin and spread of cultivated plants in West Asia. Standard reference for evolution and early history. Occurrence of different inter-varietal and inter-organ defence strategies towards supra-optimal zinc concentrations in two cultivars of Triticum aestivum L”.

Ancient hybridizations among the ancestral genomes of bread wheat”. Evolution of Polyploid Triticum Wheats under Cultivation: The Role of Domestication, Natural Hybridization and Allopolyploid Speciation in their Diversification”. Plant offerings from Roman cremations in northern Italy: a review”. Perfect” markers for the Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b dwarfing genes in wheat”. Unrefined wheat contains complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and a moderate amount of proteins. Wheat germ, which is the heart of the kernel, is particularly rich in vitamin E.

Wheat bran, the outer layer of the kernel, is rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants called lignans, ferulic acid, phytic acid, alkylresorcinols, lutein, flavonoids, and saponins. May Help Control Obesity Wheat, a whole grain, may have a natural ability to control weight, but this ability is more pronounced among women. Women who consumed whole grain products over long periods showed considerably more weight loss than others. Moreover, the whole grain contains complex carbohydrates, which keep you feeling full longer and gives you energy over a longer period of time. May Help Prevent Metabolic Disorders Whole grains like wheat can be immensely effective in patients with metabolic disorders. May Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Wheat is rich in magnesium that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes.

These enzymes are involved in the body’s functional use of insulin and glucose secretion. A cohort study published in PLOS Medicine found that the intake of whole grains like wheat is inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, this effect is stronger for bran than for germ. May Help Reduce Chronic Inflammation The betaine content of wheat prevents chronic inflammation, a key constituent in rheumatic pains and diseases. Its anti-inflammatory property reduces the risk of other ailments like osteoporosis, heart diseases, cognitive decline, and type-2 diabetes. May Help Prevent Gallstones Since whole wheat is rich in insoluble fiber, it can assure a quick and smooth intestinal transit time and lowers the secretion of bile acids.

Excessive bile acids are a major cause of gallstone formation. In various surveys by the American Journal of Gastroenterology, it has been proven that whole grain bread and cereals help prevent gallstones. May Improve Metabolism The fiber in whole wheat products boosts the digestive process in the body and improves the overall metabolism. Doctors recommend eating whole grain bread and other fiber-rich foods. Research has shown that foods made from refined grains not only tend to increase weight but also increase the hazards of insulin resistance. Fairly High in Fiber When you maintain a fiber-rich diet comprising wheat bread and cereals that are high in bran, you can be confident that problems such as flatulence, nausea, constipation, and distension will be alleviated in no time.

A study published in the Journal of Food Science and Technology says that fiber, like in wheat, helps keep the digestive system in order. Also, diverticulitis often occurs due to inflammation and lower intestinal aches. This can also lead to chronic constipation and unnecessary straining, which can result in a sac or a pouch in the wall of the colon. Such cases can be easily dealt with naturally by keeping up with a fiber-rich diet and including whole grains on a regular basis. May Promote Women’s Health Whole wheat increases energy levels and vitality in women. The long-term Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study showed that the increased consumption of whole-grain boosted their energy levels and prevented weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and kept their BMI levels low.