Amber Fields of Facts
Sunday
Wheat is old and popular. Cultivated for at least 10,000 years, wheat is now the most common crop on Earth, supplying about 20% of all human calories and protein.
Monday
To “separate the wheat from the chaff” means to isolate the more valuable thing in a group from the less valuable, since the edible wheat kernels were more valuable to farmers than the papery husk, or chaff. They are separated by the processes of winnowing and threshing.
Tuesday
Wheat is a member of the grass family with thousands of varieties, but six are the most common, each best for producing particular products, like breads, crackers, pasta, cookies, etc. These are known as hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, soft white, hard white, and durum. The “wheat berries” or seed kernels are the part of the plant which is actually eaten.
Wednesday
The difference between whole grain wheat flour and white or “refined” flour is that whole grain is made from the entire wheat kernel, including the nutrient-dense bran and germ portions, whereas white flour is just the endosperm, which is primarily starch and some protein.
Thursday
Gluten is protein found in wheat, rye, and barley products. It makes dough from those flours stretchy (like pizza dough) and chewy when eaten. However, those with a gluten allergy, or celiac disease, have adverse reactions to this grain protein.
Friday
Globally, the biggest wheat producers are in Asia, with China and India leading the pack.
Saturday
The “amber waves of grain” described in the patriotic poem-turned-song “America the Beautiful” were vast wheat fields. These were among the many sights author Katherine Lee Bates encountered in her 19th century westward journey.