Drawing courtesy of the Kansas Wheat Commission

Wheat Kernel Close-Up

The wheat kernel is the seed of the wheat plant. It is also an important source of people food. More foods are made with wheat than any other cereal grain.

One bushel of wheat contains approximately 1 million individual wheat kernels. Each tiny seed has 3 parts: the endosperm, the bran, and the germ.

The endosperm is about 83% of the wheat kernel. It is used to make white flour. To make whole wheat flour, the endosperm is combined with the bran and the germ.

Bran is made up of the outer layers of the wheat kernel. Bran is used in whole wheat flour. It is also used in breakfast cereals.

The germ is tiny - about 2 1/2% of the whole wheat kernel. The germ is the part that will sprout and grow into a new wheat plant if the kernel is planted. Wheat germ is sold in grocery stores and food markets. Whole wheat flour also contains wheat germ.