Whole Grain Consumption and Health of the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract: A Focus on Insoluble-Bound Phenolic Compounds

Abstract

A whole grain is the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components the endosperm, germ and bran are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact caryopsis (AACC, 1999). The endosperm, the largest component of the caryposis contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals and provides energy for the rest of the plant. The bran, the multi-layered outer skin of the grain, protects the germ and the endosperm from damage from sunlight, pests, water, and diseases. The germ or embryo is the part of the grain that becomes a new plant when fertilized by pollen.