Benefits of Wheat Germ Span Colon Cancer Prevention

Wheat germ is the nutrient-packed center of a wheat kernel. Many people sprinkle it on salads or oatmeal, blend it in smoothies or use it as a flour replacement. Eating wheat germ daily can give you a big boost of nutrients for eye health and aid in preventing common eye diseases and conditions such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Benefits of Wheat Germ

Wheat germ is rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps decrease free radicals in the body, preventing disease. Studies suggest eating a diet high in antioxidants can help lower the risk of cataracts, which cause cloudy or blurry vision, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which destroys a person’s central vision. Just two tablespoons of wheat germ contain 15 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin E.

Wheat germ is a great option for the ketogenic diet (lots of healthy fats and limited carbs) because it has fewer carbs and more fiber and healthy fats than even whole grain wheat flour. Recent research suggests a low-carb diet may protect the cells of the retina from degeneration and help maintain vision in patients with glaucoma. Glaucoma is a progressive disease in which retinal cells are damaged, resulting in vision loss and even blindness.

Keto Wheat Germ Cheddar Crackers Recipe

Whether you are on the “keto” diet or just craving a healthy homemade snack, these Wheat Germ Cheddar Crackers are tasty and nutritious! Snack on a few throughout the day in between meals to add a little wheat germ into your daily diet.

Ingredients (makes about 100 crackers):

• ½ cup wheat germ
• 1 ½ cup almond flour
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp sea salt + extra
• 1 cup low carb white cheddar cheese, grated by hand
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs and olive oil together. Then pour the eggs and olive oil into the larger bowl containing the dry ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until a ball of dough forms.
3. Place dough on a large piece of parchment paper and place a second piece of parchment on top of the dough. Roll the dough out evenly with a rolling pin until it reaches the thickness of a cracker. Then remove the top piece of parchment.
4. Use a dull knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into a large rectangular shape, placing excess dough aside. Cut out cracker squares about 1- 1½ inches Transfer that parchment paper with the cut dough onto a pan. Cut off excess parchment paper.
5. Repeat step 3 and 4 with the leftover dough and a second pan.
6. Sprinkle Italian seasoning and sea salt over crackers. Bake for about 10 minutes, then completely cut the squares apart. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until crackers harden and crisp. Watch them closely in the last few minutes – they brown quickly! Enjoy plain or top with avocado or a thin slice of low-carb cheese and chopped arugula.