Who Knew Coloured Wheat Was So Good For You!

Coloured Wheat Research Spurs Healthy Food Choices

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

A colourful wheat research initiative between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the University of Saskatchewan are working on capturing the potential for purple or blue wheat as a natural food colouring and an antioxidant source. The hope is that the research could lead to more available market choices for Canadian farmers and food processors.

Research priorities have changed and until now most government research has focused on fruits and vegetables and now governments and researchers alike are paying more attention to coloured grain as a functional food source. Coloured grain is classified as modified food that has a potential to provide additional health benefits beyond the traditional nutrients wheat would normally contain.

Purple or blue wheat is even more abundant in vitamins compared to red cabbage and plums. Foods that are high in pigments have very strong antioxidant levels. Antioxidants are rich in vitamins including E and C and help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

One of the leading research scientists on the project Dr. Elsayed Abdelaal based out of the Guelph Food Research Centre has been instrumental in developing a process to separate the anthocyanin pigments from the wheat. This process is pivotal in order for it to be utilized to make colourful foods, cosmetic products and provide an excellent source for antioxidants in food products. 

This research is important because there is a high demand for anthocyanin-rich foods as more consumers wish to lead healthier lifestyles. The research is one way to provide consumers with healthy food choices.