Wheat Germ Oil: Everything You Might Be Curious to Know about

Wheat germ oil is what they extract from the embryo of wheat kernel. Its strongest nutritional points, as Wikipedia states, are gross amount of Vitamin E (it is one of the best natural sources), octacosanol – long-chain saturated waxy alcohol and unsaturated essential fatty acids (Omega-3, -6, -9). Wheat germ oil has a yellow or reddish color, a strong nutty taste and high density. It is comparatively perishable and expensive.

The benefits of wheat germ oil

It is reasonable to incorporate wheat germ oil into a healthy daily diet. According to Wikipedia, the effects of the oil on humans include cardiovascular benefits (improving fat metabolism, lowering plasma cholesterol and affecting blood platelet stickiness), increasing blood flow and reaction time. External oil applications can be the part of treating some skin problems due to the properties of essential fatty acids. Those skin diseases are the following:

• eczema or psoriasis;
• dry skin;
• burns;
• herpes;
• skin ulcers. Read more about wheat germ oil for skin care.

You can use plain wheat germ oil internally and externally. Alternatively, it can be one of cooking ingredients to provide additional nutrients. The oil can be added to commercial cosmetic products as well. The health market also offers wheat germ oil capsules as food supplements.

SEE ALSO: Wheat Germ Oil for Stretch Marks

How to buy “right” wheat germ oil

If there is a concern where to buy wheat germ oil, you should search natural food stores or the health food aisle in a grocery store. Another option is a vitamin section or a drugstore. Most likely, there you will find wheat germ oil supplements in the form of soft gel capsules. Variety of brands, forms and packing sizes of wheat germ oil is available online as well.

It is important to try finding where you can buy organic wheat germ oil. That means that the wheat plant grew without pesticides, herbicides or any other chemicals; the extraction process did not involve chemicals either; a prepared product does not contain preservatives. Only cold-pressed wheat germ oil is organic. It goes through the press at temperatures below 140°F or 60°C and thus maintains integrity of unrefined, nutritionally rich 100% pure oil.

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Wheat germ oil supplements

As reviews show, some of the most popular and trusted brands of wheat germ oil supplements are the following:

1. Standard Process Wheat Germ Oil. It goes in the form of perles that contain 385 mg of wheat germ oil each. The producers assure the quality and safety of the oil as continuous bacterial and analytical tests are conducted during manufacturing.
2. VIOBIN^® Wheat Germ Oil. Available in liquid packed in glass bottles of 3 sizes and soft gelatin capsules in 2 sizes. Made by exclusively cold process method.
3. NOW Foods Wheat germ oil soft gels and liquid.
4. SOLGAR Wheat Germ Oil soft gels
5. Country Life Wheat Germ Oil

Nutritional Supplements Knowledgebase notes other possible names for wheat germ oil based supplements:

• Octacosanol;
• Octacosanol Concentrate;
• Octa Cosyl Alcohol;
• Polycosanol;
• Isopolicosanol;
• Ateromixol.