wheat

Wheat is the most important food crop in the world, and hundreds of millions of people worldwide rely on foods made from wheat grains. These grains are milled into flour, which is used to make biscuits, bread, cakes, various types of pasta, and many other foods. Whole wheat grains contain many important compounds and nutrients that provide the body with numerous health benefits. Wheat is a good source of several vitamins and minerals, such as selenium, manganese, phosphorus, and copper. It is also a rich source of fiber, concentrated in the bran, which contains substances that act as food for beneficial bacteria in the gut. Wheat grains are a primary source of carbohydrates and also contain protein, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids, especially lysine. Wheat belongs to the genus Triticum in the grass family Poaceae (formerly Gramineae). It is a cereal grain and covers a larger area of ??the Earth's surface than any other food crop. People gathered wild wheat long before the advent of agriculture. Scientists believe that around 11,000 years ago, people in the Middle East took the first steps toward agriculture, and wheat was one of the first plants they cultivated. Early farmers likely selected the best wheat plants to use as seed for the next crop. In this way, certain desirable characteristics of wheat were passed down through generations. Such practices led to the gradual development of improved wheat varieties. During the 20th century, scientists developed new wheat varieties that produced large quantities of grain and were resistant to cold, diseases, insects, and other threats to wheat production. As a result, wheat production increased significantly.