Coloured wheat may replace traditional variety for its health benefits

Lovleen Bains

Doraha, August 18

Wheat is the staple food and a necessity of almost every North Indian. But increasing aliments such as increasing weight, cholesterol level and diabetes have lead researchers to rethink and bring in a produce which can not only minimise, but also put an end to such ailments once and for all.

For this, the traditional wheat shall now replace the coloured one which has higher anthocyanin level as compared to the earlier one.

Coloured wheat in purple, black and blue colour has been grown by two brothers of Pangalian village near here. Prabhdayal Singh Pangli and Pavittar Pal Singh Pangli are confident that the coloured wheat shall discourage the ailments, a majority of which turn to be chronic with the passage of time.

Pavittar Pal Singh Pangli, who is also the president of the Borlaug Farmers’ Association for South Asia, has signed an MoU with NABI, a prominent institute of biotechnology, for the production and processing of coloured wheat.

Coloured wheat is rich in many ways since the content of anthocyanin is as high as 40 to 140 ppm as compared to the traditional wheat in which it is 5 to 15 ppm. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant which is said to remove free radicals from the body, apart from reducing the risk of diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, aging and cancer etc. Coloured wheat is also believed to have enhanced zinc content, a micronutrient of which many individuals of developing countries are deficient in.

“Though the average yield of coloured wheat is comparatively low, its price is definitely lower than rice. Moreover, with people getting health conscious day by day, they wish to eat nutritional diet. Coloured wheat can provide all such benefits,” shared Pavittar Pal Singh Pangli.

Pangli, who has grown coloured wheat in his fields at Panglian village, opined, “Wheat has a very important place in our lives as a large number of Indians consume it daily. Their lack of knowledge about agriculture, however, makes them vulnerable to misunderstandings, which are fuelled by propaganda. Coloured wheat has been developed at NABI after rigorous research of seven years by routine and safest method of plant breeding technology. This new research of bio-fortified coloured wheat will be a big boost to end the nutritional hunger.”

“Nutritionally-enriched wheat is gaining popularity with health-conscious people who are ready to spend extra bucks rather than risk their body and make it prone to several diseases. It can be consumed in significant amount. Coloured wheat is surely going to benefit Indians in many ways and prove cheaper in the long run as the need for medicine for various ailments shall be reduced to a considerable extent and people shall remain fit and healthy and say goodbye to major aliments,” the Bourloug Association chief asserted.

Rich in anthocyanin

Coloured wheat is rich in many ways since the content of anthocyanin is as high as 40 to 140 ppm as compared to the traditional wheat in which it is 5 to 15 ppm. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant which is said to remove free radicals from the body apart from reducing the risk of diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, aging and cancer etc. Coloured wheat is also believed to have enhanced zinc content, a micronutrient of which many individuals of developing countries are deficient in.