Wheat is a very important grain. It is a major source of nutrients for people. More of the world’s farmland is devoted to wheat than to any other food crop. Wheat belongs to the grass family.
People first grew wheat as early as 9,000 years ago in the Middle East. Today China, India, and the United States are leading wheat producers.
There are thousands of kinds of wheat. Wheat plants grow to between 2 and 5 feet (0.6 and 1.5 meters) tall. Most types have a hollow stem. At the end of the stem is a structure called a head, or spike. The spike is made up of 20 to 100 tiny flowers. These flowers produce the seeds, or kernels, of wheat. Wheat kernels vary in color depending on the type of wheat. They may be dark reddish brown, brown, tan, white, cream, or yellow.
Farmers harvest wheat using a machine called a combine. The combine cuts down the plants. Then it separates the seeds from the rest of the plants.
Most wheat is used to make food for people. Whole or coarsely chopped wheat kernels are cooked and used in cereals and soups. But wheat is more commonly used in the form of flour. To make flour, the kernels are cleaned and then crushed into tiny pieces. Wheat flour is used to make bread, cakes, crackers, cookies, and pasta.
Wheat is also used to feed livestock. The dried plants are used as straw for animal beds.
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