# Wheat germ. . . increases appetite?



## CherryRed (Apr 4, 2007)

My dad's girlfriend (oops - she recently married him, so I should get myself into the habit of saying "wife") worked at a health food store for a number of years. Every once in a while she'll mention something that seems surprising, like a fact she told me the other day. She said that eating wheat germ actually increases your appetite. Does it? I'd be interested in finding out since so many diet plans incorporate it.


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## Michael in FtW (Apr 4, 2007)

Wheat germ is normally incorporated in diet programs for it's natural nutritional value - protein, Vitamin E and some B-Complex vitamins. That's why I add some to my homemade wheat bread each week when I'm baking bread.

While B-Complex vitamins can stimulate appetite - wheat germ isn't on any of the lists that I have found. In _Prescription for Nutritional Healing_ they list things that are B-Complex appetite stimulants - ginger, catnip, fennel seeds, gensing, gotocola, etc. ... but wheat germ is not listed. Perhaps the best appetite stimulant listed is brewer's yeast - well, behind cannabis but that's not legal in the US and many parts of the world.

I can only assume that if you sprinkle some wheat germ on your yogurt, or ice cream, it will not send you into an uncontrollable feeding frenzy - or even stimulate you to go seeking a second helping (it never has in my case). It could, however, contribute to better health over time - and that could in turn lead to a better appetite.


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