10 Worldly Wheat Facts

By Y.M. Lowy

1. Wheat is a grain with a long history and plays a big role in what we eat today. While the Matzah bakeries are churning out tons of boxes of these precious goods, let’s learn some interesting facts about wheat that might surprise you:
2. Wheat is the most widely grown crop in the world, and it’s found on every continent except Antarctica. That means it’s a major food source everywhere.
3. Wheat contains gluten, a protein that gives dough its stretchy, chewy texture. While some people are sensitive to gluten, it’s what makes bread rise and keeps it soft!
4. There are different types of wheat for different foods. Regular wheat is used for bread, durum wheat is used for pasta, and club wheat makes cookies, cakes, and crackers.
5. Wheat is a crop that can improve soil health. Farmers often plant it as part of crop rotation, which helps keep the soil fertile by preventing it from becoming depleted of nutrients.
6. Kansas is one of the biggest wheat producers in the U.S., and the wheat grown there could make enough bread to feed everyone in the world for about two weeks!
7. Wheat grows around 120 days from planting to harvesting, though this can depend on the type of wheat and the weather.
8. In ancient Egypt, wheat was so valuable that pharaohs were buried with wheat seeds.
9. In ancient Greece, wheat was so important that it was used as a form of currency. Soldiers even received wheat as payment!
10. Wheat makes up about 20% of the world’s calories.
11. Just one acre of wheat can produce around 44 bushels, which is enough to make enough bread to feed 9,000 people for one day!