Wheat Facts

Quick Facts

It takes 2.3 bushels of wheat (138 pounds) to produce 100 pounds of white flour.
A bushel of wheat is approximately 60 pounds.
One bushel of wheat contains 1 million individual kernels.
A bushel of wheat makes about 45 boxes of wheat flake cereal!
A bushel of wheat yields 42 one-and-a-half pound commercial loaves of white bread OR about 90 one-pound loaves of whole wheat bread.
A bushel of wheat makes about 42 pounds of pasta or 210 servings of spaghetti.
There is approximately 16 ounces of flour in a one-and-a-half pound loaf of bread.
In 1880, it took 373 hours of labor to produce 100 acres of wheat. Today, it takes less than eight hours!.
Wheat is grown in 42 states in the United States.
Wheat is grown on average in 30 of the 36 counties in Oregon.
Umatilla County produces 25 - 30% of the state’s wheat.
Approximately 90% of Oregon wheat is exported overseas.
Wheat is a member of the grass family that produces a dry, one-seeded fruit commonly called a kernel.
Wheat is the primary grain used in U.S. grain products — approximately three-quarters of all U.S. grain products are made from wheat flour.
Oregon produces primarily soft white wheat due to our region's climate.
A 'small' barge on the Columbia River can carry 85,000 bushels of wheat.
A 'larger' barge on the Columbia River can carry 125,000 bushels of wheat.

Wheat foods are a valuable part of our daily diets

Wheat provides a source of dietary fiber and much needed carbohydrates. The next time you are in the bread isle or the bakery think of the 1000’s of wheat producers in Oregon and throughout the US who have worked hard to bring us our daily grains.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Service’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans stress the need for 6 to 11 servings of grain products (breads, cereals, rice and pasta) each day.

Consume 3 or more ounce equivalents of whole grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half of your daily grains should come from whole grains. Enriched and/or fortified grains help alleviate shortfalls including B-vitamins, folic acid, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and the mineral iron.

Gluten & You

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, & their grain relatives.Gluten gives elasticity to dough helping it to rise, and is what makes bread chewy.

93% of the population can include gluten-containing foods such as wheat in their diet!

Healthy people on gluten-free diets often lose weight on a gluten-free diet not because they exclude gluten, but because they make healthier food choices, such as:

» Reducing high-calorie, high-fat foods.

» Eating more fruits and vegetables.

» Reading food labels more carefully and becoming more aware of what they are eating and drinking!

Quick Facts

Wheat foods are a valuable part of our daily diets

Gluten & You

Grains of Truth