Know2eat

Wheat germ oil

Triticum aestivum

What wheat germ oil has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
4 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About wheat germ oil

Oil pressed from the embryo of the wheat kernel, and by some margin the richest natural source of vitamin E among edible oils. It is highly polyunsaturated, very unstable, and sold in small dark bottles as a supplement rather than as a cooking oil.

Also known as Germ oil, Wheatgerm oil

Antioxidant & Oxidative StressMuscle & Physical Performance

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Limited evidence

Contains compounds associated with antioxidant status, principally alpha-tocopherol. Trials raising vitamin E intake do reliably raise blood tocopherol concentrations, but translating that into consistent improvements in human oxidative damage markers has largely failed, and wheat germ oil itself has been tested only in small studies.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Exercise performance

Muscle & Physical Performance
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited. Wheat germ oil was promoted for endurance from the 1950s on the strength of its octacosanol content, and the trials that followed were small, poorly controlled and largely negative. Modern research has not revisited the question at any useful scale.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Wheat germ oil

Ask about Wheat germ oil

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories884 kcal44%
Protein0 g0%
Total fat100 g128%
Carbohydrate0 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0 g—
Water0 g—
Fats
Saturated fat18.8 g94%
Monounsaturated fat15.1 g—
Polyunsaturated fat61.7 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)54.8 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E149 mg996%
Vitamin K24.7 µg21%
Thiamin (B1)0 mg0%
Riboflavin (B2)0 mg0%
Niacin (B3)0 mg0%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0 mg0%
Vitamin B60 mg0%
Folate0 µg0%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline20 mg4%
Minerals
Calcium0 mg0%
Iron0 mg0%
Magnesium0 mg0%
Phosphorus0 mg0%
Potassium0 mg0%
Sodium0 mg0%
Zinc0 mg0%
Copper0 mg0%
Selenium0 µg0%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Oil, wheat germ (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171014).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • rawPreserves tocopherols

    Unheated use, cold storage and dark glass are the three things that keep the vitamin E fraction intact. Heat destroys it and light accelerates the oxidation of the oil around it.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Not a cooking oil

    A high polyunsaturated content and a very low smoke point make this among the worst oils to heat. Frying with it destroys the vitamin E it is bought for and generates oxidation products in the process.

  • Worth knowing

    Spoils quickly

    Wheat germ oil oxidises faster than almost any other oil on a shelf. Refrigerate it, keep it in dark glass, buy the smallest bottle available and discard it once it smells sharp or fishy.

  • Allergy

    Wheat allergen, and coeliac uncertainty

    Wheat is a major regulated allergen and wheat germ oil is labelled accordingly. Refined oil contains negligible protein, but cold-pressed oil is not reliably gluten-free and is not tested as such, so it is not appropriate in coeliac disease without a specific gluten-free certification.

  • Too much

    Energy density at supplement doses

    Even taken by the teaspoon this is pure fat. The vitamin E it supplies comes packaged with the calories.