Farina (food)

Farina (food)

Farina is a cereal food, frequently described as mild-tasting, usually served warm, made from cereal grains. In contemporary American English use, the word usually refers to Cream of Wheat brand cereal made from soft wheat. Wheat farina is a carbohydrate-rich food, often cooked in boiling water and served warm for breakfast, or cooked with milk and made into semolina pudding. It is used as an ingredient in many dishes and in processed foods such as breakfast cereals and pasta.

The word farina comes from the Latin farina, meaning meal or flour.

Farina is made from the germ and endosperm of the grain, which is milled to a fine granular consistency and then sifted. Because the bran and most of the germ are removed, this cereal is sometimes enriched with Vitamin B and iron. Farina, by itself, is most often served as a breakfast cereal, but can also be cooked like polenta. Farina can also be used to make farofa. Cream of Wheat, Malt-O-Meal, and Farina are brand names of a type of wheat farina used for breakfast cereal. Farina brand is a trademark of the Malt-O-Meal Company.

Farina can also be found on the bottom of some English muffins as it is used to prevent them from sticking to the baking surfaces during the baking process.

When enriched, it is one of the single best sources of dietary iron available, especially for vegetarian diets, with most brands offering as much as 50% of the recommended daily value in a single 120-calorie serving.

Common additives to it for cereal are cinnamon, butter, sugar, honey, jelly/jam or salt. These can help add to an otherwise bland taste.