Are wheat germ and wheat bran the same? how do they differ nutritionally?

No. Wheat has three parts- the endosperm, the germ, and the bran. The bran has fiber, B vitamins, and trace minerals. The germ has antioxidants, vitamin E, and B vitamins. The endosperm pretty much has nothing except carbohydrates and a little protein, yet the endosperm is the part that they use in most of our foods, while they leave out the germ and the bran! Shame. Whole wheat has all 3 parts, and that's why it's so good for you.