What is Buckwheat?
grechka • гре́чка • gréčka •
Fagopyrum esculentum
Buckwheat is a pseudocereal. Pseudocereals are seeds that are consumed as cereal grains but don't grow on grasses. Other common pseudocereals include quinoa and amaranth.
Buckwheat has a wonderful flavor, it has a rich history in Asia, where it is used for traditional noodles such as soba, and in Eastern Europe, where it is used to make a porridge called kasha.
Why buckwheat is a functional and therapeutic superfood that you don't know about yet?
Buckwheat is not related to wheat and is thus gluten-free, it's not a grain and thus grain-free. It's a great choice for people with celiac disease or grain sensitivities.
The protein in buckwheat is very high quality and easily digestible. it has a higher protein level than in rice, wheat, and corn.
Buckwheat protein is particularly rich in the amino acids lysine and arginine and has proven effective at plasma cholesterol level reduction, suppressing gallstone formation, and reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Husk, which coats the groat contains resistant starch, a type of dietary fiber beneficial for digestive health.
Resistant starch is fermented by gut bacteria in your colon. These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids- nutrition for the cells lining your colon, improving gut health, and decreasing your risk of colon cancer.
Buckwheat stores carbs in the form o starch. Some of the soluble carbs in buckwheat, such as fagopyritol and D-chiro-inositol, have been shown to help moderate the rise in blood sugar after meals.
Buckwheat can exert a positive effect on the myofibroblasts, cells involved in the regulation inflammatory response in the intestine
Eating buckwheat reduces circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-gamma and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in humans with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. It has been found to reduce inflammation by downregulating tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-alpha) and interleukin IL-6.2
Buckwheat is great for the prevention and treatment of IBDs (inflammatory bowel diseases).
Buckwheat scores low to medium on the glycemic index (GI) — this means that the carbohydrate content is absorbed slowly into the bloodstream, providing your body with a steady flow of energy without spikes in the blood sugar.
Serotonin is a hormone that makes us feel happy and relaxed. Buckwheat is an excellent source of tryptophan which helps us to release serotonin.
Buckwheat is also an excellent source of calcium and magnesium which also helps relaxation, tired and achy muscles, and improvement of hypertension conditions.
