What is buckwheat: features, properties and much more
Buckwheat is a pseudocereal, which means it does not belong to the grass family (unlike wheat, rye, barley or oats). Many people don’t know what is buckwheat. It is a polygonal plant and in fact, if you look at a buckwheat seed, you will see that it has the shape of a miniature pyramid. It is a pseudoseed with a low life cycle, sown in early summer and harvested in autumn. It has a low yield compared to the above-mentioned grains, which is why it is more pricey in stores.
For this reason, we will devote this article to telling what buckwheat is, what properties and health benefits it has.
What is buckwheat
Buckwheat (Buckwheat is edible) it’s a pseudo-seed. Its origin is in Central Asia. Like other artificial grains such as quinoa or amaranth, buckwheat contains high-quality protein because it contains all the crucial amino acids and does not lack lysine or methionine. Buckwheat groats do not contain gluten. The share of carbohydrates is quite huge, mainly slowly absorbing sophisticated carbohydrates, which means that buckwheat has a lower glycemic index. Buckwheat provides more fiber than quinoa or amaranth.
It contains more fat than cereals and less than quinoa and amaranth, and contains mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the main share of which are omega-6 crucial fatty acids. The contribution of B vitamins is crucial, especially niacin and vitamin B3. It also contains some vitamin E. Its mineral content is broad, highlighting zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. It also provides some calcium and iron with very low sodium. It is crucial to eat organically grown buckwheat to avoid consuming contaminants or genetically modified organisms.
Real estate
In general, the nutritional value of buckwheat is much higher than that of cereals. Its main ingredient is carbohydrates, but it also contains proteins, various minerals and antioxidants. data were downloaded from the USDA database).
The nutritional value of buckwheat after cooking is as follows:
- 20% are carbohydrates in the form of starch, which provide a low or moderate glycemic index. This means that it does not cause an enhance in blood sugar levels. In fact, some of the soluble carbohydrates in buckwheat (buckwheat alcohol and D-chiro-inositol) have a modulating effect on blood sugar levels after eating.
- 3.4% is a protein with a fairly good amino acid profile, especially prosperous in lysine and arginine. However, the digestibility of this protein is relatively low because buckwheat also contains anti-nutritional substances (protease inhibitors and tannins) that interfere with its absorption.
When we compare buckwheat to rice, wheat or corn, it is prosperous in minerals. A plate of about 170 grams of cooked buckwheat can cover our daily requirement in the following proportions:
- 34% manganese: A mineral necessary for the proper functioning of our metabolism, the development and growth of the body and an antioxidant for our defense mechanisms.
- 28% copper: Often missing from the Western diet, it is a trace mineral that has a positive impact on heart health.
- 21% magnesium: it is an crucial mineral that reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
- 17% phosphorus: This mineral plays a key role in the growth and maintenance of body tissues.
- 18% fiber: Buckwheat has an fascinating content (2.7% of cooked buckwheat is fiber), mainly in the form of cellulose and lignin. The outermost layer of the grain contains resistant starch, which acts as prebiotic fiber (fit gut flora that nourishes our colon).
The mineral absorption of cooked buckwheat is particularly good compared to other grains due to its relatively low content of phytic acid, a mineral absorption inhibitor found in most grains.
Other crucial compounds
Buckwheat contains more antioxidants than other grains such as oats, wheat, rye or barley. Here are other compounds:
- The main polyphenol antioxidant found in buckwheat. Studies with it seem to show that it reduces inflammation, lowers blood pressure, and improves the fat composition of the blood.
- Antioxidants found in many vegetables, appear to have a number of beneficial effects on our health, including reducing the risk of some types of cancer and heart disease.
The effect of buckwheat on the body
Buckwheat has many health benefits; improves sugar level control, improves blood circulation, prevents cardiovascular diseases, reduces the risk of cancer, etc.
Improve blood sugar control
Long-term high blood sugar levels it can cause various chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is recommended to mitigate the enhance in blood sugar levels caused by food.
Buckwheat contains a lot of fiber, which causes a sluggish and gradual enhance in blood sugar levels. In fact, there have been observational studies in humans that found that buckwheat consumption was associated with less increases in blood sugar levels and better blood pressure and cholesterol values compared to people who did not eat buckwheat.
There are also animal studies (diabetic rats) in which buckwheat concentrate was administered helped reduce blood sugar levels by 12-19%.
This effect is believed to be caused a unique ingredient of buckwheat in the form of hydrate (D-chiro-inositol), which appears to enhance the sensitivity of cells to insulin (the hormone responsible for transporting sugar from the blood into the cells). Buckwheat is one of the richest natural sources of this compound (research).
For all these reasons, a moderate amount of buckwheat seems to be a fit option for people who have diabetes or have difficulty regulating their blood sugar levels.
Good for the heart and circulation
Buckwheat contains substances that improve heart health, such as rutin, magnesium, copper, fiber and some proteins.
Buckwheat is the most ample pseudocereal in the diet, an antioxidant that has many beneficial health effects. Routine appears to reduce the risk of heart attack by preventing blood clots, reducing inflammation and lowering blood pressure.
An observational study of ethnic Chinese who ate huge amounts of buckwheat found an association between buckwheat consumption and lower blood pressure and better lipid profiles, including lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol. .
This effect appears to be related to a protein in the digestive system that binds to cholesterol and prevents it from entering the bloodstream. Of all these signs, Eating buckwheat regularly as part of a fit diet appears to improve heart health.
Lowers the risk of colon cancer
Buckwheat contains fiber (resistant starch) which we cannot digest, so it reaches the colon where it is fermented by our microflora (intestinal flora) and produces a substance (short-chain fatty acids such as butyric acid) that nourishes the intestinal mucosa. intestines, reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Special considerations for allergies and celiac disease
Buckwheat allergy is more common in people who are already allergic to latex and rice due to cross-reaction.
Although buckwheat is a gluten-free product, you should be careful when purchasing it and make sure it is certified gluten-free. The reason is that the press common base for this type of cereals and those containing gluten. The same risk exists with bulk purchases: cross-contamination may occur. So if you suffer from celiac disease, it is recommended that you only get products that are certified gluten-free.
Buckwheat as an organic crop and in the diet
One of the strangest things about buckwheat is that it has a very impoverished tolerance to pesticides and other toxins commonly used in intensive agriculture. More often than not, if it has been treated with chemicals, it will die.
In Spain, this plant is traditionally used as animal feed, and in times of famine, people bake bread. However, from the 1980s it began to gain in reputation, especially for the quality of its flour.
Regularly eating buckwheat as part of a fit diet can improve our health, including: through proper blood sugar levels and protection against heart disease and some types of cancer.
A fit gluten-free diet should follow the same guidelines as a fit diet, except that cereals containing gluten should be replaced with gluten-free cereals in its natural state and processed and refined foods should be avoided.
As we have seen, buckwheat is a gluten-free grain that can be added to meals, but that’s not all. In addition to grains, there are many other foods. Regardless, it has nothing to do with eating processed foods labeled “gluten-free.”
I hope that thanks to this information you will learn more about buckwheat and its properties.