Foods

10 Surprising Buckwheat Health Benefits You Didn’t Know

Gluten-free eaters cheer up; buckwheat is here for your rescue. As the name suggests, you may think of buckwheat as a type of cereal with similar properties to wheat. If you guessed it so, you have got it all wrong. Buckwheat, friends, has no connection with wheat. While most people think of it is a whole grain, buckwheat is a seed highly rich in fiber and protein and makes to be an excellent substitute for regular wheat. Follow on to know more about the health benefits of buckwheat.

What is buckwheat?

The superfood buckwheat is a fruit seed that has a close relation to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb. These grains look alike, the seeds have an unusual triangular shape and are of the size of wheat kernels. To consume them, you have to remove their outer covering with the help of some equipment. Its color may vary from brown to tannish pink.

Similar to wheat, organic buckwheat can be converted to flour and is an excellent food due to the various health benefits of buckwheat. It is available in both roasted and unroasted form in the market.

The origin of wild buckwheat has its roots in the Yunan province of China whereas the domesticated Buckwheat seed was first grown in Southeast Asia in 6000 BCE. Buckwheat is a store of nutrition. Have a look at the nutritional scale of buckwheat nutrition.

Buckwheat Nutrition

One cup of cooked buckwheat has:

6 12% buckwheat protein
34 milligrams iron (7%)
1.5 grams sugar
33 grams carbohydrates
155 buckwheat calories
1 gram fat
5 grams fiber
86 milligrams manganese (34%)
0.13 milligrams vitamin B6 (6%)
6 milligrams niacin (8%)
0.6 milligrams pantothenic acid
34 milligrams iron (7%)
24 milligrams folate (6%)
86 milligrams magnesium (21%)
1 milligram zinc (7%)
118 milligrams phosphorus (12%)

There are many health benefits of buckwheat From lowering cholesterol to weight loss, buckwheat combats a lot of serious issues. Stay tuned for you are about to discover more.

Health Benefits of Buckwheat

1. Go guilt-free with buckwheat

For all those who wish to stay lean and in shape, buckwheat is an excellent substitute. Being gluten-free buckwheat has lower calories than other cereals like barley or wheat. Thus, it is a better option for consumption. The fiber and protein content in buckwheat helps in improving digestion, enhancing metabolism, and providing a healthy diet.

2. Treat your diabetes naturally

Are you tired of resisting your favorite food due to diabetes? Well, buckwheat will not disappoint you as well. Buckwheat is fat-free and is diabetic-friendly(1). You can have your favorite cupcakes and pancakes using buckwheat flour without having to worry about your blood sugar level.

3. Health benefits of buckwheat for rising blood pressure

High blood pressure is reduced to a great extent with buckwheat due to its high content of magnesium; buckwheat is instrumental in relaxing the blood vessels and curing high blood pressure without any synthetic medication.

[ Read : Home Remedies for Hypertension ]

4. Take care of your heart with buckwheat

Worried about your heart? You can let go of all the worries regarding your cardiovascular health with buckwheat. Rich in vitamin B6, folate, and niacin, buckwheat is a magic food for heart patients. It reduces the bad cholesterol from the body and enhances the good cholesterol. Buckwheat enhances the strength of blood vessels and improves the oxygenation of blood in the body.

5. Prevent breast cancer with the health benefits of buckwheat

Ladies hear close for buckwheat is an excellent remedy for prevention from breast cancer. With high dietary fibers, the health benefits of buckwheat reduce in women the risk of encountering breast cancer. It also benefits in the condition of pre-menopause in women which makes them prone to breast cancer; buckwheat acts as a great defending(2).

6. Treats Asthma

Studies prove that buckwheat reduces the risk of asthma in children. It happens due to its high content of vitamin E and magnesium. Include buckwheat in the diet plan of children in the prescribed amount to fight against asthma.

7. Helps to skip gallstones

Buckwheat helps in the prevention of gallstones due to its high fibrous content. The insoluble fiber in buckwheat speeds up the food movement in the intestines and reduces the secretion of bile acid.

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8. Strengthens bone structure

Manganese contained in buckwheat ensures a strong bone(3) structure by optimizing the formation of essential enzymes for assisting bone-building and metabolic progression. It actively participates in forming connective tissues, enhancing of metabolism of sugar and fat, and absorption of calcium which is amazingly beneficial for dental health and bones.

9. Improves brain function

Buckwheat has numerous benefits to the mental health of a person. Buckwheat compiles of tryptophan which works for enhancing the mood of a person and making them happy and free from depression.

 [ Read: Essential Oils for Depression ]

10. Say Hello to Beautiful Skin with Buckwheat

Regular consumption of buckwheat enhances the skin and hair health of a person. So, ladies what is with all the thinking? Substitute your regular wheat with buckwheat.

Putting nutrition and taste on one plate is hard. With buckwheat, you can do both. Here is an easy recipe to have a full of nutrition food along with lip-smacking flavor.

Buckwheat Pancake Recipe

Dress them with honey or drizzle on some cream; buckwheat pancakes are a treat in any form.

Ingredients:

  • Two eggs
  • Two tablespoons of yogurt
  • ½ cup of rice flour
  • ¾ cup of skimmed milk
  • ½ cup of buckwheat flour
  • Unsalted butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • Honey/ marmalade
  • Baking powder
  • Sugar
  • Cornmeal

How to make?

  • Beat egg yolks, yogurt, and milk in a bowl till smooth
  • In a different bowl, sift rice flour, buckwheat flour, and cornmeal, along with salt, sugar, and baking powder till the mix lightens up
  • Beat egg whites till they become stiff and continue to fold in the batter
  • Take a frying pan and melt butter on it. Pour a large ladle of batter and spread it evenly on the pan
  • Cook on low to medium flame until it is golden
  • Enjoy a healthy and delicious pancake made of buckwheat

[Read: Health Benefits of Honey ]

How to use buckwheat?

For acknowledging the health benefits of buckwheat, you can indulge in using it in your pancakes, regular bread, consume it in the form of powder along with honey or bake it in your favorite-flavored cakes. Cooking buckwheat for a roasted powder is another option along with making buckwheat tea.

However, since each body is different, people may react differently to buckwheat and people with buckwheat allergy must stay away from its usage.

The various health benefits of buckwheat are no less than a dream come true. From skin to heart, hair to health, buckwheat got it all covered. From the sound of it, buckwheat is a beneficial food item to be added to your diet and consumed on a regular basis. With the extensive, proper and accurate use of buckwheat, the journey to a healthy lifestyle is not so long.


FAQs

1. Is buckwheat gluten-free?

Yes, buckwheat is gluten-free.

2. Is buckwheat paleo food?

Buckwheat is a pseudo-grain. Hence it can be used as a paleo food.

3. Is buckwheat a low glycaemic food?

Buckwheat has a glycaemic index of low to medium.

4. Is buckwheat pasta healthy?

Buckwheat noodles are cholesterol-free and healthy. So yes, they are pasta healthy.

5. Is buckwheat good for weight loss?

Buckwheat is one of the best foods that aid in weight loss. The fact that it has no saturated fats in it can keep your hunger pangs at bay. Also, it contains much lesser calories in comparison to wheat or rice.

6. Is buckwheat a Superfood?

With high nutrient quotient and numerous like health benefits to offer, Buckwheat is considered a superfood. It is also a good source of protein and fiber.