Buckwheat is one of the pseudo-cereals, because although it builds grains, it belongs to the knotweed family. It tastes nutty and fits great for savory dishes (galettes, the hearty crepes variant for example are made from buckwheat flour).
Buckwheat is other than indicated by its name, gluten-free and therefore perfect for allergic persons and celiac disease sufferers.
But that’s not all, it also contains a lot of important ingredients:
- rich in high quality protein
- contains all eight essential amino acids
- contains many minerals and trace elements such as iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, fluorine and cobalt
- is full of vitamins (vitamin B1, B2, B3, B4 and E)
- contains, in contrast to wheat, no lectins that thicken the blood
- regulates blood sugar levels (e.g. through chiro-inositol) and is therefore ideally suited for diabetics
- contains rutin, which reduces damage to the blood vessels and strengthens the blood vessel walls and thus lower blood pressure and prevent from varicose veins and hemorrhoids
- contains lecithin, which lowers cholesterol levels and supports the liver in detoxification of the body
Buckwheat is used for baking (as flour) or for cooking (for example in patties or soups) but it can also germinate and thereby increase their vital substances even further.