Buckwheat – A Very Nutritious Food

Aug 22, 2011 by Tatianna

 

Buckwheat is at the top of my ” The Most Nutritious Foods List “. In Russia we eat buckwheat the same way Americans drink Pepsi, it’s part of our traditional cuisine. I am not sure why they call it Buckwheat here in US, because it has nothing to do with wheat a all. It is a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb.

Buckwheat has many different health benefits, and it is great for people who are sensitive to gluten.
But what I am really impressed about it the nutritional profile of buckwheat. It is extremely high in protein about 22 g per serving, and it has an Amino Acid Score of 99 ( 100 is a complete protein, and doesn’t have to be combined with anything else ). It is a great souse of Riboflavin about 40 % of the daily intake. It is also a great souse of Niacin, about 60 % of the daily intake, and a good source of Vitamin B12 and Pantothenic Acid which is an essential B5 vitamin that metabolizes proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

The mineral content of Buckwheat is equally impressive, it has 100% of your daily intake of Manganese, 90% of copper, 20% of selenium, 20% Iron, about 98% of Magnesium – which relaxes the blood vessels and improves your circulation.  It has 50% of Phosphorus, 20% of Potassium – and all of this is for just one serving of one cup.

It comes in two different ways, roasted and raw. I tried both, the taste is very different. Roasted buckwheat has a much stronger taste, which I love, but it can be too overwhelming for someone who never tried it before. Raw buckwheat is much more mild to taste.

The price of buckwheat varies, depending on which brand you buy or where you buy it.  I paid 2.79 a pound, which I don’t think is very expensive because other nutritious grain will cost you at least 8 bucks.  I think it is definitely better than whole grain pasta or even brown rice.

Before cooking buckwheat, even if it comes packaged, always wash it very well.  It is suppose to be cooked for 30 minutes, but I think it becomes overcooked when it’s boiling for that long, so I just cook if for about 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat.  The traditional Russian way is to just add butter and salt, so I add organic unsalted butter and sea salt.

It is not sold in regular stores, but you can purchase it a health foods markets, or order it online, I do both.