If you follow any sort of health conscious blogs, you might have noticed the word ‘buckwheat’ appearing more and more all over the internet.
This highly nourishing, energizing tasty fruit seed is not in any way related to wheat. In fact, this is a gluten free power food, packed full of essential nutrients, including protein, fats and minerals to support a healthy diet.
Buckwheat was first cultivated in the high plains of South-Eastern China and the Himalayas centuries ago, and has been a staple food of the inhabitants much before rice and other cereal grains gradually replaced its cultivation.
Some of its benefits include:
High Quality Protein
Buckwheat’s easily digestible proteins include all the essential amino acids for the human body at excellent proportions, especially lysine.
Mineral-Rich
Buckwheat has a high concentration of some important minerals such as copper and magnesium. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells, and magnesium relaxes blood vessels, especially those leading to the brain, so it has been found to have beneficial effects for people who suffer from depression and headaches.
Digestive Magic
Because the seeds are a rich source of soluble and insoluble fiber, Buckwheat works wonders on your digestive system. Fiber increases the bulkiness of food and helps prevent constipation by speeding up bowel movements. Fiber also binds to toxins and aids in their elimination from the digestive system, as well as helping to protect the mucus membrane in the colon from cancers.
Buckwheat has also been shown to have high levels of rutin, B2, and B3, and it helps to draw retained water out of the body.
If you’re curious about the health benefits of buckwheat, but have yet to learn how enjoyable it can be, here are three delicious breakfast hot cereal recipes using this fantastic superfood.
Hot Buckwheat Cereal: Apple Pie Flavor
(serves two)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole buckwheat groats, soaked overnight
3 1/2 cups boiling water
2 apples, diced (either red or green, but green tends to cook better)
2 pears, diced
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
a handful chopped pecans and walnuts (optional)
After soaking the buckwheat overnight, drain and rinse well.
Place buckwheat in a medium to large saucepan and add your pre-boiled water. Add apples and pears, and sliced bananas, as well as the raisins, cinnamon and vanilla.
Bring to boil on high, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring often. Roughly 15 minutes or until the buckwheat is soft and the fruit is stewed.
Note: You may need to add water as you go, as the apples and pears tend to absorb a lot of water.
Add the coconut flakes, chopped pecans and walnuts a few minutes before turning heat off.
Serve with your favorite non-dairy milk. Almond, soy and rice milk are all delicious.
Hot Buckwheat Cereal: Carrot Cake Flavor
(serves two)
Ingredients
1 1/2 buckwheat, soaked overnight
3 cups boiling water
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts and pecans
1/3 cup coconut flakes
a few drops of vanilla extract
After soaking the buckwheat overnight, drain and rinse well.
Place buckwheat in a medium to large saucepan along with the pre-boiled water. Add sliced bananas, grated carrot, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Bring to boil on high, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring often.
Simmer for about 15 minutes. A few minutes before turning the heat off, add your coconut flakes, pecans and walnuts.
Serve with your favorite non-dairy milk. Almond, soy and rice milk are all delicious.
Hot Buckwheat Cereal: Blueberry Bliss
(serves two)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of buckwheat, soaked overnight
3 cups boiling water
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup frozen blueberries (or fresh if available)
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup coconut flakes
After soaking the buckwheat overnight, drain and rinse well.
Place buckwheat in a medium to large saucepan along with the pre-boiled water. Add sliced bananas, frozen blueberries, raisins and cinnamon. Add frozen berries. (If you’re using fresh blueberries hold off on putting them in until you add the coconut and pecans.)
Bring to boil on high, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring often.
Simmer for about 15 minutes. A few minutes before turning the heat off, add your coconut, pecans and blueberries if fresh.
Serve with your favorite non-dairy milk. Almond, soy and rice milk are all delicious.
