From Heart Health to Stress-Relief: The Many Benefits of Eating Buckwheat

Just like quinoa and amaranth, buckwheat too is a pseudocereal. Which means while it has all the properties of a grain, it is a seed.

Despite its name, it is not related to wheat, and is therefore, gluten free. Besides that, it has high antioxidant and  mineral content, so whether you’re allergic to gluten, or want to introduce your taste buds to something new, buckwheat is a great place to start.

Still want to know what’s so great about buckwheat? Read on!

Buckwheat is an elixir for your heart

Buckwheat boasts of many heart-healthy compounds such as rutin, magnesium, copper, fibre, and certain proteins. These cut down the risk of heart disease by preventing the formation of blood clots, decreasing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and improving blood pressure.

Try substituting your regular wheat flour with this gluten-free buckwheat flour for making rotis, pasta, even pancakes.

Improves gut health

Every 100 grams of raw buckwheat has about 10 grams of fibre; that along with the resistant starch considerably improves colon health. Alongside relieving constipation, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help tone down intestinal inflammation.

It helps manage Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Buckwheat contains a soluble carbohydrate called D-chiro-inositol—an insulin mediator often found to be deficient in people with PCOS, This carb has positive effects on the condition—women experience an increase in insulin sensitivity, a reduction in testosterone, an increase in ovulation frequency, and normalized glucose levels.

Dear women, here’s a buckwheat groats and millets muesli that you can introduce to your diet. All you need to do is pour some milk over it and munch away.

Buckwheat lowers cancer risk

Buckwheat contains all the nine essential amino acids—that are our body’s building blocks of protein. Extracts of buckwheat hulls and seeds also contain antioxidants that support cellular function by protecting DNA from damage and preventing inflammation or cancerous cell formation.

Your antidote to depression

Choc-a-bloc with energy-boosting Vitamin B, as well as minerals such as manganese, magnesium, zinc, iron and folate—buckwheat is known to aid muscle growth and recovery and defend the brain against depression, anxiety, headaches and stress’s negative impacts on the body.

We highly recommend you keep a pack of this buckwheat kuttu pilaf ready meal, for when hunger unexpectedly creeps up. This mix is an excellent alternative to rice or wheat and can be a quick option for a meal.

Buckwheat is incredibly versatile, and you can use it to make bread, pancakes, Japanese soba noodles, lip-smacking pakoras, paranthas and even substitute it with the refined flour in your brownies. Go ahead, harness the power of this pseudocereal for yourself!

You may also like: Bring Back the Beet (Root): Here’s Why & How You Add It to Your Diet

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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