Who put the wheat in buckwheat?
Because it doesn’t belong there…they’ve gone and misled us! Buckwheat is not a wheat!
It’s not even a cereal grain like spelt or kamute. Buckwheat is completely gluten free.
This highly nutritious seed, related to rhubarb, makes a better wholefood alternative to cereal grains. Rich in magnesium as well as flavonoids (these enhance Vit C and act as antioxidents) buckwheat is higher in fibre than oats, brown rice and bananas.
You can bake with the flour or go French and make gallettes - a healthier and heartier version of the crepe. Cook the flakes for porridge. The Russians use the groats (or the hulled seeds) to make Kasha - a main or side dish similar to the way other cultures use rice. Toast it first to get a nutty aroma. The Japanese use it to make soba noodles - but like all these things don’t just buy your soba noodles without checking the ingredients on the back. Make sure it says 100% buckwheat as more often than not the manufacturer would have snuck in some wheat because, well… it’s much much cheaper and with a name like that you’d expect it anyway……
