Whole grain are just that, the entire grain including the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. Lots of refined carbohydrates are fortified to add back some of the nutrients, but you can’t add back all the fiber.
Another recipe for a gluten-free, nutritious and tasty breakfast. Millet (see recipe here ) and buckwheat, along with amaranth , quinoa, sorghum, corn and brown rice, are gluten-free cereals, perfect for people with celiac disease, but also for a healthy and nutritious diet for those without digestive disorders of this kind.
Why include buckwheat in your diet?
Like quinoa and amaranth, buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal , meaning it is eaten as a cereal, but is actually a seed. It is cultivated mainly in the territories of the northern hemisphere, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Central and Eastern Europe.
The nutritional values of buckwheat are higher than those of other grains. For a simple comparison (see here more details), I used brown rice versus buckwheat, and in the graphs below you can clearly see who the winner was. But, don't get me wrong, both cereals (with buckwheat as pseudocereal) have benefits for the body and should be included in our daily diet. Diversification is key !
In addition to being an important source of vitamins and minerals, it has a medium glycemic index , so blood sugar rises slowly, not suddenly, being good for people with type 2 diabetes. Insoluble fiber (from the shell) and the resistant starch , are both food for the good bacteria in our colon. These beneficial bacteria, in turn, produce short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, which serve as food for the cells surrounding the colon, improving gut health and lowering the risk of colon cancer.
You can include buckwheat in various other dishes: salads, vegetable burgers, flat breads or simply as a garnish, instead of rice. I chose to include it in my breakfast today, but in the form of flakes.
Recipe
Buckwheat flakes breakfast
Ingredients
- 60 g buckwheat flakes
- 250 ml soy milk or other plant-based milk
- 1 banana
- 1 tbsp eritritol or any other sweetner
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp powdered cloves
- 1 tsp carob
- 1 tsp coconut butter optional
- 1 hand frozen raspberries or fresh, for decoration
- 1 tsp peanut butter for decoration
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds from Canah, for decoration
Instructions
- Add the buckwheat flakes, milk, sweetener, banana, cinnamon, cloves powder and carob in a saucepan and mix slowly until the consistency thickens and becomes like porridge (similar to oats).
- After you have turned off the heat, add the coconut butter and serve it on the plate along with other favorite fruits or ingredients. I chose to decorate mine with raspberries, peanut butter, dehydrated coconut flakes and hemp seeds.
Sources:
- Buckwheat 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/buckwheat#bottom-line
- Buckwheat vs Brown rice – In-Depth Nutrition Comparison: https://foodstruct.com/compare/buckwheat-vs-rice-brown-long-grain-cooked
Lavinia Dinca
Nutritionist
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