Health Benefits of Buckwheat, Uses And Its Side Effects
Last Updated: Aug 28, 2020
Buckwheat is a highly nutritional substitute for wheat. As it is filled with fiber, protein, antioxidants, and aromatic compounds, it can help with a host of ailments. It is known for preventing certain types of cancer, aiding digestion and helping with constipation, preventing heart disease.
Buckwheat helps in managing diabetes and boosting the immune system, It reduces gallstones and improving bone health. Buckwheat helps in preventing asthma, and anemia. It is highly rich in protein and can even be used as a substitute for meat, making it a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans alike. Buckwheat is also known for improving cognitive function.
Buckwheat
Contrary to what it may seem like, buckwheat is not related to wheat. It is a type of grass that is closely related to rhubarb. The part of buckwheat that people consume is actually a fruit seed that comes from the buckwheat plant.
However, it is called buckwheat because it is pretty much used in the same manner that traditional wheat is used. One of the reasons why buckwheat is so popular nowadays is because it is gluten free and extremely healthy. It has a ton of different nutrients that can help you stay fit and healthy.
Nutritional Value of Buckwheat
Buckwheat brings a ton of proteins, aromatic compounds, antioxidants, and minerals to the table and is therefore a great food product to add to your daily diet. In 100 gms of buckwheat, there is a total fat of 3.4g, within which there is 0.7g of saturated fat, 1g of polyunsaturated fat, and 1g of monounsaturated fat.
Buckwheat has 0mg of cholesterol and 1mg of Sodium. It has 460 mg of potassium and a total carbohydrate of of 72g out of which there is 10g of dietary fiber. 100g of buckwheat provides you with 13g of protein. Moreover, it accounts for 57% of the daily intake needed of magnesium, 12% of iron, 10% of vitamin B6, and 1% of calcium. It has 0% of Vitamin A, B-12, C, and D.
Nutritional facts Per 100 Grams
Vitamins and Minerals
Health Benefits of Buckwheat
Mentioned below are the best health benefits of eating Buckwheat. Here we discuss medicinal uses of buckwheat and how you can use buckwheat flour in different food recipes. Also, readout side effects of buckwheat, if you consume in excess since it is availble in different forms such as powder, tea, and flour.
Buckwheat diet for cancer patients
A cup of buckwheat has more than 20% of the recommended daily fiber intake. Dietary fiber that is gained from fruit has powerful anticarcinogenic properties, which means that it prevents the development and increase of certain kinds of cancer. This is particularly true for preventing the metastasis of breast cancer in women, especially premenopausal women who are highly at risk for developing breast cancer due to their fluctuating estrogen levels./
A recent study showed that there was a staggering 50% reduction of breast cancer in patients who had buckwheat in their diet and consumed it on a regular basis. Buckwheat also contains plant lignans, which transforms into animal lignans in the intestines. These lignans settle in various hormone receptors and are therefore great when it comes to preventing hormone based cancers, such as breast cancer.
Another major benefit of buckwheat is that it also helps prevent colon cancer. Fiber helps with smoother digestion. This means that the body requires lesser acid bile secretion to break down the food and pass it along. As a result, there is lesser acid bile secretion and enzymes in the stool. This can prevent colon cancer from occurring as there are no free radicals present in your system.
Buckwheat flour good for your heart
One of the reasons why buckwheat plays such a prominent role in your daily diet and must be included in it is that it contains large levels of phytonutrients, especially flavonoids. These compounds optimize the way vitamin C functions in your body and acts as antioxidants.
These antioxidants present in buckwheat are vital for your health as they hunt down and destroy dangerous free radicals, which occur in the body as a byproduct of cell metabolism, and cause cancer and heart disease. One of the most important flavonoids that are present in buckwheat is called Rutin. This lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body and prevents platelets from clotting, thereby preventing stroke, heart attacks, and artherosclerosis.
Buckwheat also increases the good cholesterol (HDL) in your blood, which also prevents heart disease. Rutin is a flavonoid that is commonly added to blood pressure medication as it functions as a vasodilator that increases the blood flow and prevents heart problems, as well as strokes, as your blood is less likely to clot within the arteries and veins.
Buckwheat good for diabetes type 2 patients
Diabetes can often be quite dangerous and its management can be fairly complex at times. Buckwheat contains fibers that lower the blood sugar in the body, helping with diabetes management. It works quickly and can reduce the blood sugar within 1-2 hours as well. Buckwheat contains chiro-inositol, which essentially behaves like insulin, making its receptors more sensitive to its presence.
Buckwheat is especially beneficial for patients who have Type 1 diabetes. Buckwheat also has high quantities of magnesium in it, and it is a crucial part of almost all of the 300 enzymes that have a direct effect on the way the body uses and absorbs glucose and insulin. High levels of magnesium present in buckwheat also help patients prevent type 2 diabetes.
Buckwheat good for digestion issues
Fiber is one of the key ingredients for better digestion and buckwheat is filled with fiber. It essentially adds bulk to your bowel movements and also stimulates peristalsis (the contracting and releasing of the muscles in the digestive track that helps food move forward), which is why it is great for people who want to improve their digestion.
Buckwheat even helps regulate the bowel movements and thus prevents gastrointestinal issues such as colon cancer. It also treats diarrhea in some patients.
Buckwheat Boosts the Immune System
The body’s immune system is what guards it against infections and diseases. The more the immune system is compromised, the sicker the person gets. Buckwheat contains flavonoids, tocopherols, selenium, and phelonic acid, all of which find and eradicate free radical agents from the system, preventing diseases and infections from occurring.
Buckwheat also binds with appropriate neutral receptors so that the free radicals in the system cannot do so. When compared to other grains and seeds, these nutrients are most highly found in buckwheat.
Buckwheat Great source of Protein
A huge advantage of consuming buckwheat is that it has a lot of high quality protein in it. As a result, it is a great source for all eight essential amino acids, including lysine.
Consuming buckwheat is a great option for vegetarians and vegans as it replaces the need to eat meat and lets the body absorb the same benefits at a much faster pace. This leads to a host of benefits such as enhancing cognitive ability, boosting overall energy and losing weight.
Buckwheat also reduce the pace of the natural decrease in the body’s muscle strength and mass. It also dramatically decreases the natural bone mass loss your body goes through as you age.
Buckwheat reduces the risk of gallstones
Gallstones are caused by the excess in acid bile secretion in the body, and this often happens when your body does not digest the food at an optimal pace. These bile is needed to further break down the food so that it can move along the digestive track.
As buckwheat has fiber, it helps with smoother digestion. This means that the body requires lesser acid bile secretion to break down the food and pass it along, preventing gallstones.
Buckwheat prevents asthma
Having a healthy dose of Vitamin E and Magnesium in the diet can help prevent asthma as they are both anti-inflammatory agents. Including buckwheat in the diet can help prevent asthma in children as their bronchial passages are less likely to be inflamed.
Buckwheat Improves Bone Health
Bones tend to degrade a little naturally as the body ages. This can be slowed down and significantly prevented by including zinc and selenium in the diet. Selenium also affects the teeth and nails as well. Buckwheat is rich in these nutrients.
Uses of Buckwheat
Buckwheat is fairly versatile and can be used to bake gluten free breads and biscuits. Buckwheat easily used in various food recepies and medicinal purposes also.The unground form of this seed, known as groats, is a great substitute for rice and can be used to create a wholesome breakfast porridge. Buckwheat is also used to create a type of Japanese noodles known as Soba noodles.
Side-Effects & Allergies of Buckwheat
As buckwheat is not that commonly heard of or used, it is advisable to eat a little bit of it first to ascertain whether you have an unknown allergy to it. It is a known allergen and it’s always a good bet to consult with your doctor before including it in your daily diet.
Cultivation of Buckwheat
A member of the Polygonacaece family of flora, buckwheat was first used as food in South East Asia. It spread all over Asia only over the last 8,000 years, which is why it is still considered slightly uncommon. Buckwheat is largely cultivated in China, Russia, and Ukraine.
References
- Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)- Feedipedia [Internet]. feedipedia.org. 2015 [Cited 19 June 2019]. Available from:
- Ahmed A, Khalid N, Ahmad A, Abbasi NA, Latif MS, Randhawa MA. Phytochemicals and biofunctional properties of buckwheat: a review. The Journal of Agricultural Science. 2014 Jun;152(3):349-69. [Cited 24 June 2019]. Available from:
- Wieslander G, Norback D. Buckwheat consumption and its medical and pharmacological effects–a review of the literature. InProceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Buckwheat–ISB 2001 Sep 2 (pp. 608-612). [Cited 24 June 2019]. Available from:
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