Natural Buckwheat Remedies: Gluten-Free!
Modified on Jun 24, 2014
In this emerging Age of Whole Grains, poor buckwheat is coming late to the dance. What was once a major crop in the US has largely disappeared from our menus--it doesn't do well in industrially over-fertilized fields. Fortunately, buckwheat has long been a staple in parts of Asia and nutritionists are now recognizing that the antioxidants, B vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients in buckwheat make it a superfood.
Gluten-Free
Increasingly used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat, buckwheat is actually not a cereal like wheat but simply a seed that somewhat resembles wheat and which can be used in similar preparations. In fact, it is much more like a sunflower seed or sorrel. Its seed can be hulled and eaten much in the way oats are used or rice. It can also be ground into a flour for use in baking.
Natural Cures from Buckwheat
Buckwheat is indeed much like wheat flour, but because it is not a true cereal it is rather low on the glycemic index and has much more protein than cereals like wheat and rice. For that reason, buckwheat is finding favor as a flour-alternative for those with Celiac Disease, Diabetes, and Candida. Additionally, a component flavonoid called rutin shows particular promise as a natural remedy for radiation exposure.
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