If buckwheat porridge comes from Siberia and is known as a truly Russian dish, then flour from the cereal of the same name is loved all over the world. American housewives have been preparing buckwheat cakes based on it since the 19th century, and in Normandy, it is customary to treat guests to buckwheat biscuits with milk. In Ukraine, dumplings are made from the product, and in Japan – soba. Buckwheat products are useful for diabetes and dietary nutrition, do not contain gluten.

Distribution history

Buckwheat flour, like the groats itself, spread throughout the world from the slopes of the Himalayas from Nepal. Dishes based on it are found in national cuisines:

• Korea;
• Japan;
• Italy;
• France;

In Russia, buckwheat began to grow in the 7th century and very quickly it became a national cereal. Traditional pancakes, bread, pies and cereals were prepared from ground buckwheat.

How to cook at home

For the production of buckwheat flour, it is peeled from the shell, fried, and then crushed. But it’s easy to make at home:

• You need to take the kernel, sort it out and rinse.
• Wait until the cereal dries by itself or slightly warm it up in the oven.
• Grind in a blender, coffee grinder or food processor to a powdered sugar consistency.
• If necessary, sift and grind coarse particles again.

Home-milled buckwheat is more useful than store-bought buckwheat, because it is impossible to clean the grains from the husk at home, and it contains a lot of fiber and vitamins.

How to choose in the store

Buckwheat flour is finely ground or coarse – peeled. The choice depends on the dish:

• Fine grinding for making pancakes, pancakes, muffins.
• Peeled retains more useful properties. It is suitable for breads, cereals and pasta.

The flour should be light gray-brown in color. If it is darker, then the grains were overcooked, you should not cook from it. The consistency should be crumbly. Lumps indicate exposure to moisture and a violation of the packaging of the product.

When storing flour, there are two main rules:

1. The product must be free from moisture. Best stored in a container with a tightly closed lid in a cool dry place.
2. Shelf life from 3 to 7 months. It is not worth buying a lot at once, it is better to build on the amount required for cooking 1-2 dishes.
3. You can check the suitability of the product by smell. If there is a smell of dampness or mold, then you cannot use. Quality flour has the smell of roasted buckwheat and nuts.

How much is

It is easiest to find it on the shelves of health food stores, but it can also be found in supermarkets. The price depends on the manufacturer and the grinding method, the peeling cost will be the highest.

Beneficial features

Buckwheat flour has many indications for use, as it is rich in minerals:

• Iron relieves chronic fatigue, increases efficiency, and reduces the risk of anemia.
• Iodine stimulates the thyroid gland, thereby improving mood, prevents hair loss, dry skin, reduces headaches, and improves immunity.
• Potassium regulates water balance, reduces swelling, helps the heart, and supplies the brain with oxygen.
• Calcium strengthens bones and teeth.
• Magnesium is responsible for glucose metabolism, protein production, and nucleic acid synthesis. Strengthens blood vessels, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease.
• Copper improves skin condition by helping to synthesize collagen and elastin, and improves the functioning of the endocrine system.

Ground buckwheat contains vitamins:

• B1, B2, B9 (folic acid) regulate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
• PP or niacin helps regulate the nervous system and digestive processes.

Vitamin E has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the sex glands, it is recommended for pregnant women.

It is a mistake to attribute buckwheat to cereals. The closest relatives of this herb are sorrel and rhubarb.

The constant use of the product leads to the normalization of:

• the work of the nervous system;
• brain functioning;
• cholesterol levels;
• metabolism;
• immune processes;
• blood sugar levels;
• the process of assimilating food.

Buckwheat does not contain gluten, which means it is recommended for people with gluten allergies.

Contraindications

A few decades ago, buckwheat was considered hypoallergenic. But the high content of vegetable protein can provoke individual intolerance. There are a number of symptoms in which it is better to refuse the product in any form:

• itching in the eye area, redness;
• swelling of the face, lips, throat;
• redness in the mouth;
• nausea;
• dizziness;
• runny nose;

For people suffering from gluten intolerance, when buying semi-finished products from ground buckwheat, it is important to pay attention to the composition. Foods may also contain wheat or rye flour.

Chemical composition

Buckwheat flour is primarily a carbohydrate product. 100 g contains 50% of the daily intake of carbohydrates, calculated for an adult.

For people leading an active lifestyle and regularly involved in sports, the daily calorie intake will, on average, be 20% higher.

When dieting

The calorie content of buckwheat flour is 334 kcal per 100 grams. It is almost equal to that of wheat. But the glycemic index is a quarter lower, only 50.

The glycemic index is the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream. The lower it is, the longer it takes food to be converted into energy. With sharp surges of sugar, its excess is deposited in adipose tissue. Low GI foods are also called slow carbohydrates.

Eating foods with a low GI, such as buckwheat flour, a person gets several positive effects at once:

The feeling of satiety lasts for 3-4 hours.

The body receives an energy charge and a feeling of vigor for a long time.

Slow carbohydrates do not trigger the active production of insulin, which is important for people with diabetes.

Buckwheat should not be consumed in the afternoon. The production of glucose can interfere with sleep or disrupt the digestive process, and the unspent energy runs the risk of being converted into fat. In the evening, it is better to choose foods that are high in protein and fiber.

Medical use

Buckwheat flour is recommended for the prevention and treatment of many diseases:

In case of liver problems, it is recommended to mix a spoonful of flour with a glass of kefir, leave it overnight, and drink it on an empty stomach in the morning.

For pancreatitis and thyroid problems, buckwheat flour is mixed with walnuts and honey in equal proportions. The mixture needs to be kept in the refrigerator for several hours, and then eaten in a tablespoon before meals.

Eating buckwheat is also important for diabetes. It helps lower blood sugar. The recipe described above with kefir will greatly help with this disease.

With low hemoglobin, 2-3 tablespoons are mixed with walnuts and dried fruits, such as dried apricots or prunes, poured with honey and taken in a spoonful after meals.

Buckwheat flour serves as an excellent basis for the first feeding of children. Such porridge is easily absorbed by the child’s body, saturates with the necessary minerals, and improves digestion. It is recommended to give it from six months of a baby’s life.

Porridge for the first feeding

The porridge should be liquid while the baby gets used to the harder food. There is no need to add salt.

Ingredients:

• Buckwheat flour – 1 tsp
• Water – 100 ml

How to cook:

Put the buckwheat flour in a saucepan, add water. If the child does not have allergies, you can take baby milk.

Cook the porridge over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly.

Wait until the mixture has cooled.

You can add some baby puree to make the baby taste better.

If the baby refuses to eat porridge for the first time, it is better not to force him. After a couple of days, you can try to give another one. Up to a year, such complementary foods can be given no more than once a day.

Skin beauty product

Buckwheat flour is a frequent component in cosmetic masks, since it can have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin due to its vitamin and mineral complex. Such masks provide a number of positive effects:

• cleanse the skin;
• help relieve inflammation and acne;
• fight age-related changes;
• enrich with vitamins and minerals;
• relieve swelling, reduce bruises under the eyes;
• remove toxins.

Due to its soft structure, buckwheat flour has a positive effect on dry or sensitive skin, does not damage it.

Ground buckwheat can be used to make face and body masks, peels, eye compresses.

Mask for sensitive skin with aloe juice

The mask is useful for moisturizing and nourishing skin that is susceptible to rough influences.

For cooking you will need:

• Gelatin – 1 tbsp. l.
• Warm chamomile broth – 100 ml
• Buckwheat flour – 1 tbsp. l.
• Aloe juice – 1 tbsp. l.

How to cook:

• Mix gelatin with chamomile broth.
• Add flour.
• Wait until the product has cooled down.
• Add a spoonful of aloe juice.

The mask is applied with a thin film. It should be applied on well-cleansed skin. After the expiration of time, the pieces of the mask will easily “come off”. After removal, you need to wash yourself with warm water and apply a cream.

The combination of aloe, chamomile and buckwheat will give sensitive skin a healthy look, nourish it with vitamins.

What can you cook

The taste of dishes with the addition of buckwheat flour reveals gradually and light bitterness is replaced by pleasant nutty notes. Flour makes baked goods more fluffy. With its help, you can diversify many familiar recipes:

• bread:
• cookies;
• cupcakes;
• pancakes;
• pancakes;
• vareniki;

cheesecakes.

To knead the dough, you need to add wheat or any other “sticky” flour in a 1: 1 ratio, since buckwheat does not contain gluten.

French pancakes

In France, these crepes are called “Crepes”. This is a traditional breakfast, the filling for which you can choose as something sweet, such as chocolate paste, honey, fruit, and hearty sausages, cheese or ham.

Crepes are very nutritious, and it takes no more than half an hour to prepare a dish.

For crepes you will need:

• Buckwheat flour – 70 g
• Wheat flour – 100 g
• Eggs – 3 pcs.
• Milk – 500 ml
• Sugar – 1 tbsp. l.
• Salt – 1⁄4 tsp.
• Melted butter – 3 tbsp. l.

The ingredients are designed for 18-20 thin pancakes. It is important that they are not cold. It is better to remove all products from the refrigerator in 20-30 minutes.

How to make delicious pancakes:

• Combine all ingredients except oil with a whisk or blender. The dough should be the consistency of liquid sour cream.
• Add a little oil to a preheated pan and rub over the entire surface with a brush or napkin.
• Spread a small amount of dough in a thin layer over the pan.
• Fry the pancake on each side for 30 seconds.
• If the pan gets dry, add more oil.
• Stir the dough before pouring a new portion into the pan.
• The French say that a person cooks crepes well only if he knows how to turn them in the air.

If you replace milk with kefir in the recipe for French pancakes and add more buckwheat instead of wheat flour, you will get a wonderful dietary breakfast.

Buckwheat flour is an environmentally friendly product. It is one of the few plants that does not require the use of pesticides, nitrates or other chemicals to grow. Buckwheat grows well without them.