Buckwheat porridge: health benefits and harms

At all times, buckwheat porridge was a favorite food product for many peoples. Buckwheat was first cultivated in North India more than 5 thousand years ago. Due to the amazing nutritional properties, buckwheat has conquered almost all continents. Buckwheat porridge has become traditional in various national cuisines.

Composition and calorie content

According to the chemical composition, buckwheat can be called the natural periodic table. Moreover, the combination of some minerals and vitamins is so unique that it is not found in any other cereal.

Buckwheat groats are famous for their high content of elements:

• gland;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• zinc;
• iodine;
• magnesium
• sodium.

Such rare elements as molybdenum, cobalt, selenium are also contained. Vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B9), vitamins E, A, PP are present in large quantities. According to the protein-fat balance, buckwheat outperforms other cereals. The presence of essential amino acids: arginine, methionine and lysine - allows proteins to be absorbed up to 80%. The fiber content is very high, and carbohydrates do not exceed 60%.

Carbohydrates determine the calorie content of cereals: in 100 grams of dry product - 312 calories, in boiled form - only 110 kilocalories per 100 grams. Although this indicator is significant, starchy carbohydrates are absorbed for a long time and do not participate in the formation of body fat.

Taking into account that one serving of buckwheat is prepared from 50 grams of dry cereal, calorie content is halved. Moreover, the energy value of the product allows you to get enough of this amount.

What is useful buckwheat porridge

The correct ratio of nutrients makes buckwheat a useful product for adults and children.

For men

If a man wants to stay in good shape for many years, in his daily menu you need to enter buckwheat dishes in the form of cereals, soups, side dishes. The polyunsaturated acids and rutin contained in it protect the walls of blood vessels. Flavonoids, such as quercetin, vetexin, cleanse the body of toxins and bad cholesterol. A clean blood vessels of a man means good blood circulation, which ensures stable potency, the production of the male hormone testosterone, which means that health and longevity are guaranteed.

Athletes often use buckwheat in their diets. Eaten for breakfast, they provide energy, help develop endurance, strength, and thanks to amino acids enhance metabolism. This has a beneficial effect on the formation of protein compounds, which increases muscle mass.

For women

1. Women also need to eat buckwheat. In addition to cleaning vessels, it helps to improve digestion, removes toxins. As a result of this cleaning, the hair becomes better, the skin is cleaner, excess weight is actively leaving.
2. Those ladies who have a pronounced PMS, with the help of buckwheat porridge, can alleviate their condition thanks to the potassium, calcium and magnesium contained in it.
3. During menopause, when a woman suffers from hot flashes, buckwheat dishes will reduce discomfort and help cope with depression.

With breastfeeding and pregnancy

Buckwheat is very popular among nursing mothers. It has a scientific basis. Buckwheat does not contain gluten, which means it is hypoallergenic and is considered safe for both the nursing mother and the baby. The digested core is perfectly absorbed, which helps all beneficial substances to enter the body without loss. Calcium, magnesium and B vitamins increase lactation and increase the quality of breast milk.The baby, if his mother regularly eats buckwheat dishes, receives all the necessary micro and macro elements during breastfeeding. A large amount of iron in buckwheat prevents anemia, which when breastfeeding is especially dangerous for both the mother and the baby.

During pregnancy and preparing for it, doctors recommend eating buckwheat as often as possible. The presence of a considerable amount of folic acid (vitamin B9) makes cereals indispensable for pregnant women. It is the pharmacy drugs of folic acid that are prescribed to pregnant women to strengthen the walls of the uterus with the threat of abortion.

Natural vitamin B9 from the kernel is absorbed better and prevents the risks of miscarriage, especially in the first trimester. A balanced chemical composition helps the expectant mother to receive vital micro and macro elements, which in turn has a beneficial effect on the formation and development of the baby.

For kids

Buckwheat is also useful for children. Due to the lack of gluten porridge on the water, pediatricians recommend starting feeding babies up to a year. Fiber helps the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes peristalsis. Beneficial substances help prevent anemia. The main rule for mothers is not to feed the baby with buckwheat porridge in milk for a year. This affects the absorption of nutrients, can develop flatulence, diarrhea.

Older children require a lot of energy, because they know the world, grow, develop. And for this, the child’s diet should be enriched with vitamins and minerals in sufficient quantities and at the same time cover all energy costs. And here buckwheat comes to the aid of mothers. Calorie content of the product allows you to replenish the energy spent, and the vitamin-mineral complex supports the body of a growing child in a balanced state.

Useful properties of buckwheat porridge for weight loss

Nutritionists clearly among all existing cereals prefer buckwheat. With its useful properties, it not only qualitatively cleanses the body, but also helps to reduce excess weight. Although it contains a small amount of fat, they are all vegetable polyunsaturated. Such fats accelerate metabolic processes.

Buckwheat diets are very popular. On such a diet, it is possible to reduce weight by 8-10 kilograms in a short time. The diet can be mono when buckwheat is the only product consumed throughout the day. And it can combine the use of buckwheat with kefir or vegetables.

1. Monodiet is very effective. But she has her own rules. You can adhere to such a diet no more than one or two days a week, while you need to increase the amount of fluid consumed. Buckwheat with this diet can be boiled or poured with boiling water and let it brew for at least 8-10 hours. Cereals are usually steamed overnight before the fasting day. The amount of buckwheat eaten per day is a glass of dry product. This is quite enough, because in the swollen form the cereal increases in volume by 3-4 times.
2. The second version of the diet is buckwheat porridge with kefir. The principle of preparing cereals is the same as in the first case. Only instead of hot water in buckwheat for the night you need to pour kefir and let it brew. It should be noted that in this case, the time of swelling of cereals increases to 12-14 hours. If for some reason there is no time to wait, you should boil the porridge in water, without salt and oil. And already in a bowl pour kefir at room temperature. Buckwheat volume per day remains the same. Kefir promotes digestion, and its use together with buckwheat leads to positive results much faster.
3. Cooked buckwheat, prepared for boiled or raw vegetables, is another type of diet with which you can easily get rid of extra pounds.
4. When cereals and soups get bored, it is possible to diversify the diet with buckwheat jelly. For this, the kernel must be crushed in a coffee grinder and pour the resulting flour with boiling water. Insist 2 hours. Proportions should be observed such: 1 part of home-made buckwheat flour and 3 parts of water.All properties and nutrients in this jelly are 100% preserved.

Buckwheat porridge in medicine

All the benefits of buckwheat porridge have long been recognized by official medicine. Buckwheat dishes are a must in all health-care diets. As a means of increasing immunity, buckwheat is used during the rehabilitation period after surgery, in case of anemia, after transferred viral and infectious diseases. The use of buckwheat in the presence of diseases such as high blood pressure, arthritis, varicose veins, obesity is recommended. There is evidence-based medical evidence based on research for the fact that antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats found in buckwheat prevent malignant tumors.

In medicine, there are a number of diseases for which the use of buckwheat porridge is included in mandatory treatment measures.

With diabetes

With diabetes, the level of glucose in a person’s blood rises. The production of a hormone such as insulin is impaired or absent altogether. Insulin is responsible for the absorption of glucose into the cells of the body. Typically, the doctor prescribes the patient treatment with strict adherence to a diet that excludes the use of simple carbohydrates: white bread, sweets, sugar, cooking products. Since carbohydrates are necessary for the normal functioning of all vital systems, buckwheat is salvation. It contains complex starchy carbohydrates, which are slowly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood with the help of fiber, without causing a sharp jump in glucose. For patients with an insulin-dependent type of diabetes, this reduces the dose of injected insulin.

Important: buckwheat glycemic index - 40 units.

With pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory process in the pancreas when the enzymes it produces are not released into the duodenum, but remain in the gland itself. In fact, the pancreas begins to destroy itself. In the early stages of the disease, the first thing that the attending physician recommends is a strict diet. With an exacerbation of the disease - complete starvation. But it is necessary to get out of a hunger strike with the help of buckwheat porridge of a viscous consistency.

It’s easy to cook. You need to boil the kernel well in a large amount of water without salt and oil. Then you should grind the finished porridge through a sieve or grind in a blender. This puree feeds the patient for about a week. After that, the use of lean buckwheat soups and uncooked porridge is allowed. Buckwheat is able to improve the functioning of the pancreas with its beneficial properties, relieve inflammation, and restore digestion.

With gastritis

With gastritis, the function of the secretion of gastric juice is disturbed. It can be increased or decreased. The main task of dietary nutrition is to provide the body with all the necessary useful elements and at the same time not to overload an oppressed stomach. In the case of both increased and low acidity, the dietary table includes buckwheat dishes in the patient's diet. But their preparation depends on the type of gastritis. With increased secretion of acid by the stomach, buckwheat is prepared viscous, strictly on water, without the addition of spices, salt and any kind of oil. Buckwheat soups with a small amount of neutral vegetables are allowed. With its unique composition, buckwheat can calm an irritated stomach, establish digestion and provide a weakened body with vitamins and minerals.

With low acidity, you need to stimulate the stomach to secrete a sufficient amount of gastric juice. Therefore, it is recommended to cook buckwheat soups and cereals in meat and mushroom broths. Add vegetable or butter in small quantities. Serve buckwheat porridge in the form of a side dish to lightly fried and then stewed lean meat.

Use it with vegetables. In this case, the fiber contained in buckwheat serves as a stimulant and simultaneously enveloping element.

With gout

In this disease, the joints suffer due to the excess uric acid in the blood. Metabolism is impaired, the kidneys can not cope with the withdrawal of waste products, in particular uric acid. To date, the most effective way to treat and maintain health with gout is to use a strict diet.

All kinds of meat, spices and vegetables with a pronounced spicy taste are completely excluded from the diet. At the same time, proper nutrition should be provided in full. A product that can completely replace animal proteins is buckwheat. It contains proteins that are absorbed by the body more easily than from meat. Therefore, in the patient’s menu, dishes such as soups, cereals and Greek cooked steamed are introduced. Fiber, which is present in buckwheat, helps to remove excess uric acid, acting like a sponge: it absorbs the accumulated urea from the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted along with it.

For constipation

Such a nuisance as constipation can turn off a person from normal life for several days. It occurs due to weak intestinal motility. The disturbed function leads to the fact that lumps of food accumulate and are not excreted by the body. It is necessary to boost the intestines and practically clean it. Fiber, the percentage of which in buckwheat can cope with this delicate problem, will help. It is important to know that buckwheat itself can hardly cause constipation.

For medicinal purposes, buckwheat is steamed with boiling water in a thermos, leaving it overnight. In the morning they eat it on an empty stomach, drinking plenty of water. In this case, the effect is "brush". Using this method, the function of evacuating content is restored.

Harm and contraindications

Buckwheat porridge cannot bring harm. The only caveat is not to overeat. Although this is a dietary product, you should not use it in unlimited quantities. There is a danger of flatulence and intestinal cramps.

Excessive consumption of buckwheat is contraindicated in people with increased blood coagulation. Vitamin PP in buckwheat increases blood viscosity. You should also refrain from eating buckwheat with individual intolerance to this product.

How to cook buckwheat porridge

There are many recipes and ways to cook delicious buckwheat porridge.

On the water

The main one is buckwheat porridge on the water. Such a dish can become an independent breakfast, or can be served as a side dish to the main menu for lunch or dinner.

To prepare 4 servings of buckwheat porridge, we need 200 grams of cereal, 600 ml of water, butter or vegetable oil - 50 g, salt and spices to taste.

To make the porridge aromatic, with a bright taste, it is better to fry the cereals in a dry pan before boiling. In this case, it is necessary to stir 3-4 minutes, until the croup acquires a characteristic red-brown color. After this, transfer the cereal to a pan with a thick bottom, pour water and let it boil. Salt at this point is not worth it. Salt water is heavier - it will not allow porridge to become friable. As soon as the water boils, it is necessary to reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. The water should boil almost completely. 5 minutes before cooking, add salt, spices and pieces of butter to the porridge.Cover, wait 5 minutes, turn off the heat under the pan.

Immediately serve porridge. It should come under the lid, the melted butter should fall - all this will take 10 minutes. Now you can mix the fluffy buckwheat porridge and serve.

In milk

As in the first recipe, it is better to take fried cereals. For 4 servings: 200 grams of cereal, 1 cup of water and 2 cups of milk. Butter - 50 g, salt and sugar - half a teaspoon each.

Pour the groats into the pan, pour a glass of water. Allow to boil, reduce heat and wait until all water boils. Then pour 2 cups of milk, add fire, wait for the milk to boil. Again, reduce the heat under the saucepan and cook to the degree of readiness that you like most.

Buckwheat porridge recipe with vegetables in a slow cooker

To save time for preparing a hot meal for lunch, you can use the slow cooker.

To prepare 4 servings, you will need the following ingredients: buckwheat - 200 g, onion - 1 pc., Carrots - 1 pc., Champignons - 3-4 pcs., Water - 400 ml, vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons, salt, spices to taste.

Cooking process. Pour oil at the bottom of the multicooker bowl, lay finely chopped mushrooms and vegetables, set the mode to "Frying" and pass the vegetable mixture for 5-6 minutes. Then add the washed cereal, add water, add salt and spices. Mix thoroughly and set the “Croup" mode on the multicooker. Instead of water, you can add mushroom or meat broth. It only remains to wait for the completion of the cooking process, and the delicious dish is ready!

Can there be an allergy to buckwheat porridge

Buckwheat is considered a safe product for allergy sufferers, as it is not a cereal plant and does not contain gluten. When growing buckwheat, they do not use chemical fertilizers and do not subject them to pesticides. Buckwheat itself has never undergone artificial genetic changes, and is considered to be a product without GMOs.

Allergic reactions can occur in those people who were fed buckwheat in childhood. These symptoms are caused, more likely, by psychosomatics than by serious disorders in the body.

How to choose buckwheat for porridge

When choosing buckwheat for porridge, you must follow the following rules:

1. The production deadline for packaging should be September, October. So, the cereal was packaged in the harvest season.
2. The lighter the core, the less heat was exposed to the croup, therefore, vitamins and minerals are better preserved in it.

An interesting fact about buckwheat: The name "buckwheat" groats received because of his trip from Greece to Russia, from where it was brought in the VII century. Interestingly, in Europe, buckwheat is often called "Tatar" or "Tatar groats." In the homeland of buckwheat, in North India, it is called black rice.

Photo of buckwheat porridge