Buckwheat flour: health benefits and harms

Buckwheat flour is widespread due to its unique vitamin composition and special taste. Visually, this product differs from the wheat analogue only in color characteristics, but it has more useful properties.

The birthplace of the product is Asia. In these parts they are well aware of the beneficial qualities of buckwheat flour and value it very much. Although a wheat product is more popular around the world, buckwheat flour is also widely used. It is added to diet and children's dishes, pastries.

Composition and calorie content

Iron, sodium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium and magnesium - this is an incomplete list of micro and macro elements contained in buckwheat flour. In addition, this product is rich in vitamins B, C, E and PP. The presence of many nutritional components allows the use of this product in various fields of consumption. At the same time, the beneficial effect of buckwheat is very noticeable for the body.

The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in buckwheat flour is presented as 13.6: 1.2: 71.9 g.

Calorie content of the product is 340–353 kcal, which does not interfere with its use in the diet menu.

What is useful buckwheat flour

The energy composition of buckwheat flour determines its beneficial properties. It should be mentioned here that the most useful flour is made by yourself. This is due to the fact that most of the important components are located in the husk. In industrial production, the husks are completely separated, while sacrificing most of the vitamins and minerals. At home, it is impossible to completely separate the buckwheat kernel from the husk, so home-made flour is more nutritious than bought in the market or in the store.

For women

The female body benefits greatly from eating buckwheat dishes. Besides the fact that it contributes to weight loss, buckwheat also normalizes the level of hemoglobin. This is important on various days of the cycle to maintain a woman's health.

For men

By men, buckwheat flour can be used to replenish the vitamin and mineral balance in the body during excessive physical exertion, as well as during periods of targeted muscle gain. The product is also unique in that, with a balanced intake of nutrients, it simultaneously exerts a regulatory effect on the digestive system and the glands involved in food conversion processes.

During pregnancy

During the period of bearing the fruit, buckwheat flour can be used as an alternative to wheat. It is nutritious, and its glycemic index is minimal.

When breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is usually accompanied by a certain restriction in diet. Buckwheat flour is especially useful during this period, from it you can cook many nutritious and delicious dishes.

For children

This product is used as a safe component of baby food, and can also serve as complementary foods in the initial stages of a child's acquaintance with adult food. Dishes from such flour appear in the diet of children from six months of age. First they are cooked in water, gradually introducing milk.

When losing weight

Flour made from sprouted buckwheat is often used as organic food, since it contains four times more niacin and several times more folic acid and vitamin B6.At the same time, starch contains half as much, because such a product is considered the most suitable for those who want to lose weight.

Buckwheat flour with kefir: benefits and harms

The nutritious tandem of kefir and ground buckwheat has a beneficial effect on the state of blood vessels and liver, therefore it is widely used as a component of diets for weight loss and purification programs.

The most common recipe for a nutritious drink, according to which buckwheat flour (1 tablespoon) is poured with kefir (one glass). Settle the mixture in cool, due to which natural fermentation processes occur.

Kefir-buckwheat mixture is used for medicinal purposes for several weeks every morning on an empty stomach. However, use this recipe with caution in case of liver diseases and malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract.

Buckwheat flour in medicine

The unique beneficial qualities of buckwheat flour have led to its widespread use both for food purposes and for the treatment and prevention of a number of ailments.

So, its use allows you to strengthen blood vessels, normalize the work of many organs and systems of the body.

With diabetes

Buckwheat flour helps to normalize blood glucose levels, which is important for diabetes mellitus. In addition, for diabetics this product is also useful due to its low glycemic index (the indicator is only 54).

Often, to adjust the sugar balance, use an infused mixture with kefir. The duration of treatment with this mixture is about three months.

With pancreatitis

Pancreatitis and thyroid disease require a certain diet, in which buckwheat flour can be used to maintain hormonal balance. The recipe for a healing dish is simple: ground buckwheat is mixed with honey and walnuts (200 g of each component). To use the treatment mixture should be one spoonful before meals.

For the intestines

Buckwheat flour stimulates the outflow of bile and intestinal motility. To normalize the intestinal microflora and improve its motility, it is most often recommended to take flour in combination with kefir. Chilled, settled product is considered the best option for bowel treatment.

Buckwheat flour in cosmetology

It is noteworthy that ground buckwheat is often used for cosmetic purposes. It is an active ingredient in nourishing and cleansing products for the skin of the face, and is also used by women as a component of care products for hair and body. A plus is the simplicity of its independent use at home.

For face

1. In the composition of masks for the beauty and health of the skin of the face, this product can act as a moisturizer. To do this, ground buckwheat (20 g) is mixed with the yolk of one egg, a teaspoon of honey and crushed fruits without plums. The mixture is applied to a face previously cleansed of makeup and held for a quarter hour. Warm water is suitable for washing off.
2. In mixtures for skin, characterized by fat content, flour is poured with pre-prepared chamomile broth. The consistency should resemble a sticky porridge. Wash off the mask after 20 minutes of being on the face.
3. Surprisingly, you can get a mask film from buckwheat flour. This option is great for sensitive skin. In addition to flour, a spoonful of gelatin, a decoction of chamomile or water at room temperature are added to the mask. Additionally, aloe juice is added to this composition. After application, the mask dries out within half an hour, then it is removed with one layer, holding the edge. After removal, the face is washed with cool water.
4. A mask with milk is effective for the face and the whole body. During its preparation, buckwheat flakes are poured with milk and wait until they swell. The product is applied to steamed skin, wait about 20 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly.
5. Ground buckwheat, mixed with a small amount of honey, is also used as a skin nourishing agent.

For hair

Buckwheat flour can help eliminate oily hair. To do this, it must be mixed with lemon juice from half the fruit, and then pour the components with milk until a pasty mixture forms. Apply the mask to the hair after washing with shampoo and hold for 30 minutes. Rinse hair with shampoo, which will get rid of all residues.

Harm and contraindications

For people suffering from gluten intolerance, it is important to find out before use whether buckwheat flour was produced separately from wheat, since even traces of wheat in the product can be harmful.

Despite a number of beneficial effects that the use of buckwheat flour brings, it can have a negative effect. This product contains allergens, so reactions to buckwheat, such as swelling, redness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes, itching, swelling of the larynx, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, dizziness, intestinal upset, nasal congestion and allergic rhinitis, are not uncommon. The greatest danger is laryngeal edema, since this leads to anaphylaxis, a severe form of an allergic reaction leading to suffocation. If the smallest hints of this symptom are found, you should immediately seek medical help.

Surprisingly, the heat treatment of buckwheat flour does not affect its ability to cause allergies, since the allergens in it are resistant to high temperatures.

In addition, buckwheat flour contains a large amount of fiber, which can be dangerous for people suffering from Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Eating a product by people who have problems with peristalsis and excessive gas formation can lead to indigestion and cramping in the intestines.

How to choose and store buckwheat flour

For baking, buckwheat flour is usually chosen in a darker shade. This is due to the fact that it gives a greater flavor and rich color to the finished dish.

Since buckwheat flour has a high fat content, it tends to deteriorate, so it is extremely important to choose a fresh product. In the summer, this is especially true, since rancidity of the product manifests itself earlier under the influence of high air temperature. Health problems rancid buckwheat flour can cause only with its repeated use. This can lead to clogged arteries and damage to body cells.

From the moment of purchase, the product should be placed in a cool place in a tightly closed container. The shelf life after opening the package with flour is no more than three months.

How to make buckwheat flour at home

The undoubted advantage of a product of hand-made production is that in this case you can be absolutely sure of the composition.

Before grinding, buckwheat must be thoroughly washed, thereby getting rid of litter. Then it must be discarded on a sieve and dried thoroughly. You can grind buckwheat with any improvised kitchen equipment.

What can be prepared from buckwheat flour: recipes

There are many options for dishes prepared on the basis of buckwheat flour. This product fits perfectly into the diet menu, and is also often used by those who follow the principles of proper nutrition. Baking made from buckwheat flour is in no way inferior to delicacies made from wheat, while maintaining useful properties during heat treatment.

Delicious cupcakes and pancakes, noodles made from this valuable flour, delight with their taste, and are also very nutritious. People who try to avoid flour in favor of the figure will like pies and muffins, and buckwheat bread will not leave anyone indifferent. At the same time, these healthy dishes look quite attractive and cause appetite.

Pancakes

Pancakes made with buckwheat flour are an excellent solution for a snack or breakfast.They turn out dietary and delicious.

To prepare this dish you will need: a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour in equal proportions (200 g each), a teaspoon of salt and sugar, a little more than two glasses of milk, a pinch of baking soda and three eggs.

Before mixing the ingredients, the flour should be sieved. Dilute the milk with a small amount of water, and then introduce loose components (salt, sugar and soda) into it. Next, introduce eggs previously beaten with a mixer into the liquid mixture. Moreover, the yolks should be whipped separately from the proteins, so the pancakes will turn out to be more airy. Lastly, add sifted flour to the milk. Knead the dough thoroughly. Bake pancakes in a hot pan, in a small amount of oil.

Bread

Buckwheat bread crumbles a lot. This is due to the fact that there is no gluten in buckwheat flour, which gives the finished product porosity.

For baking bread you still need to introduce a certain amount of wheat flour. The ideal ratio of the components is 1: 1 or 2: 1 (where the majority is wheat flour). Ready buckwheat bread has a baking flavor. The flour for baking should be maximally ground.

To obtain two loaves of bread, weighing approximately 400 g each, you will need: yeast (15 g), 0.5 kg of wheat and 160-200 g of buckwheat flour, sugar (2 tablespoons), salt (2 teaspoons), warm water (about 2 glasses), as well as a few tablespoons of vegetable oil.

First of all, you need to cook the dough. Grind the yeast with sugar, pour warm water (half of the recipe volume). Add a glass of flour to this mixture, after which it should be stirred and sent for twenty minutes to a warm place.

When the sponge doubles in volume, bubbles will appear, the rest of the warm water should be added to it. After that, you can proceed to kneading the dough. The amount of flour introduced directly depends on its quality, so you need to monitor the consistency of the test.

Before the end of kneading, when the dough is already quite steep, you can introduce salt and vegetable oil. The final touch is to give the dough a dense texture by kneading it with your hands. This process is quite lengthy - about 15 minutes, but it provides the splendor of future bread. While kneading the dough with your hands, wheat flour actively gives off gluten, so the finished product will keep its shape. By the way, in the wheat-buckwheat mixture, gluten is less allocated.

After mixing, the dough should be placed in a bowl oiled, cover with a towel and put in a warm place for an hour. During this time, the dough will rise twice as much. It should be divided into two equal parts, form loaves and place in forms pre-oiled. Place the filled forms in a warm place for another hour to allow the dough to rise. After that, grease both loaves on top with flour mixed with water, you can also sprinkle with seeds of your choice.

The temperature and time of baking bread depend on the characteristics of the oven. As initial recommendations, you can focus on 150 ° C (bake for the first 20-30 minutes), and then increase the temperature to 200 ° C and bake for another 10 minutes. The whole baking process should be controlled with a wooden skewer, with which you can find out how much bread has been baked.

After the bread is ready, allow to cool, without removing from the form, and then remove. Cut buckwheat bread is recommended cooled.

Cookies

Buckwheat cookies are a tasty and healthy delicacy that you can treat yourself to without harming the figure.

For the preparation of cookies you will need: about 100 g of buckwheat flour, two eggs, honey and vegetable oil - two tablespoons each, a little vanilla and soda (2 g each). If desired, you can add dried fruits and seeds (sesame seeds, flax). Cooking buckwheat cookies on average takes about 40 minutes.

Dough for healthy cookies can be made quite quickly - in 10 minutes. For starters, sift buckwheat flour. Then beat eggs with honey (can be replaced with sugar) until a lush consistency. Introduce soda into flour and pour beaten eggs.Then add vegetable oil and start mixing. Knead the dough with your hands dipped in water so that it does not stick. If desired, dried fruit or seeds can be added to the composition.

Bake cookies on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper at a temperature of about 180 ° C. Buckwheat cookies are baked quickly, it is important to monitor its readiness. Usually this time does not exceed 15 minutes.

There is also a dietary option for buckwheat cookies. It does not include eggs, but kefir (150 ml), bran (most often rye - about 1 tablespoon), 1-2 apples and seeds are used as ingredients.

The calorie content of the dietary buckwheat biscuit is about 72 kcal, and the entire cooking process takes about 90 minutes.

If buckwheat flour for such cookies is made at home, it is not necessary to bring it to a powder state. It is enough just to grind the grits in the amount of 1 cup. To half a glass of ground buckwheat, add grated apples without peel, oil (it is better to take olive), kefir, honey (can be replaced with syrup) and bran. Stir the mass and let it brew for 20 minutes. Ready-to-bake mass should set and not be crumbly. Kefir is able to give additional viscosity. Separate small pieces from buckwheat mass, which are rolled into balls, and then form into flat cakes. Top them can be sprinkled with sesame seeds or seeds.

After an hour of baking at a temperature of not more than 150 ° C, a useful and very tasty cookie is obtained that does not harm the figure.

Fritters

To prepare healthy pancakes, you will need a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour (100 g each), two chicken eggs, one and a half glasses of kefir, sugar (4 tablespoons), half a teaspoon of soda.

All ingredients should be combined and kneaded to the consistency of sour cream. Put the dough on a pre-heated pan with a tablespoon, fry on both sides until golden brown. The whole process of making buckwheat pancakes takes about 30 minutes.

Porridge

Porridge made from buckwheat flour can be served both for adults and small children. The dish is tasty and tender. Since buckwheat porridge from flour contains many vitamins and nutrients, it is used as a dish for the first feeding of infants. If the dish is prepared for the baby, its consistency should be liquid. Gradually, the porridge density can be increased.

The recipe for making porridge from buckwheat flour is quite simple. To get a liquid dish, 100 ml of water (or milk) should take one teaspoon of buckwheat flour. Mix the ingredients, place in a saucepan and simmer until simmering, stirring. Porridge for babies is not salted. You can introduce breast milk into porridge so that the dish is better absorbed by the baby. After boiling, cook porridge for another 15 minutes and then insist for several minutes under a closed lid.

Children after a year and adults can add dried fruits, sweeteners (sugar, honey or syrup), salt to the buckwheat porridge.

For adults, buckwheat porridge is cooked in the same way as for infants. The difference is only in the ratio of ingredients. Buckwheat flour should be taken more to get a thicker dish.

Scones

Buckwheat cakes are prepared similarly to pancakes or pancakes. However, to obtain a dietary meal, water and a minimum of cooking oil should be used as the liquid component.

Cupcakes

Buckwheat flour baking is quick and easy to prepare. When using buckwheat muffins, there is practically no risk of gaining excess weight, in addition, they are very tasty and healthy.

The cupcake recipe can be changed at your discretion, adding ingredients that are loved by households.The classic recipe for buckwheat muffins with the addition of cocoa is quite simple, and the output is baked goods, in consistency reminiscent of manna.

To make four cupcakes, you will need 50 g of sugar and cocoa, 50 ml of refined butter, one egg, several tablespoons of water, a third of a teaspoon of soda and only 500 g of buckwheat flour.

First you need to separate the egg white from the yolk and beat it into a thick foam. Grind cocoa with sugar with the addition of butter and yolk. After achieving uniformity of the mixture, add water and flour into it, mixing thoroughly. When the dough is thick in composition, like sour cream, add soda to it. The finishing touch is the addition of whipped proteins. This process is very delicate, do not rush. Mix the resulting dough gently, then you can lay it out in forms. Bake in a preheated oven to 180 ° C. Willingness to check with a toothpick.

You can experiment with the composition of the dough by mixing different types of flour, and decorate the finished muffins at your discretion with icing sugar, chocolate, cream or marmalade.

Interesting facts about buckwheat

1. Surprisingly, buckwheat is fully consistent with the concept of an environmentally friendly product. This is due to the fact that this culture does not need any stimulants for growth. It grows beautifully by itself; when it is grown, no chemistry is added. Therefore, buckwheat can be safely eaten.
2. Buckwheat has tremendous nutritional value. In Asian countries, it is believed that this product can stimulate human bioenergy points, thereby activating the metabolic processes in the body. That is why in China and India, the buckwheat rug routine is popular. This method is used to prevent a number of diseases.
3. The smell of buckwheat favorably affects receptors and promotes a calm and deep sleep. That is why people with insomnia are recommended to sleep on a pillow filled with buckwheat husk.
4. The emotional background can be improved by eating buckwheat porridge. Macronutrients contained in its composition stimulate the work of the brain, as a result of which the mood improves.
5. In Japan, buckwheat is an integral part of traditional dishes. In almost all Japanese restaurants you can find soba noodles made from buckwheat flour on the menu.
6. Pre-frying buckwheat before cooking makes it tastier. This trick is often used by tourists and fans of this culture.
7. Three essential amino acids (lysine, tryptophan and threonine) are found in buckwheat. Therefore, for those who decide to abandon meat in the diet, buckwheat can serve as an excellent substitute and source of these compounds.
8. The unique value of buckwheat for diet food. Many useful substances that are found in buckwheat in large quantities contribute to weight loss. In addition, buckwheat stimulates the removal of excess fluid from the body.
9. Buckwheat is a real storehouse of nutrients. So, vitamins P and PP contribute to the strengthening of the vascular walls, and acids (malic, oxalic, citric and maleic) are involved in maintaining the acid balance in the digestive system and contribute to the elimination of salts from the body.
10. Buckwheat contains a large amount of iron, so it is useful to use it for people with low hemoglobin levels.
11. The problem of vascular patency can be solved with buckwheat. This product promotes the dissolution of cholesterol plaques on the vascular walls and the removal of decay products.
12. When using buckwheat, the blood glucose level rises gradually, unlike other products, when the sugar concentration changes spasmodically.
13. Buckwheat groats contain lipolytics that prevent liver degeneration and improve the functioning of the endocrine glands.
14. In terms of protein composition, buckwheat is close to milk powder and chicken egg protein. At the same time, proteins from buckwheat are digested much easier than those coming from meat products.

The beneficial properties of buckwheat flour are difficult to overestimate. This is a product with high energy and nutritional value. It is these qualities that allowed buckwheat to spread everywhere as a food product to maintain the normal functioning of the human body.

Buckwheat flour photo