Buckwheat
According to some authors, buckwheat is NOT really a cereal. This discrimination arises from the different botanical framework with respect to the actual cereals (such as wheat, barley, rye, rice, etc.). In fact, while the latter belong to the family of Polygonaceae (or Graminaceae if you prefer), buckwheat is a member of the Fagopyrum family.
However, since the nutritional characteristics and the industrial uses are similar to those of the proper cereals, the same authors classify the buckwheat in the group of pseudocereals; group to which also amaranth and quinoa belong.
The binomial nomenclature of buckwheat is Fagopyrum esculentum . From the botanical point of view, the plant has nothing to do with wheat (properly called wheat - Triticum aestivum ) and its name (also synonymous with black wheat ) refers to some past episodes of food counterfeiting. In these circumstances, buckwheat flour (cheaper) was added to that of wheat to reduce costs.
Buckwheat seeds are quite different from those of the most common cereals. As shown in the image, they are pyramidal achenes, often pigmented in darker shades. The plant is native to southern Siberia and Manchuria; from these places it spread first in China, then (according to various currents of thought) in Turkey (and from here in Greece) or in central Russia (and later in northern Europe); he arrived only later in Central Europe. In Italy, cultivation and consumption are prevalent mainly in the northern regions (provinces of Bolzano and Sondrio).
| Composition for: 100g of Buckwheat flour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Buckwheat is grown as animal fodder or for human consumption. Being gluten-free, it is suitable for celiac nutrition and is used mainly as an alternative to the classic gluten-containing cereals.
Whole, the seed lends itself to the formulation of first courses (soupy or dry), while in the form of flour it is destined to pack porridge, pasta, pancakes, biscuits or analogues of bread NOT naturally leavened (rather, by chemical yeast).
Buckwheat flour
Let's start by specifying that, despite being gluten-free, buckwheat is characterized by its high allergenic potential; in sensitized patients, ingestion of seeds or flour may induce even severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis.
The commercially available buckwheat flour basically comes from organic farming, as it is a fairly popular product in naturist and alternative diets (eg macrobiotic cuisine); not surprisingly, the retail price of buckwheat flour is around € 4.50 / kg.
Buckwheat flour has an energy contribution similar to that of flour obtained from traditional cereals. It boasts a very high complex carbohydrate content, followed by a discrete (but not exceptional) protein concentration. The biological value of the peptides is medium, although the content of the limiting amino acid "lysine" seems higher than the common wheat flour. The lipids are almost insignificant, but contain a breakdown of fatty acids which is nothing short of remarkable, thanks to the richness in polyunsaturates.
Buckwheat flour is obtained by grinding seeds without integumentary coatings. The fiber intake is even lower than that of the 00 flour obtained from traditional wheat.
Regarding vitamins, buckwheat contains mainly thiamine (vit. B1), niacin (vit. PP) and α-tocopherol (vit. E). As far as mineral salts are concerned, discrete amounts of potassium and zinc are found, while the intake of iron is considerable (despite the poor bioavailability).
It is also appropriate to specify that in buckwheat flour remains a good dose of rutin, a flavonoic type antioxidant, present throughout the plant, which possesses anti-aggregating as well as anti-thrombotic characteristics. Moreover, it seems that the D-chiro-inositol molecule contained in it has potential positive effects on the metabolism of subjects suffering from type 2 diabetes and / or polycystic ovary.
Buckwheat flour also contains a hypothetically useful protein in the fight against hypercholesterolemia, but its effectiveness has yet to be confirmed in an experimental setting.
