Buckwheat flour - health benefits and harms

Buckwheat is rightly considered the queen of cereals because of its low calorie content, high nutritional value and huge content of nutrients. But the main advantage of buckwheat is the absence of gluten, which is found in oat, wheat and many other grains. Buckwheat flour is a gluten-free product that helps many patients with celiac disease. This is a disease of the digestive tract in which a person cannot eat gluten-free foods - he experiences severe attacks in the form of abdominal pain and other manifestations. For such patients, buckwheat flour is a real salvation - on the basis of it they prepare bread, bake pancakes and make many other desserts. Today we’ll talk about buckwheat flour in more detail, consider its beneficial properties and calorie content, get acquainted with contraindications for the use of this product.

Useful properties of buckwheat flour

The composition of buckwheat is very rich, it contains such trace elements as iron, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, molybdenum, cobalt. Buckwheat contains at least 8 types of amino acids, various vitamins - A, E, PP, B vitamins, etc. The calorie content of raw buckwheat is quite high, however, when cooking, it is significantly reduced. In addition, buckwheat absorbs moisture very much and increases in size several times. Most of the calories are protein, not carbohydrate, which makes the product literally dietary. Buckwheat is always included in the diet for weight loss and for gaining muscle mass. Buckwheat flour practically does not lose all the useful properties of whole grains, especially if you do not store it for a long time in ground form. Here are some useful properties of buckwheat flour that will positively affect the state of your body.

1. Heart and blood vessels. Gluten-free buckwheat flour contains rutin. It is a flavonoid that is incredibly beneficial for the health of the heart and blood vessels. Regular consumption of flour and cereals in food gives excellent results - blood vessels expand, become more elastic. The circulation of blood in the body is accelerated, the blood is saturated with oxygen. The heart muscle works more stably, a person gets rid of tachycardia and hypertension. Cholesterol levels gradually drop, blood liquefies. People who love buckwheat and eat it constantly are much less likely to suffer from heart disease and varicose veins.
2. Glycemic index. Buckwheat flour and cereal have a rather low glycemic index, equal to 54. This means that dishes from these products for a long time give a feeling of fullness due to a slow decrease in blood sugar. In addition, buckwheat contains chiroinositol, which is used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
3. Calcium. Buckwheat contains special substances that facilitate the process of calcium absorption by the body. Due to this, the bones become stronger, the risk of developing osteoporosis is reduced. In addition, calcium favorably affects the condition of hair, nails and teeth.
4. Diets. Buckwheat is often used in weight loss, because the product at a relatively low calorie content is very rich in vitamins and minerals. The low glycemic index of buckwheat allows not to experience hunger for a long time. Croup can replace a full protein dinner. By the way, a sufficient amount of protein in the product makes buckwheat universal for bodybuilders. Buckwheat with chicken breast is a classic for those who build muscle. Buckwheat flour is also very attractive for those who are trying to lose weight. After all, it is possible to cook pastries without harming the figure.
5. Dietary dish. Buckwheat flour is one of the safest and hypoallergenic products that can be given to allergy sufferers and babies as a first meal.
6. For the intestines. Buckwheat contains a large amount of dietary fiber, which in undigested form enters the intestines, absorbs all toxins and wastes, and displays them out. Buckwheat and flour are used in the fight against diarrhea and dysentery. Buckwheat is also special in that this cereal is not able to accumulate pesticides and other harmful compounds in itself, which fertilize the soil to increase productivity.
7. For female beauty. Buckwheat flour acts very well on the female body. Firstly, the powder removes excess water from the body, eliminating swelling and bags under the eyes. Secondly, buckwheat, due to the high content of easily digestible protein, stimulates hair growth. Regular consumption of buckwheat allows you to grow curls much faster. Thirdly, buckwheat perfectly cleanses the intestines from toxins, allergens and toxins, which cannot but affect the condition of the skin. It becomes smooth, plain and clean. Buckwheat flour is often used externally - it absorbs excess sebum, which helps normalize the production of sebum and make the skin dull. In addition, buckwheat has a lot of vitamin E, which is a natural antioxidant that can slow down the aging process of the skin.
8. Anemia. Buckwheat groats stimulate the production of red bodies in the blood, this allows you to quickly increase the level of hemoglobin in the body.

Buckwheat is useful in all respects, so it should be eaten as often as possible. Today, store shelves are full of unusual products; to find buckwheat flour among them is not a problem. However, it is often refined flour, without husk. If you are a supporter of a healthy diet, it is better to cook buckwheat flour yourself, because the husk is a valuable dietary fiber that cannot be discarded. Buckwheat must first be sorted out, washed and dried. Grind grits in a coffee grinder or blender. It is better to grind buckwheat in small batches, during prolonged storage the flour loses its useful properties.

Harmful buckwheat flour

Despite the fact that buckwheat is quite hypoallergenic, some people have an individual intolerance to this product. If you have never eaten this cereal before, you should start trying it in small portions. Individual intolerance can be manifested by a reaction such as diarrhea, itching, swelling, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, runny nose, redness and swelling of the eyes, and sometimes even suffocation. But for the sake of justice, it is worth noting that such a reaction occurs extremely rarely. A large amount of fiber in the product can cause increased gas formation and abdominal pain, especially with irritable bowel syndrome.

How to eat buckwheat

To get the maximum of useful substances from the product, it must be properly prepared and consumed. As noted, buckwheat flour is used to make various pastries; pancakes and pancakes are especially tasty and piquant. If you want to make a cupcake or biscuit, it is better to mix buckwheat flour with wheat to make the dough rise better. Buckwheat flour is used in the preparation of cookies, cakes, casseroles, pies, rolls, crackers and other flour products. If you can’t do without bread at all, use buckwheat flour - the loaf is incredibly fragrant and satisfying. Such bread can be eaten on a diet without fear.

The most healthy and useful way to use buckwheat flour is to mix it with kefir. Drink the mixture in one gulp - it is incredibly tasty. This low-calorie cocktail will help you cleanse the intestines, improve skin condition, get saturation for at least 3 hours. Kefir-buckwheat smoothie can replace a full-fledged dinner when losing weight - a maximum of useful properties, taste and satiety with a minimum number of calories.

Buckwheat is a rather capricious culture, with a hectare farmers collect only 5-10 centners of the crop. For comparison, rice from the same hectare can collect up to 60 centners. This is due to the low prevalence of buckwheat in European countries - they have little land. But in the Russian expanses, culture has a place to expand, therefore, buckwheat in Russia is reverently loved and revered. Buckwheat is used not only for nutrition - cushions are stuffed with husks for a long, calm and long sleep. Use buckwheat in any form, make flour from it and pamper your body with not only delicious, but also very useful dishes.

Video: cleansing the body with buckwheat flour