Is raw buckwheat healthy and can it be eaten in this form?

Buckwheat is one of the best dietary foods, rich in protein, vitamins and other beneficial substances. There are many recipes for its preparation, and according to some information sources, buckwheat can be eaten raw. We will tell you if this is true and how useful it is.

Chemical composition, nutritional value, vitamins and macroelements of raw buckwheat

The chemical composition of buckwheat is rich in proteins, as well as slow carbohydrates, which provide a feeling of fullness for a long time. Cereals contain little fat. Thanks to this, it is considered an excellent dietary product.

Per 100 grams of cereal there are:

• 12.6 g protein;
• 3.3 g of fat, of which 0.6 g of saturated fatty acids and 2.29 g of unsaturated fatty acids;
• 61 g of carbohydrates, of which 55.4 g of starch and 1.4 g of di- and monosaccharides;
• 11.4 g dietary fiber.

The nutritional value: 308 kcal per 100 g.

From vitamins and macroelements buckwheat contains:

• A and beta-carotene are good for skin and hair;
• B1, B2, B6, B9 have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, the condition of the skin, nails and hair;
• C is beneficial for blood vessels, immunity, skin condition;
• E has a positive effect on the skin;
• RR is useful for digestion and cardiovascular system;
• potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, zinc and sulfur.

Is it possible to eat buckwheat raw and how to do it?

With conventional cooking methods, cereal loses some of its nutrients, so some people consume it raw. But wet doesn't mean dry. Raw is an uncooked, but still cooked grain.

Important! Dry buckwheat is not suitable for consumption.

There are two ways to cook buckwheat without heat treatment - with kefir and with water:

1. On kefir. Rinse 2 tbsp. l. cereals in cold water, pour 200 ml of kefir, leave overnight in the refrigerator. Use in the morning on an empty stomach.
2. On the water. Add 200 ml of clean water at room temperature to 100 g of cereal and leave overnight. Use at any time.

The benefits of raw buckwheat for the human body

Soaked buckwheat retains maximum beneficial properties and has a beneficial effect on the human body. Namely:

1. Promotes the removal of waste and toxins, reduces the load on the liver. Thanks to this, it becomes much easier for the body to lose excess weight and not gain it again.
2. Replenishes protein deficiency and, as a result, eliminates muscle weakness, low performance and endurance. This property is most important for people who choose vegetarianism.
3. Has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This is facilitated by the starch and fiber content in buckwheat, which help cope with constipation and flatulence.
4. Being an effective dietary product, buckwheat promotes losing weight in the process of dieting.
5. Reduces blood sugar due to its low glycemic index. This property is important for those who suffer from diabetes.
6. Reduces the risk of gallstones.
7. Can normalize blood pressure thanks to polyunsaturated fatty acids.
8. Due to magnesium, it helps fight swelling of the extremities and reduces the risk of developing varicose veins.
9. Replenishes iron deficiency.
10. Makes blood vessels stronger and improves blood clotting.
11. It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, the condition of the skin, hair, nails and teeth (B vitamins).
12. Helps maintain visual acuity.

From the above properties it follows that buckwheat is especially useful for vegetarians, diabetics, anemic people, people prone to heart attacks and strokes, and those who want to lose excess weight.

Important! Mono-diets with buckwheat contribute to even more weight gain after losing weight. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, you should simply make cereal a regular product in your diet.

Possible harm and contraindications

Even the healthiest product can be harmful in some cases, and buckwheat is no exception.

Very hard-cooked porridge can cause harm. It will lead to constipation, especially in pregnant women, or gas formation.

Buckwheat is contraindicated:

• people with increased blood clotting due to large amounts of rutin;
• people with stomach ulcers, gastritis and similar diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

People with varicose veins and kidney failure should be careful when consuming buckwheat and should consult a doctor.

What happens if you regularly eat dry buckwheat?

If you eat a little dry buckwheat with water, nothing will happen. But eating large amounts of dry cereal can cause problems with the digestive system such as bloating, pain and inflammation. And if you do this regularly, you can get gastritis or its aggravation. That is why raw buckwheat must be soaked in water or kefir.

Nutritionist opinion

Many nutritionists talk about the benefits of buckwheat, but their opinions differ somewhat.

Nutritionist Ekaterina, Moscow: “The buckwheat diet, like any other mono-diet, is often harmful to the body because it is unbalanced. Even such a healthy product as buckwheat should not be overused. Monotonous consumption of food with complex carbohydrates can give the opposite result - weight gain. If the question arises about usefulness, then green buckwheat is healthier than brown, since it is not thermally processed.

To preserve the beneficial properties of the cereal, you should reduce the heat treatment time to five minutes, then let the porridge brew for an hour, or even better, instead cooking use steaming. Despite many myths, buckwheat porridge is a healthy and tasty product with virtually no contraindications, which is recommended for people of all ages.”

Dietitian Anastasia, St. Petersburg: “All mono-diets give temporary results, the buckwheat diet is no exception. This type of diet is applicable exclusively for therapeutic purposes and must be under the supervision of a specialist. The maximum time for a buckwheat diet is two to three days, and the most correct way would be to introduce “buckwheat days.” In case of illness, it is also not a diet that helps, but the inclusion of such days in the diet.

If you nevertheless decide on a mono-diet, it is best to insist on buckwheat kefir, because it will help create a diet close to a complete one. Eating raw buckwheat affects a person depending on his state of health, and you can’t joke with him. Therefore, if you notice any discomfort, pain or weakness, stop immediately.To get out of the diet and prevent weight gain, you should familiarize yourself with the principles of proper nutrition and think over a diet for yourself not for a period, but for life. The key to health and normal weight is, first of all, the ability to eat properly and control yourself, and not eat only buckwheat.”

Conclusion

You can eat raw buckwheat, but, most importantly, do it correctly - by soaking it in water or kefir. This cereal is useful, especially when consumed without cooking; its regular use has a positive effect on the condition of the body. But you don’t need to get too carried away, because the product has contraindications.