Buckwheat is a leader among the whole list of cereals in a leading position, since it is a dietary food. It belongs to such due to the high content of minerals and antioxidants. It is hardly possible to meet a compatriot who would not try the buckwheat porridge of the usual brown color. However, among friends there are clearly those who do not know about the existence of green buckwheat. Brown cereal (heat-treated) is widespread in Russia. Health food stores in Europe and America often sell unprocessed products labeled “bio” or “organic.”
What do green and brown buckwheat look like?
In general, buckwheat is not a grain (cereal) crop, as many people think. But both green and brown buckwheat seeds are of great benefit to the body, since they contain vitamins, minerals, minerals, micro and macro elements important for human health.
Did you know? Buckwheat quality is easy to check at home. Fully ripened and properly dried 1000 pieces of buckwheat seeds should have a mass of exactly 20 g.
Both green and brown buckwheat are a source of prebiotics. This is the "food" for the full development of intestinal bacteria, which ensure the health of the intestinal microflora in the digestive tract.
Studies show that prebiotics are important for:
- maintaining the immune system;
- normalization of mental health;
- maintaining body weight within the physiological norm.
Buckwheat product also contains a lot of soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol. Fiber in cereals improves digestion, eliminates constipation, and in the long run can reduce the risk of colon cancer. Buckwheat product has a glycemic index value of 45 (55 and below is considered "low") due to its high content of protein and fiber.
Important! Pediatricians do not recommend introducing a “live” product into the diet of children under four years of age, since the coarse fiber of the grains is poorly digested. After eating this food, babies may experience constipation.
This means that by eating healthy food you can feel full longer. Croup is also a source of vegetable protein and contains all the essential amino acids. It is a rich source of B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and folate.
The differences between brown and green buckwheat
Buckwheat, which has a different color, is one and the same product that grew on the same field. However, green buckwheat will differ from the usual one all the same.
The difference between the two is as follows:
- Green colored seeds first threshed, then peeled from black husk. And to get the familiar brown cereal, they added another procedure - frying, resulting in the usual dark shade.
- Buckwheat, which has not undergone heat treatment, contains a large amount of antioxidants, among them rutin (located in the shell of untreated grains) and quercetin. They protect the human body from cancer and heart disease. These substances help improve blood circulation. It is the raw buckwheat seeds that are recommended for use by people suffering from arthritis. Due to the heat treatment, many beneficial substances related to the vitamins of the P group in brown croup simply disintegrate.
- In 100 g untreated product contains 13.25 g of protein, and the same amount of fried or steamed is 11.73 g. Fat in 100 g of green buckwheat seeds is 2 g, and in processed ones, it is 1 g more. Carbohydrates - 60 and 64 g, respectively.
- There is a difference in taste and color. "Raw" buckwheat is a very light brown, slightly green pseudo-grain, having the shape of a pyramid. When cracked, the seed simply crumbles in the mouth, because it is powdery and soft. Raw cereal when consumed leaves an aftertaste of hazelnuts and sunflower seeds, which cannot be said about the processed brown product.
- Green buckwheat can be germinated, but not brown.
- Raw product consumed raw. The time and method of cooking delicious porridge is also different. Green buckwheat does not need to be cooked for a long time. It is enough to fill the cereal with water, let it boil and immediately remove it from the heat, covering it with a lid. After 10-15 minutes, a healthy product can be eaten. In the evening, you can cook a delicious breakfast - it is enough to fill the seeds of green buckwheat in a thermos and pour boiling water over it. All nutrients will be saved.
Important! With caution, the unprocessed buckwheat product should be consumed by people who have poor blood clotting. In order not to harm the body, it is better to consult a nutritionist or your doctor for advice.
What buckwheat is more useful
About 30% of vitamins, macro- and microelements contained in brown seeds of buckwheat, at high temperatures, are simply destroyed during heat treatment. Therefore, we can make an unambiguous conclusion: an unprocessed product is more useful than a subject to heat treatment, because in order for buckwheat seeds to become brown, they must be roasted or steamed and then dried.Chiroinozitol, contained in a “living” buckwheat product, is a unique type of soluble carbohydrate, leading to a decrease in blood sugar. This suggests that in the future, the presence of this substance in buckwheat can help in the treatment of diabetes. Only “living” seeds are the richest food source of this plant compound.From the foregoing, it becomes clear that untreated buckwheat for a person is more useful than brown.
Why is green buckwheat more expensive than usual
The difference between the price of fresh product and fried is significant. The higher cost of “living” buckwheat seeds is due to shorter shelf life (up to 2 months). In such a product bugs can start and mold may appear, therefore it should be stored at home in linen bags or in glass containers, preferably in a dark place, and brown cereal has a shelf life of 6 to 20 months.
Did you know? Buckwheat has been grown for more than 8000 years, and it is sometimes called the "ancient grain". “Queen of cereals” occupies a worthy place in Eastern European culinary.
It would seem that the manufacturer makes the cost of roasting, drying, and such a product should cost more, but it turns out the opposite. This is due to the fact that storing processed buckwheat seeds is easier and cheaper, therefore, the price “on the shelf” is lower compared to green grains. Also an important aspect is that the cost of buckwheat without processing is affected by the fact that this product is classified as a healthy food."Live" buckwheat can be used to implement any recipe that requires whole grains. People who eat a healthy diet will find it beneficial to eat green raw buckwheat grains for breakfast. It is worth remembering that since the untreated product contains all the essential amino acids, these grain-like seeds will serve as a source of complete protein and useful substances necessary for the human body.