Buckwheat is the December Grain of the Month

The Whole Grains Council has declared buckwheat to be the grain of the month for December. However, despite its name, buckwheat is not a grain because it is not part of the Poaceae cereal grass family. It  is a pseudo grain, similar to true grains in terms of nutrition and its use in foods.

Buckwheat is not a common crop. It has a very short growing season, only 10-12 weeks. It can grow in poor soil and is often planted as cover, to protect bare soil from erosion. It can be plowed under instead of harvested in order to improve the soil.

Buckwheat is thought to have first been cultivated in northern China about 6000 years ago. It was not introduced into Europe until the Middle Ages. Common buckwheat is insect pollinated, with much of that done by honeybees. It is thought that domestication of honeybees may have influenced the spread of buckwheat as a human food.

The grains of buckwheat can be eaten whole after being boiled or steamed, or they can be ground into flour. Buckwheat is common in Asian foods, where it is used for making traditional noodles such as soba. 

It is also popular in Eastern Europe, cooked into a type of porridge called kasha or used as a flour in making crêpes, blinis, and blintzes.

Buckwheat is very nutritious. It is high in protein and is a complete protein since it contains all nine of the essential amino acids humans require in their diet. It is gluten-free and more satiating than wheat or rice. It also acts as a prebiotic to stimulate the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Give buckwheat a try. You may discover a new favorite grain.