Many people confuse buckwheat with the grain wheat, however the two have no actual botanical relationship other than they both come from plants. Buckwheat and its flour do not contain gluten, which is important for people with celiac disease and those who need to avoid consuming gluten due to their sensitivity of this protein, which is found in wheat, rye and barley.
Name
Buckwheat, also known as "beech wheat," comes by the name as a result of its shape resembling the larger beech seeds, as well as its use of being ground into a flour and used like wheat. Actually a fruit seed rather than a cereal grain, buckwheat shares the same botanical family as rhubarb and sorrel. However, since people most often use buckwheat to replace other grains and flours in food, nutrient information usually compares it to cereals.
Nutritional Profile
According to the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, buckwheat provides a unique nutrition profile among grains with 12 percent protein content when dehulled, and high amounts of lysine, when compared with wheat and corn. Buckwheat contains about 2 percent fat, making it a lean grain. Cooked buckwheat provides a good source of manganese, tryptophan, magnesium and dietary fiber.
Traditional Uses
Since buckwheat doesn't contain gluten, most traditional foods prepared from the flour involved unleavened items, such as crepes, soba noodles, and porridges made from rolled or whole groats. A common favorite--buckwheat pancakes--usually includes a mix of buckwheat with traditional whole wheat or white flour, allowing for a lighter texture due to the inherent gluten in these added flours.
Taste and Appearance
Since buckwheat provides a stronger flavor than other grains, other, lighter flours often balance well with it in recipes. Buckwheat's dark color and high fiber content make it a noticeable addition to any baked good, both visually and with its heartier mouth-feel. Baked buckwheat products have denser, coarser textures similar to food like cornbread or sprouted wholegrain breads.
Gluten-Free Baking
People who need to avoid gluten use buckwheat as part of their baking arsenal. Many gluten-free recipes call for buckwheat mixed with other starchier gluten free flours such as corn starch, tapioca flour, or sweet rice flour, and ingredients to make the dough stickier such as xanthan or guar gum and gelatin to replace the role played by gluten.
Cross-Contamination
The main concern with gluten and buckwheat remains with cross-contamination during the processing and milling of buckwheat groats. Since many plants processing grains deal with more than one type, some producers may unintentionally contaminate buckwheat with gluten if milling or packaging buckwheat occurs on the same equipment used to handle gluten-containing grains. If you need to avoid gluten, always make sure the buckwheat you use comes from a reputable manufacturer who uses good processing practices or a dedicated gluten free facility.
