Buckwheat is not actually a type of wheat, or even a grain. It is a fruit that has less fiber than wheat but provides numerous nutrients. Your child might enjoy the flavor of buckwheat more than wheat and other whole grains. Nonetheless, some children are allergic to buckwheat, so use caution and see an allergy specialist before feeding buckwheat pasta to your child.
Nutrition
Buckwheat pasta fits into a healthy meal plan for your child as it is low in calories and fat. A 2 oz. serving has 200 calories, 1 g of fat and no cholesterol. It has 3 g of fiber and 6 g of protein. Buckwheat pasta also provides your child with some vitamins and minerals, including 6 percent daily value of potassium, 2 percent DV of calcium, 6 percent DV of iron and zinc and 20 percent DV of phosphorus. These percentages are for a 2,000-calorie diet, which is probably different than the amount your child consumes. Keep in mind that these numbers are only for the pasta, not for any toppings.
Celiac Disease
If your child has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, he won't be able to eat foods that contain gluten. Buckwheat is an option in place of wheat and other grains with gluten, as it has significantly less gluten. Make homemade pasta with buckwheat flour or buy pre-packaged buckwheat pasta in the supermarket. It also goes by the Japanese name, soba.
Versatile
Think beyond the traditional spaghetti with tomato sauce. This is an option for buckwheat pasta, but you can also explore your options a little to find more meals your child will enjoy. Try making a vegetable stir fry with these noodles. Cook the noodles as you would spaghetti and sauté garlic, peppers, zucchini, spinach and chives in canola oil. Add the vegetables to the buckwheat pasta and season with soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Allergies
Wheat is the only grain included in the list of eight foods that make up 90 percent of food allergies. If your child is allergic to wheat, your doctor might suggest buckwheat as a substitution. However, buckwheat is a possible allergen in children that can cause itchy skin, wheezing, urticaria and anaphylactic shock. In a Jan. 1998 study in "Arerugi," a Japanese journal, 194 children out of 92,680 children studied exhibited allergy symptoms in response to buckwheat. Check with an allergy specialist before feeding buckwheat pasta to your child.
References
- AskDrSears.com: Good Grains
- FoodFacts.com; Eden Foods Buckwheat Soba Pasta (8 oz); Jan. 25, 2011
- Kids Health; Celiac Disease; May 2009
- American Dietetic Association; Veggie Stir Fry with Soba Noodles: Stacey Antine
- Children's Hospital of Wisconsin: Food Allergies
- "Arerugi"; Buckwheat Allergy in 90,000 School Children in Yokohama; Y. Takahashi, et al.; Jan. 1998
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