BUCKWHEAT: A Pleasant Rediscovery

Buckwheat (or “black wheat”) is a wild plant of Asian origin, from a vast territory spanning Siberia, Tibet, the Himalayas, and Manchuria. It arrived in Europe during the Middle Ages, reaching Italy around 1600 in the Alpine areas under the name "Frumentum."

It is said that it was introduced by the Turkish populations, bringing it to the Balkan Peninsula, from which it likely got its name, "Saracen wheat." However, it may have also arrived from the Black Sea to Germany, in the Eifel Plateau, where it is documented under the name “Pagan wheat.” Over the centuries, its cultivation disappeared due to low productivity, making it of little interest to industrial agriculture, which favored high-yielding grains.

Today, its production is widespread in Russia and Poland, while in Italy, it is mainly grown in South Tyrol and Valtellina, which gives us its most famous dish, “pizzoccheri,” but it is also used as a base for "polenta taragna."

Buckwheat (Polygonum Fagopyrum esculentum), despite its name, is classified as a pseudocereal, a false grain belonging to the botanical family “Polygonaceae” (Dicotyledons), which also includes rhubarb. It is well-suited to poor, marginal soils and low-impact agricultural techniques.

It does not produce ears, but small white or red flowers, and its grains are small, dark, and tetrahedral in shape. Its milling produces a flour called "bigia," due to its characteristic grayish color, which gives bread and pasta a unique hue.

It is grown during the spring-summer period (since it is sensitive to cold and temperature fluctuations) and is ideal for occupying the soil after the harvest of rye or wheat as a second crop, being a short and fast-growing plant, maturing in 60–100 days from sowing.

The plant performs a similar function to alfalfa: it protects the soil from erosion and helps control spontaneous and weedy plants.


 IDEAL FOR A GLUTEN-FREE DIET 


Buckwheat is virtually gluten-free and has a high nutritional profile. For its numerous health benefits, it has recently seen a resurgence in popularity, with a shift in market demand.

 CHARACTERISTICS 

  • ricchezza di proteine, superiori agli altri cereali;
  • contenuto di tutti gli 8 amminoacidi essenziali (soprattutto “lisina”), in proporzione ottimale;
  • buona fonte di fibre insolubili e minerali (soprattutto fosforo, magnesio e potassio);
  • presenza di importanti vitamine del gruppo B.

 THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES 

There are several health reasons to consume buckwheat:

  • It contains flavonoids with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • It has a higher amount of slow-digesting starch, resulting in a medium-low glycemic index.
  • It is easily digestible and provides natural energizing properties.
  • It supports cardiovascular health by helping to combat LDL (bad cholesterol) and improve HDL (good cholesterol).
  • It helps prevent gallstones due to its ability to accelerate intestinal transit and reduce bile acid secretion.


 CONTRAINDICATIONS 

Buckwheat also has some contraindications:

It may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

People on anticoagulant therapy should be cautious due to its antihemorrhagic properties.

In our range, we offer two breads containing buckwheat:

  1. Bread Mix with Senatore Cappelli Wheat, Buckwheat, and Spelt (click here for product details)
  2. Buckwheat Bread Mix (click here for product details)