Buckwheat Organic

History of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum Esculentium)

Surprisingly, buckwheat is no grain, but in fact a fruit from the same family as rhubarb. Because it has the same characteristics as cereals, it is often placed and used in a similar way. Buckwheat has long been an important part of many traditional recipes from around the world, including Kasha, a porridge-like dish from Eastern Europe, Brittany's speciality savoury pancakes (known as galettes) and also Japanese soba noodles (soba is the name for buckwheat in Japan). Not only is buckwheat nowadays preferred as a gluten-free alternative, but its proteins also have a higher biological value than most grains such as wheat, barley, rye and corn, which means they are more easily absorbed. As a result, there is a growing interest in the nutritional properties of buckwheat, both as an additional ingredient for other foods or in its pure, raw form. It is thought that buckwheat was first cultivated in China around 1000 BC, but its arrival in Europe was only in the 15th century. This versatile plant is able to grow in poor quality soils of varying degrees of acidity and moisture content, but its sensitivity to the cold limits its relatively short growth period to summer, as icy conditions can cause damage. Buckwheat has a reddish stem, to which its broad heart-shaped leaves are attached. The white-pink flowers grow in clusters at the top of the plant, reaching a height of about 0.6 -1.3 m. Flowering usually begins 5-6 weeks after germination, but remains present throughout the buckwheat life cycle. This means that the flowers, green seeds and ripe seeds all exist at the same time on the plant. A buckwheat plant can produce up to 200 seeds that are triangular with deep brown skin. Germinated buckwheat seeds are, just like germinating grains and legumes, whole seeds that grow a new plant. Research has shown that germinating grains and pseudo-grains such as buckwheat contain an increased concentration of nutrients. 

Processing Buckwheat

Buckwheat grows easily, without the need for pesticides. Its canopy of low-hanging foliage inhibits the growth of surrounding weeds, so buckwheat not only lends itself well to organic farming but is sometimes used as a weed inhibitor for the benefit of other organically grown products. Our sprouted buckwheat is grown in its country of origin: China. However, the actual processing takes place in Romania, where our supplier has developed optimal conditions for achieving the highest quality of this special buckwheat. The hulled seeds are well washed and placed on dishes, where they germinate under controlled temperature and humidity for 24 to 48 hours, or until the germ is fully developed. The new sprouts are moved to different trays and can dry for a further 24 hours at a maximum temperature of 42°C. Unlike the processing of regular seeds and grains, which can be exposed to temperatures of 100°C, our gentle drying method ensures the preservation of nutrients and enzymes.

Healthy properties of Buckwheat

One of the main advantages of buckwheat versus its cereal counterparts lies in its unique balanced protein composition, which includes 11-15% of the seed. It contains lysine - an essential amino acid that is rarely found in most protein grains and is often lost when exposed to high temperatures in the production process.

These delicious and crispy germinated seeds are a perfect complement to muesli and granolas, or edible separately as a sweet snack.