The Birkett Mills
163 Main Street
Penn Yan, NY 14527
315-536-3311
  
 
 
   
     

 

 

 

 

 
     
     
 
Buckwheat News
 
     
 
Buckwheat Treats Diabetes
  A new use for buckwheat should be the result of research from Cornell University. Prof. Ralph Obendorf has discovered a carbohydrate in buckwheat seeds that could have major medical value in treating adult-onset diabetes.

The substance is called fagopyritol, from the Latin name for buckwheat. It is similar in structure to a compound that is missing in these diabetes patients. As a dietary supplement it is predicted to lower and stabilize blood glucose by inducing synthesis of the missing insulin mediator. Fagopyritol makes up half of the soluble carbohydrate in buckwheat seed.
 
Buckwheat Shown to Lower Cholesterol
  Recent work has shown that buckwheat protein as part of the diet lowers blood cholesterol substantially. A few years ago a buckwheat protein was found to soak up cholesterol from food and prevent it from being absorbed in the small intestine. Dr. Kayashita, a nutritionist at Hiroshima University, found that this buckwheat protein is not digested, so it carries the cholesterol out of the body.

The latest investigations show that buckwheat is more effective at lowering cholesterol than the soy protein isolates that are being sold for that purpose.
   
For more information:
Contact Dr. Thomas Bjorkman
Dept. of Horticultural Sciences
Cornell University-NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456
315-787-2218
315-787-2216 (fax)
tnb1@cornell.edu
 
   
   
 
 
  Origins of Buckwheat
Buckwheat, one of the earliest crops to be grown in the United States, originated in Asia and was brought here by Dutch colonists who first planted it by the Hudson River.
   
  Defining Buckwheat
Buckwheat, although used in much the same manner as grain, is, botanically speaking, a fruit closely related to the rhubarb plant. Its seed is triangular in shape and has a black shell. The kernel inside this shell is known as a groat. When roasted, the groat is commonly called Kasha which is a popular staple in Russia and throughout eastern Europe.
   
  Usage Versatility
While buckwheat is primarily associated with flour for pan cakes, the groats or Kasha can be steamed, boiled, or baked for use as a side dish. Kasha is also served in soups, stew or salads, and makes a fine cereal, when mixed with sweetening and cream. One of the best known buckwheat dishes is "Kasha Varnitchkes," which is made of Kasha and noodles combined. Kasha is low in fat and sodium and high in potassium, phosphorus and fiber. It contains no cholesterol and 50% more vitamin B than wheat, with no more calories.