Are Organic Buckwheat Kernels Healthy?

Organic buckwheat is, without a doubt, one of the healthiest grains you can find. It contains lots of fiber and nutrients, a minuscule amount of fats (1 gram in a cup of cooked organic kasha), and is low in calories (155 per cup).

Organic buckwheat kasha is also gluten-free. Therefore, it’s safe for everyone with a sensitivity to this element. 


Understanding Organic Buckwheat Benefits

The main organic buckwheat benefits come from the fact that it’s nutritious and low in calories. This combination makes it a perfect choice for a weight management diet. Many athletes also love organic kasha because it gives them protein and fiber without fat.


Buckwheat Kasha Nutrition Data

Buckwheat nutrition value is rather high compared to whole grains. One cup of cooked organic kasha will provide you with:

• B vitamins
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E
• Calcium
• Manganese
• Phosphorus
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Iron
• Copper
• Selenium

The amounts of these essential nutrients range from 1 to 35% RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). Note that organic buckwheat groats also contain trace amounts of almost every other essential vitamin and mineral.

A cup of cooked organic kasha will also give you almost 6 grams of easily digestible proteins, 4.5 grams fiber, and 33.5 grams carbs. Organic buckwheat doesn’t contain starch and only has 0.2 gram of saturated fat.

Unlike the majority of whole grains, cooked organic buckwheat kernels have only 1.5 grams of sugars in a cup. In regards to fats, this serving will give you 23.5 mg of omega 3 and 292 mg of omega 6 essential fatty acids.


 

How to Cook Organic Buckwheat Kasha

One of the great things about organic buckwheat kernels is that you don’t have to pre-soak them before cooking. Of course, you can do this, but they soak up water so effectively that in a few hours groats will be all but cooked even before you turn on the heat. This will make them mushy by the time you are actually finished cooking.

If you want to avoid this, you can cook organic buckwheat kasha as it is or roast the kernels for a few minutes. The latter will enhance the flavor and aroma.

Don’t forget to rinse buckwheat groats before cooking to remove any dust and debris.

The actual cooking process is very simple:

1. Use 2 parts of water or broth per 1 part organic buckwheat kernels.
2. Toast groats in a large saucepan with a bit of olive oil for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add water and bring to a boil.
4. Cook for about 10-15 minutes at a simmer until all water is absorbed.

Season cooked groats with salt, pepper, and any spices you love. They will taste amazing with any vegetable. You can add sautéed onions at the very beginning of the cooking process to enhance the taste of your organic kasha.


Organic Buckwheat Groats with Mushrooms: Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup organic buckwheat kasha
• 1 ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion (large and finely chopped)
• 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 bouillon cubes (natural and salt-free)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat up the oil in a deep saucepan.
2. Sautee onions until they turn golden.
3. Add organic buckwheat kernels and sautee with onions for 5-7 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent kernels from burning.
4. Pour water with bouillon cubes into the pan and bring to a boil.
5. Add sliced mushrooms and stir carefully before covering the saucepan and reducing heat to a simmer.
6. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

Season the dish with salt and pepper after you turn off the heat, but while the kasha is still hot. You can also sprinkle some chopped fresh herbs on top when serving.

To make your dish 100% vegan and more natural, you can replace water with bouillon cubes by homemade vegetable broth. This will enrich the taste of organic buckwheat groats.


Should You Buy Organic Buckwheat Bulk?

You definitely should buy organic buckwheat kasha in bulk if you want to enjoy this pseudo-grain regularly. Buckwheat kernels keep extremely well if you store them in an airtight container someplace cool. Bear in mind that you don’t have to refrigerate organic kasha. However, this would increase its shelf life by a few months.

Please note that due to a rather strong natural smell of organic buckwheat kernels, you should store them separately.