Buckwheat core. Secrets of choosing buckwheat. Composition of buckwheat, glycemic index, BJU ratio, nutritional value

What types of buckwheat are there, and how do they differ? Depending on the processing method, buckwheat is divided into two types: kernel and prodel. Yadritsa is the most common form; these are whole buckwheat kernels, peeled from the hulls. This type of cereal contains less debris and is easier to wash. Prodelo is the name for small split grains: they contain less vitamins and fiber, so such grains are used mainly in various industrial additives. Now there is another type of cereal on sale - buckwheat flakes. They are smaller, but of better quality, because they are made by flattening the grains. Many people love them for their very quick preparation, because buckwheat flakes do not require cooking (NTV): they are either poured with boiling water or minimal heat treatment is used. There are also derivatives of buckwheat, for example, buckwheat flour, which is often used by confectioners and bakers, and is used for cosmetic purposes. In its consistency, it is not much different from wheat flour, except perhaps in color.

The kernel can be fried or steamed (brown in different shades), this is exactly how we are used to seeing it on sale.

Steamed buckwheat

The grain, cleared of impurities, is sent for steaming for 1 hour. Steam is supplied to a special tank where the buckwheat is located under a pressure of 3 atmospheres and a temperature of +130°C. Thanks to steaming, buckwheat kernels are easily peeled off from the husk, which is what the manufacturer needs. After steaming, the buckwheat kernels undergo peeling and separation procedures. At this stage of processing, the grains are cleared of husks, which are removed by blowing.

Then the already exfoliated grain is passed sequentially through 4 vibrating sieves with different cell diameters, which is the calibration of buckwheat kernels. Depending on the size and integrity of the kernels, the final types of buckwheat that are offered to customers are determined. Moreover, the higher the steam pressure and the duration of processing, the more the grain darkens. For crumbly porridge, it is better to choose steamed buckwheat (by the way, according to GOST, it should be cooked for 15 minutes).

Fried buckwheat

Using a powerful fan, hot air dries the steamed grain. Roasting adds a nutty hue to the taste of the product and helps remove moisture from the grain, which increases the shelf life of buckwheat. Naturally, not all valuable nutrients are preserved in thermally processed cereals. This is the secret of how buckwheat turns out to be the brown color we are used to.

Nowadays, green buckwheat, which has not been subjected to heat treatment, is becoming increasingly popular.

Green buckwheat.


It is produced by removing the fruit shells without heat treatment using natural drying. It differs from fried buckwheat in its mild nutty taste, rich chemical composition and a wider range of beneficial properties. It retains natural energy and the ability to germinate. It is in demand among connoisseurs of a healthy lifestyle, vegetarians, raw foodists, and is indispensable during fasting.

The shelf life of buckwheat varies from 18 to 24 months depending on storage conditions. Store buckwheat in clean, dry, well-ventilated places that are free from pests.

In accordance with GOST standards, the optimal temperature for storing buckwheat should not exceed 0-25 degrees Celsius, and humidity should not exceed 70%.

Quality of raw materials.

Weather and climatic conditions also affect the quality of buckwheat, and therefore the cereal obtained from it. When compiling batches of buckwheat sent for processing, mixing grain of different types, types (sizes, shapes, technological properties), and different moisture contents should not be allowed. It is impossible to obtain high-quality cereals from buckwheat kernels with foreign odors, moldy, self-heated and containing a large number of impurities. Grain deficiencies are usually transferred to cereals. Quality buckwheat is obtained from fresh and well-executed grains.

Processing technologies.

Under severe thermal regimes, decomposition and loss of the quantitative content of vitamins occurs; a high degree of protein denaturation leads to its destruction and the formation of a so-called insoluble dense “residue” that is not absorbed by the human body.

Packaging containers.

The most commonly used material for packaging cereals is multilayer films made of polypropylene and polyethylene. They can be three-seam bags, doy-pack bags, bags with side folds, etc. The undeniable advantages of such packaging for groceries include its resistance to various external influences and complete tightness. It allows you not only to protect cereals from spoilage during transportation, but also to preserve all their beneficial properties. Another option is cardboard packaging, which does not emit any harmful substances and therefore does not have a negative impact on human health. In addition, cardboard is an environmentally friendly packaging material, the disposal and recycling of which does not harm the environment. Location of warehouses.

Buckwheat does not tolerate sunlight well, so it should be stored both at home and in the store only in darkened rooms or in special packaging. In general, the shelf life of food products at lower storage temperatures increases. When choosing where to keep buckwheat, do not forget that any grain absorbs odors perfectly. Therefore, place containers with kernels away from products with a pronounced aroma.

Purchase of buckwheat. The main region that is engaged in the cultivation and processing of this crop is the Siberian Federal District, where the main producing region is the Altai Territory. Next comes the Central, Volga and Ural Federal Districts.

Buckwheat is sold packaged in: 0.8 kg, 0.9 kg, 1 kg, 3 kg, 5 kg, 10 kg, 25 kg, 50 kg.

The main problems when buying buckwheat:


1) Assess the appearance of the cereal. Remember: lighter-colored buckwheat is the highest quality. Typically, buckwheat that has undergone heat treatment has a darker color and, accordingly, a smaller set of useful substances. The highest quality buckwheat is light golden in color with a greenish tint.

2) We look at the nuclei. Buckwheat kernels must be intact, without any inclusions or damage. There should not be many half kernels. High-quality cereals have kernels of approximately the same size.

3) Pay attention to the smell. The cereal should not smell damp or moldy.

4) Also pay attention to additional impurities and the presence of foreign grains in the bag. The bag should not contain leaves, husks, or dust.

Guided by the above tips, you can make the right choice and choose truly healthy buckwheat!

Buckwheat porridge is considered one of the healthiest porridges. This is due to the fact that buckwheat contains essential nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iodine, vitamins B1 and B2, PP (rutin, which is obtained industrially from buckwheat). In addition, buckwheat contains many iron salts, citric and malic acids, which are catalysts for food absorption.

Buckwheat is an environmentally friendly product. It is very nutritious and healthy. This cereal is ideal for diabetics and weight loss dieters. Buckwheat is considered a national Russian dish. Although cultivation for the first time did not begin in Russia about forty centuries ago and was brought to our country much later, since then in Russia this cereal has always been grown as a food product.

  • participates in strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
  • improves memory;
  • has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, protects against stress, and fights depression;
  • is easily digestible, so it is included in children’s diets already at the end of the first year of life;
  • helps lower blood pressure;
  • cleanses the body of waste and toxins;
  • helps to get rid of excess weight;
  • normalizes the functioning of the digestive tract;
  • helps reduce “bad” cholesterol in the blood;
  • reduces the risk of liver disease.

How to use

Buckwheat has found its use as a food product and a remedy for many diseases in folk medicine.

In cooking

Buckwheat is used and known by many as a side dish or porridge. But the possibilities of its preparation are not limited to this.

What else is being prepared:

  • from buckwheat - soup and hominy;
  • from flour - sauces, pancakes and pancakes, noodles;
  • from buckwheat - tea, jelly, beer, whiskey.

“Buckwheat menu” for the whole day

For breakfast - buckwheat porridge pancakes for 4 servings.

Ingredients: 100 g of raw cereal, egg, 30 g of butter and sour cream, 2 sprigs of fresh dill and parsley, salt to taste.

Cooking steps:

  1. Cook buckwheat porridge and cool.
  2. Beat the egg and sour cream. Add the mixture to the porridge and add salt.
  3. Finely chop the greens and mix with the dough.
  4. Fry in butter.

First course for lunch - cheese soup with zucchini and buckwheat for 5 servings.

Ingredients: 70 g of cereal, 250 g of zucchini, 150 g of processed cheese, 1 carrot and onion, 1-2 cloves of garlic, 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, salt and spices to taste. For the broth: 250-300 g of meat on the bone, 1 liter of water.

Cooking steps:

Second course - buckwheat with minced meat in pots for 2 servings.

Ingredients: 1 cup buckwheat, 100 g minced meat, 50 g margarine, onion, salt to taste.

Cooking steps:

For dinner - sweet buckwheat casserole with cottage cheese for 4 servings.

Ingredients: 0.5 cups of cereal, 150 g of cottage cheese, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp. l. sour cream and sugar, one packet of vanillin, 1 tbsp. l. breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp. l. butter, salt to taste.

Cooking steps:

In folk medicine

Buckwheat is included in many folk recipes. Green grains are considered the most healing. They are not processed, so they retain their original natural strength.

The flowers of the plant are used to prepare decoctions and tinctures. Their used in the treatment of colds:

  1. Expectorant. 1 liter of boiling water is poured into 50 g of buckwheat flowers. The infusion is taken 4-5 times a day, 1 glass.
  2. Dry cough. Mix herbs: 40 g of buckwheat flowers, 20 g each of common white, black elderberry, heart-shaped linden, 30 g each of wild poppy flowers, wild mallow and medicinal lungwort. Steam overnight in 1 liter of boiling water. Strain and drink 50 ml every hour.

Fresh buckwheat leaves are used for external use.. Wash and apply as a compress to purulent wounds.

Yadritsa is used to prepare homemade cosmetics: masks, scrubs. To do this, grind it in a coffee grinder to flour and add auxiliary ingredients: honey, olive oil, sour cream.

For weight loss

Buckwheat is considered. It saturates the body with nutrients and helps get rid of toxins and waste.

Nutritionists have developed buckwheat diets lasting 3, 7 and 14 days. There are “soft” and “strict” options.

Quickly getting rid of extra pounds occurs by consuming only buckwheat and water.. With this method, cereals can be eaten in unlimited quantities. Weight loss occurs from the first days.

Nutritionists recommend going on a “strict” diet no more than once every six months., since on such a diet the body does not receive enough nutrients to function properly.

A “soft” diet includes additional components: vegetables, herbs, fruits, cottage cheese, dried fruits, kefir, tea and coffee without sugar. The body does not experience much stress during natural cleansing. The principle of this diet: breakfast - buckwheat, lunch - buckwheat and breast, dinner - vegetables. Second breakfast and afternoon snack - cottage cheese, vegetables, fruits.

Important! With any diet option, drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day.

How to properly cook fast-cooking grains

Fast-cooking kernels are cereals that have been treated with steam at high pressure.. In other words - steamed. Processing takes away some of the nutrients and nutrients, but extends the shelf life of the product.

How to cook - cooking stages:

  1. The kernel is sorted out, debris and impurities are removed.
  2. Rinse with cold water.
  3. Heat a thick-bottomed pan and pour in the cereal. Warm up the grains.
  4. Pour in cold water and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
  6. Add salt and butter if desired.

How to choose high-quality buckwheat core

Buckwheat pay attention to the following points:

  1. Package. Manufacturers package the product in ordinary plastic bags and boxes. This affects the price difference, not the quality of the cereal. Buckwheat in a box is more expensive.
  2. Variety. Yadritsa can be of the highest, first, second, third grade. The words “Extra”, “Premium”, etc. have nothing to do with the variety.
  3. GOST. Since October 2014, the new standard GOST R 55290-2012 has been in effect for buckwheat. The difference from the previous one is that an admixture of wheat grains is allowed even in the highest grade buckwheat.
  4. Net weight. Manufacturers produce cereal in 800 and 900 g sizes. Before purchasing, it is worth calculating how much 1 kg of buckwheat costs.
  5. Color and shape of grains. The healthy cereal has a light brown color and triangular kernels. Buckwheat, which is dark brown in color, is grown in China. It is processed at high temperatures to increase shelf life and loses some of its beneficial properties.
  6. Date of manufacture and expiration date. If the conditions are met, buckwheat can be stored for two years.

Advantages and disadvantages

Rich the composition of buckwheat gives it its benefits:

  • a good source of easily digestible protein;
  • diabetic cereal;
  • dietary product;
  • affordable.

The main disadvantage is the appearance of instant cereals on sale. Buckwheat, steamed twice, loses all its beneficial properties..

Contraindications and possible harm

Undesirable side effects may occur when using the product.. To avoid this, it is worth finding out in advance what contraindications the kernel has.

The product is contraindicated:

  • people prone to increased blood clotting;
  • people with intolerance to the product;
  • children under 6 months.

When consuming buckwheat as a mono-diet for more than seven days, weakness, fatigue, headache, insomnia and other symptoms of a lack of vitamins and minerals in the body.

Conclusion

Buckwheat kernels are buckwheat grains. After removing the outer shell and heat treatment, they become light or dark brown in color. High-quality cereals have triangular kernels. When buying buckwheat, pay attention to the packaging, date of manufacture, expiration date, GOST, color and shape of the grains.

There are many interesting and confusing legends associated with this cereal. Despite the fact that in Europe buckwheat is considered an original Russian product, this is not so. In Rus', the culture appeared only in the 7th century, coming to us from Greece, and began to be called “Greek cereals.” It was cultivated by Greek monks who lived in local monasteries and hermitages.

This is interesting. Grain came to the West only in the 10th–11th centuries, but neither then nor now did it become the basis of the diet. Today, buckwheat in European countries can only be found in pharmacies, where it is sold as a dietary and medicinal product.

In Russia, this valuable crop is used very widely - many tasty and healthy dishes are prepared from grain, and medicines are produced. The husk is stuffed into pillows and mattresses or used as fertilizer.

Chemical composition of buckwheat

Since tsarist times, buckwheat has been an obligatory part of the Russian diet. Today, her popularity has only grown. It has been proven that the cereal has a unique and balanced composition that is beneficial for the body.

  • polyunsaturated fatty acids;
  • antioxidants;
  • starch;
  • vitamins B, A, E, PP rutin;
  • microelements - calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper;
  • organic acids - folic, citric, maleic, malic;
  • cystine, cysteine, histidine;
  • lysine, arginine, methionine.

Due to the high content of antioxidants, buckwheat does not spoil even during long-term storage, does not turn bitter or moldy. A distinctive feature of the cereal is the increased content of essential amino acids, optimally balanced in composition. One of them, histidine, promotes the growth of children, and cysteine ​​and cystine help cleanse the body of radioactive substances. Fast saturation and removal of waste and toxins is facilitated by fiber, which is quite high in buckwheat - 11.3%.

This is interesting. The cereal is completely gluten-free, therefore it is hypoallergenic and does not have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Nutritional value of buckwheat

The calorie content of buckwheat is not very high and averages 305–315 kcal per 100 g of raw product.

All substances included in the cereal are absorbed quickly and completely, so cereal is considered the best component of baby and dietary nutrition.

Types and varieties of buckwheat

Today there are many varieties of buckwheat. The classification is based not only on the way the product is processed, but also on its quality. What is the largest variety of buckwheat and what is it called?

There are 4 main types of grain processing:

  1. The kernel is the largest species. It is obtained from uncrushed (whole) grains. During processing, only the husk (husk) is removed from them. Can be fried or green (live);
  2. Chopped (prodel) - crushed buckwheat grain. The species is not divided into varieties and is processed as a kernel.
  3. Smolensk grain is the smallest buckwheat, reminiscent of semolina.
  4. Flour is cereal ground into powder.

Now you can find another type of grain on sale - buckwheat flakes. They are smaller, but more granular. The product is obtained by flattening the core. The flakes are quick to prepare and have a delicate and mild taste, ideal for baby and diet food.

There are also fast-cooking types of buckwheat. They are obtained by intensive roasting or steaming. This product is prepared very quickly, but it is of little use.

Advice. To get the maximum benefit from buckwheat, you should focus on the color of the grain - the lighter it is, the less processing it has undergone, which means it has retained more valuable substances.

The best side dishes and crumbly porridges are made from buckwheat groats, and “spread” or a dish with milk and dried fruits is prepared from the chaff. Smolensk grain is used for casseroles and pie fillings, and pancakes and pancakes are baked from flour.

Green buckwheat

Green buckwheat should be mentioned separately. Cereals are rarely found on store shelves and few are familiar with them. They obtain a living kernel from hulled grain, so the cereal retains the entire set of vitamins and microelements.

Valuable qualities of green buckwheat:

  • the living product is a powerful antioxidant;
  • removes heavy metals and radiation from the body;
  • contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which prevent tissue aging;
  • normalizes blood sugar levels, lowers blood pressure, regulates cholesterol.

Green buckwheat has another advantage - it can be sprouted. And eating even a couple of spoons of such a vitamin dish for breakfast will have a great effect on the functioning of the whole body.

Buckwheat flour

Another interesting product of the buckwheat family is flour. It has a grayish-brown tint and is slightly bitter, but dishes prepared from the grind are very tasty.

Buckwheat flour is most widespread in Asian cuisine. In China and Japan, dark noodles called “soba” are prepared from it. This tasty and satisfying dish is considered to be the basis of the oriental table, along with rice.

Advice. Buckwheat flour does not contain gluten, so it is impossible to make pancakes or pancakes from it without adding wheat.

In Rus', healthy and nutritious ground buckwheat was used to knead dough for pancakes and pancakes, cook jelly, make casseroles and pie fillings. Later, dark flour was forced out of the kitchen by its more attractive analogues - wheat and rye. There are many reasons for this, but nutritionists unanimously claim that ground buckwheat is much healthier.

Supported by nutritionists and pediatricians. Children's doctors strongly recommend giving babies formulas and porridges with added flour. Buckwheat will relieve your baby from allergies, improve health and prevent the development of diseases.

The calorie content of grinding is 348–355 kcal per 100 g of initial product.

The benefits of buckwheat for the body

Buckwheat is useful for everyone without exception. It helps alleviate the condition of the following pathologies:

  • low hemoglobin;
  • thrombophlebitis, varicose veins of the extremities;
  • diabetes;
  • obesity;
  • haemorrhoids;
  • CNS disorders;
  • atherosclerosis.
An important element in buckwheat is iron, so the cereal is necessary for women with heavy and long periods, as well as people who have lost a lot of blood and donors. Flavonoids are no less important. It is known that they protect the body from cancer, normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

How is buckwheat useful for women?

As mentioned above, the cereal contains a large amount of B vitamins, which are necessary for the fairer sex. Regular consumption of buckwheat will not only restore the health of the central nervous system, but also improve the condition of nails and hair. And plant-based phytoestrogens normalize hormonal levels and help a woman survive menopause.

The benefits of buckwheat for pregnant women

Buckwheat is especially valuable for young ladies expecting a baby. The high content of folic acid (B9) has a positive effect on the intrauterine development of the child and the health of the mother.

Organic amino acids, vitamins and microelements, especially iron, provide a woman with a complete and balanced set of nutrients. Cereals help control the weight of pregnant women, allowing them to eat tasty and satisfying without overeating.

Advice. Buckwheat porridge with chicken breast or a serving of omelette is an excellent lunch for a pregnant woman and does not require additional products.

The cereal is also useful for nursing mothers. Cereals enhance milk production and improve its quality, preventing the development of dermatoses in the baby. In addition, buckwheat maintains an even emotional mood, helps fight postpartum depression and fatigue, and improves the appearance of a young mother.

Buckwheat for babies

It is recommended to introduce this valuable grain into the diet in the form of flour from the age of eight months. Complementary feeding starts with 1 tsp, gradually increasing the amount. Pediatricians advise adding buckwheat to porridges, soups and yoghurts, mixing it with milk or cooking jelly from the grind. Cereals provide great variety and complement your baby’s diet.

Advantages of buckwheat complementary foods:

  • calms the baby's nervous system;
  • supplies the body with energy, vitamins and microelements;
  • prevents the occurrence of anemia;
  • accelerates the development of the child, increases mental abilities;
  • does not cause dysbacteriosis and skin pathologies.

The cereal is especially useful for weakened and premature children, who often suffer from respiratory infections and are obese.

The benefits of buckwheat for men

The benefits of buckwheat for the stronger sex have been known for a long time. From time immemorial, cereal was considered the best food for soldiers and was widely used both in the Tsarist army and during the Great Patriotic War.

Attention. High protein content promotes muscle growth, increases strength and endurance of the male body. A set of amino acids helps maintain potency and increases sexual stamina.

Buckwheat porridge is also necessary for athletes, especially those who engage in strength sports: arm wrestling, bodybuilding, weightlifting.

Buckwheat for weight loss and cleansing the body

Many girls, in pursuit of a slim figure, are ready to go on a strict diet for months, harming their health and appearance. Moreover, all their efforts often end in failure and even greater weight gain. In addition to this, emotional instability, feelings of guilt and dissatisfaction appear.

A buckwheat diet will help you lose weight without physical and nervous losses. Naturally, there is no need to sit for 2 weeks on only one cereal. The diet can and should be supplemented with vegetables and fruits, lactic acid foods, juice and green tea with honey. These products go well with buckwheat and help you easily and quietly survive hungry days.

Buckwheat with kefir

Recently, a diet based on cereals and kefir has become increasingly popular. Indeed, such a diet helps you lose weight quickly and easily, but not everyone can withstand 14 days on these foods alone.

If you really can’t eat according to the rules, buckwheat and kefir can be varied with vegetables and fruits, honey, and low-fat cottage cheese. In this case, the weight will go away more slowly, but the process of losing weight will be easier and simpler.

Preparing a dietary dish is very simple:

  • a glass of buckwheat is washed, dried and poured into a deep bowl so that it takes up 1/3 of the volume;
  • pour ½ liter of kefir on top of the cereal and mix;
  • cover the container and leave for 6–8 hours at room temperature.

The prepared amount of buckwheat should be eaten in two doses - in the morning and after lunch.

Some adherents of separate nutrition may not like the idea of ​​mixing buckwheat with kefir. In this case, it is recommended to pour boiled water over the cereal, leave it and eat it with a lactic acid product.

The buckwheat diet, although effective, is not suitable for everyone. There are a number of ailments for which losing weight in this way is contraindicated:

  • gastritis and peptic ulcer in the acute stage;
  • pancreatitis;
  • hepatitis, liver cirrhosis;
  • colitis.

The presence of these pathologies does not mean that buckwheat should not be eaten at all. Cereals can be included in the diet along with other foods, but eating only them for a long time is not recommended.

Fasting day on buckwheat

This method of fasting is suitable for those who are afraid or for health reasons cannot remain without food for a long time. For a one-day diet, as well as for regular consumption, you should choose whole grain buckwheat.

In terms of losing weight and cleansing the body, fasting days are no less effective than long-term fasting. You can lose 0.5–0.7 kg per day, which is not so bad if we are talking about maintaining a normal weight. In addition, one-time events are easy and do not cause significant discomfort.
The fasting day diet should ideally consist of 250 g of buckwheat and green tea. A glass of cereal is washed in the evening and steamed with ½ liter of boiling water. The next morning, divide the resulting porridge into 5-6 servings and eat them evenly throughout the day. You can drink without restrictions. The last meal should be no later than 19:00.

Advice. If it is impossible to eat buckwheat alone, it is recommended to add a little prunes or dried apricots to it, and add a spoonful of honey to green tea.

How to choose buckwheat

Unfortunately, recent years have not been very favorable for our own buckwheat harvests, so grain has to be purchased from neighbors, most often in China. Imported cereals are of worse quality - they are wetter and not as tasty, so it is better to purchase native ones, grown in Altai.

But how can you tell one grain from another? The origin of the grain is not indicated on the packaging, and information about the manufacturer is not always reliable. The fact is that domestic companies, having purchased whole Chinese raw materials, steam it, peel and fry it, and then package it, indicating themselves on the label.

Advice. In order not to be mistaken about the origin of buckwheat, you should pay attention to the appearance of the grain - in Altai raw materials the edges are sharply expressed, in Chinese they are smoothed out.

In addition, imported cereal is darker in color, since it has to be fried longer to prevent mold from appearing during storage, and it costs less.

When buying buckwheat, you need to pay attention to the presence of the GOST standard on the packaging. This is the oldest and truest quality mark for cereals. If “Higher” or “Extra” grades are indicated instead of a number, the product clearly does not meet the requirements and, most likely, was imported from China. It may be expired or have an unpleasant odor. Therefore, you should purchase such cereals carefully. When you get home, it is recommended to ventilate it and pour it into a glass container.

Dangerous properties of buckwheat

Speaking about buckwheat, you should understand that, despite its nutritional value and benefits for the body, cereals may have restrictions on consumption.

Cereals are not recommended to be eaten frequently or in large quantities by people suffering from constipation and flatulence. Patients with renal failure and pancreatitis should limit their consumption of buckwheat. In case of gastrointestinal pathologies, the duration of the mono-diet should be limited to 3–4 days. Cereal is also contraindicated for persons with individual intolerance to the product.

Otherwise, buckwheat is an ideal choice for children's and dietary nutrition and, within reasonable limits, is useful for everyone without exception. How to use it is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Whether it’s crumbly porridge or viscous “sludge,” or maybe hot pancakes with sour cream or buckwheat with kefir, the main thing is moderation and a reasonable approach.

Buckwheat groats– an extremely healthy and nutritious product obtained by processing buckwheat seeds, the homeland of which is considered to be Northern India. Many scientists claim that this type of cereal (see photo) began to be used for cooking five thousand years ago. In the 15th century, the popularity of buckwheat began to gain momentum in Asia and the Middle East, and already in the seventeenth century, all of Europe was preparing many delicious dishes based on this product.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that kernels and buckwheat (prodel) are the same thing. Although these two products are derived from buckwheat, they differ in the integrity of the kernel. If the kernel is whole buckwheat grains, then the product is coarsely crushed. In the first case, buckwheat is a more useful product than in the second.

Today, buckwheat kernels are sold in three states:

  • cheese – has a natural green color;
  • fried – has a brown color;
  • steamed (quick-cooking buckwheat) – colored soft brown.

In the latter case, the cereal is cooked literally in a matter of minutes.

How to choose and store correctly?

In order to correctly select and store buckwheat kernels, you need to know several important rules. The fact is that this product is divided into three varieties, only one of which is of higher quality and healthier. It is always recommended to buy 1st grade buckwheat.

In addition, when purchasing this type of cereal, you need to pay attention to the size and colors of the kernels. They should be approximately the same size and a uniform brown color. It is not recommended to buy buckwheat if its color is too dark. This means that the product has been subjected to heat treatment for quite a long time to increase shelf life. If there are dark and light grains in one package, then the grain will cook unevenly. The same result will occur if the nucleoli differ in caliber.

Buckwheat should be stored in a hermetically sealed container, so when opening the package, it is recommended to move the buckwheat into a glass jar and close it tightly with a lid. This will help protect the product from moisture and also from insects. Under no circumstances should buckwheat be stored for longer than two years.

The use of buckwheat in cooking

The use of buckwheat in cooking is quite multifaceted. It is not only a main dish or a side dish. From this product it is possible to prepare a lot of delicious snacks, as well as original fillings for baked goods. Boiled buckwheat goes perfectly with meat, fish, and vegetables. Many people prefer to prepare milk porridge and various hearty casseroles from it. In the table below you will find several recipes using buckwheat.

Name

Ingredients

Greek people

One hundred grams of unsteamed “Extra” buckwheat, five hundred grams of minced pork, three eggs, one onion, five tablespoons of wheat flour, one hundred and sixty milliliters of sunflower oil, spices (to taste).

The first step is to bring the buckwheat to readiness, and in the meantime the onion is chopped into large slices, fried on all sides and chopped with a meat grinder. The prepared vegetable is added to the minced meat, followed by spices and one egg. Boiled buckwheat is crushed with a blender and added to the pork mixture. Everything is mixed well, after which small cakes are made from the minced meat and rolled in flour. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. The formed cutlets are thoroughly dipped in them and fried in a frying pan until cooked.

buckwheat casserole

Two ripe apples, one hundred grams of buckwheat and hard cheese, three tablespoons of fat sour cream, seventy grams of raisins, two eggs, a tablespoon of granulated sugar, ten grams of vanilla sugar, three teaspoons of lemon juice, one hundred grams of butter, cinnamon (according to taste).

First of all, take the cheese and grind it in a food processor until smooth. The apples are chopped using a fine mesh grater and added to the cheese mixture. Butter and pre-cooked buckwheat are also added there. The resulting mixture is blended with a blender, and in the meantime, vanilla sugar, sour cream, regular granulated sugar, cinnamon and eggs are beaten in a separate pan. The finished egg mixture is added to the buckwheat mass, raisins are added there, and everything is thoroughly mixed. The resulting workpiece is poured into a baking dish, placed in the oven and baked for twenty minutes at a temperature of two hundred degrees. The casserole is served after cooling.

Julienne with buckwheat core

One bag of Mistral buckwheat, one hundred and fifty grams of boiled chicken fillet, six champignons, fifty milliliters of heavy cream, two teaspoons of sour cream, thirty grams of hard cheese, one onion, salt and pepper (to taste), butter (for frying) .

First of all, you need to boil the buckwheat. While the cereal is cooking, chop the chicken into pieces. In a frying pan with melted butter, fry onions, mushrooms, and chicken fillet. The resulting fried mixture is poured with cream and salted, then mixed with buckwheat and placed in special containers for julienne. The mass is smeared with sour cream, sprinkled with cheese and placed in the oven for three minutes. The finished dish is served to the table immediately after preparation.

In addition, first courses are prepared from this type of buckwheat. Buckwheat soup with meatballs is especially tasty.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of buckwheat groats are due to the fact that it contains a large amount of vitamin B, as well as organic acids and fiber. This product is also rich in vital microelements, namely phosphorus, iron, zinc, potassium, iodine and others.

Due to the fact that buckwheat is saturated with folic acid, this cereal can cure stomach and intestinal diseases. It is also recommended to eat buckwheat in the following cases:

  • for the prevention of liver diseases;
  • for diabetes mellitus;
  • for the treatment of leukemia;
  • to strengthen the immune system;
  • to improve blood circulation.

Buckwheat kernels contain substances that can remove heavy metals from the body. And due to the fact that it does not contain gluten, this product cannot harm people who have celiac disease.

Buckwheat is a very valuable product, and it is valued not only for its pleasant taste, but also for its beneficial qualities. This buckwheat is good for absolutely anyone!

Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation

Federal State Educational Institution

Higher professional education

Perm State Agricultural

Academy named after academician D.N. Pryanishnikova

Department of Commodity Science and Commodity Expertise

Course work

in the discipline of commodity science and examination of grain and flour products

on the topic “Commodity characteristics and examination of buckwheat kernels”

Performed:

3rd year student gr. TV 31

Kotugina D.Yu.

Checked:

Associate Professor N.A. Khlyupina

Perm 2009


Introduction……………………………………………………………….……………..3

1. Brief history…………………………………………………………….………...…...4

1.1 Overview of the Russian buckwheat market……………………………….…………4

1.2 Characteristics of buckwheat as a food product…………………...…….........6

1.3 Raw materials for buckwheat production…….…………….………………..…….........7

1.4 Production technology……………………………………………………..……......8

1.5 Chemical composition and nutritional value of buckwheat.………………..………...9

1.6 Quality indicators of buckwheat in accordance with GOST…………….….…..11

1.7 Packaging, labeling and storage…………………………………..……...15

1.8 Possible defects and diseases of buckwheat, their causes........16

1.9 Processes occurring in buckwheat during storage…………………….…....17

1.10 Identification and falsification of buckwheat…….……………………….…..18

2. Organoleptic analysis of buckwheat kernels…………………...….22

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….....24

List of references……………………………………………………………...25


Introduction

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, many people very often think about what they eat.

Cereal is a whole, crushed or flattened kernel of grain crops and legume seeds, partially or completely freed from the integumentary tissues and sometimes the embryo.

Cereals are included in the list of essential food products available to almost all segments of the population. The norm for cereal consumption in Russia is 15 kg per person per year.

Cereals are an important item of domestic and international trade as they are in daily demand.

Buckwheat is a valuable dietary protein product with a high content of amino acids, rich in iron, phosphorus and copper, which helps restore hemoglobin in the blood. Buckwheat contains vitamins B1, B2, PP, P, as well as vitamin rutin, which reduces the harmful effects of radiation on the body.

The purpose of this course work is to establish compliance of the organoleptic indicators of buckwheat with the requirements of GOST.

To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set:

1.Study the features of the morphological structure, chemical composition and nutritional value of buckwheat.

2. Analyze the market for this product.

3. Study the factors affecting the quality of buckwheat.

To study the object, organoleptic analysis of two buckwheat samples was used.

When writing this course work, the following sources were used: textbooks, articles from scientific journals.


1. Brief history

The name of buckwheat porridge is rooted in its Byzantine past. And if you look even further back into centuries, it turns out that buckwheat’s homeland is forest glades in the Himalayas, where it can still be found in the wild at an altitude of more than 3,500 meters. In ancient times, sown buckwheat was cultivated by the Volga Bulgarians, and only in the 7th century did it penetrate to the Finnish and Slavic tribes.

The mountainous regions of the eastern part of the Asian continent are considered the homeland of buckwheat. The largest number of geographical populations of the Tatary buckwheat species are still found in Mongolia, Siberia and Primorye. In the countries of ancient culture - China, Japan and Korea, buckwheat has been cultivated since ancient times. From these countries, buckwheat culture gradually moved to Central Asia. In Europe, this culture is relatively young. It is believed that buckwheat was brought to Eastern Europe during the Tatar invasion in the 13th century. In Russia, information about it is recorded in “Domostroy” - the first Russian manual on housekeeping, authored by the clergyman Sylvester. Cultivated buckwheat reaches Western Europe in two ways - from the east from Russia and from the south - through Asia Minor with the Crusaders and Arabs. In French, buckwheat is called “le ble sarrasin”, which means Saracen, or Arabic bread. It is believed that buckwheat came to Germany from Russia through Poland, and mention of it in literature is found only in 1436, and in French and Dutch literature even later.

1.1 Overview of the Russian buckwheat market

The development of the cereal market largely depends on the state of the market for cereals and grain crops. Russia has a sufficient raw material base for the production of all types of cereals, except for rice, which is an import-dependent crop. There are 8,360 enterprises involved in the cultivation of cereals and grain crops in Russia.

Figure 1. Shares of various cereals in total production in Russia, 2007, % (according to Rosstat, ICAR)

Figure 2 shows the shares of the main federal districts producing buckwheat in 2008.

Figure 2. Shares of the main federal districts producing buckwheat, 2008

An analysis of Figure 2 shows that the share of the four main federal districts is almost 100% of buckwheat producers. The main producers of buckwheat are the Siberian and Central Federal Districts, whose shares in the all-Russian cereal production are 31% and 28%, respectively. The main regions producing buckwheat are the Altai Territory, whose share in the first half of 2008 in the all-Russian production of buckwheat was 30%, the Republic of Bashkortostan - 9%, Rostov region. – 8%, Bryansk region. – 7%, Voronezh region. – 7%, Orenburg region. – 7%, Tula region. – 6.5%.

Despite the slight forecast reduction in cereal production in 2009 (10-13%), in the near future the demand for it will only increase. Consumption of cereals and grain crops will be ensured by increased production of Russian producers, including products with high added value, a decrease in real disposable income of the population and a reduction in import supplies. In addition, the processes of asset consolidation will intensify.

The impetus for market development will be the phased implementation by the state of the Program “Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Markets for Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Food for 2008-2012.”

1.2 Characteristics of buckwheat as a food product

Buckwheat is one of the most important cereal crops. Related products in the production of grains are kernels - grains and waste in the form of flour and husks. Buckwheat grain is also used to produce polished Smolensk cereals of various sizes, which are used in the dietary nutrition of children and flour used for pancakes. Buckwheat grain is used in the production of cheap types of chocolate. The flour and husks are fed to the animals. Straw ash is used to produce potash.

Buckwheat is also used as a honey crop to produce buckwheat honey.

Buckwheat is increasingly gaining importance as an important medicinal plant: buckwheat plants contain rutin, which is successfully used in the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous system. In homeopathy, the essence from the plant at the stage of seed ripening is used for eczema and rheumatism. A decoction of leaves and flowers is used to treat diabetes. Cereals are a dietary product, useful for liver and kidney diseases, and are well absorbed in combination with milk.

Soups, porridges (with onions and mushrooms), casseroles are prepared from buckwheat, and dumplings, flatbreads, and dumplings are made from flour.

Buckwheat cooks quickly (10-20 minutes), increasing in volume by 4-5 times. The high nutritional and consumer value of buckwheat determines its exceptional role in nutrition.

1.3 Raw materials for the production of buckwheat kernels

The buckwheat genus (Fagoryrum Gaertn.) belongs to the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). 4 types of buckwheat have been identified. Two types are most famous in agricultural practice. These are cultivated buckwheat (F. esculentum) and Tatarian buckwheat (F.tataricum).

These are annual herbaceous plants, with a bare branching stem and taproot, large (arrow-heart-shaped) and shiny leaves, alternately located on the stems. The fruit is a triangular nut with sharp or blunt edges.

Tartary buckwheat is less demanding in terms of growing conditions than cultivated buckwheat, and it was grown for a short time in some areas of southern Siberia. However, it has not proven itself as a cereal crop (its fruits are smaller and thicker-skinned), and is currently regarded as a malicious weed of cultivated buckwheat.

Within the boundaries of the species of cultivated buckwheat, two subspecies are distinguished: ordinary buckwheat and multileaf buckwheat. The fruits of these subspecies can have different shapes (wingless, winged and transitional forms) and color.

Buckwheat is very sensitive to both low and high temperatures. This is a moisture-loving crop. Buckwheat can grow on a variety of soils - from sandy soddy-podzolic soils to chernozems and peat bogs. Prefers acidic soils.

Buckwheat is almost completely undemanding to soil. Therefore, in all countries of the world it is cultivated only on “waste” lands: in the foothills, wastelands, sandy loams, abandoned peat bogs, etc. Buckwheat is cultivated in Western Europe, Central and Asia Minor, Russia, America, Canada, Tasmania.