Buckwheat likely sounds scary if you’re on the gluten-free diet. But despite its name, buckwheat is not wheat. It’s gluten-free, and it’s safe for people with gluten sensitivity.
While many people think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel making it a suitable substitute for grains for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens. Buckwheat flowers are very fragrant and are attractive to bees that use them to produce a special, strongly flavored, dark honey
For processing into food, buckwheat seeds must first be dehulled. The remaining seed material, called groats, can be ground into flour. Roasted buckwheat groats are known as kasha.
There are plenty of good reasons to eat buckwheat. It’s high in protein and B vitamins and rich in phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium, and lysine. Buckwheat is also a good source of fiber: a one-cup serving of cooked buckwheat groats provides 17 grams of dietary fiber (you should get 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day).
It also contains 22 grams of protein.