How to germinate buckwheat, does it need to be sterilized? How to germinate green buckwheat at home. Salads with buckwheat


Everyone who has long adhered to the principles proper nutrition, they know: it is important not only to give up “junk” food, but also to make the diet varied. Constantly eating the same foods is almost as unhealthy as consuming too much sweet or fatty foods. To prevent your diet from turning into real flour, we recommend mastering new healthy, tasty and unusual dishes. For example, try grain sprouts. Almost all live grains can be used for this, but green buckwheat is considered the most popular option. Our article today is about how to germinate green buckwheat at home. Read, memorize and put into practice!

Who didn’t eat buckwheat porridge with milk as a child? We have grown up, but our favorite buckwheat still remains in our diet. True, most of us are accustomed to seeing it in only one color - brown. And not everyone knows that raw buckwheat is actually green. And it is in this kind of grain, not thermally treated, that the maximum beneficial properties are retained. The chemical composition of green buckwheat, compared to brown buckwheat, remains unchanged, which means that the percentage of components is maintained at the correct level.

Green buckwheat for sprouting has a unique amino acid composition that has no analogues among other products plant origin. Substances such as myotin and lysine are absorbed from raw buckwheat by three quarters - an absolute record among all existing cereals.

In addition, unprocessed buckwheat contains many other useful substances: iron, calcium, vitamins E and B, as well as potassium, iodine, zinc, fluorine, phosphorus, cobalt, molybdenum, plus organic acids - malic, citric, oxalic and others, starch and natural sugars.

Buckwheat can be stored for a very long time. At the same time, it does not become bitter over time, does not become moldy, and does not lose its beneficial properties.

Buckwheat is a real healer: it is actively used to increase hemoglobin (both quantity and quality), for colds, decreased immunity, and in many other cases. This unique cereal is indicated for diabetics who are prohibited from eating bread and potatoes. In addition, buckwheat promotes the restoration of organs and cells human body, helps to resist the adverse effects of the external environment, prevents toxic substances from accumulating in the body, promoting their rapid elimination.


Sprouted green buckwheat: the benefits of nature for beauty and slimness

As you can see, buckwheat is a real storehouse of nutrients. But sprouted green buckwheat is even healthier, because, in addition to the benefits of the grain itself, it also contains beneficial features sprouts Sprouted buckwheat activates metabolism, significantly slows down oxidation processes and helps absorb vitamins in full and in the most natural form.

Another “bonus” that germinating green buckwheat gives is that in the very first days after the grain germinates, very powerful biological mechanisms are activated. More specifically, inhibitors are destroyed, proteins are broken down into amino acids, and fats are broken down into fatty acid. It is also during this time that starch turns into malt. Such processes are reminiscent of those that occur in our gastrointestinal tract during the digestion of food. With the only difference - when eating grain sprouts, the internal organs work at half capacity, but the percentage of nutrients absorbed by the body increases many times.

How to properly germinate green buckwheat?

We’ve sorted out the benefits of raw buckwheat and its sprouts. Now let's talk about how to germinate green buckwheat. It is important to take into account several nuances here:

  • The ideal time for germination is the off-season: spring or autumn.
  • It is important to choose the grain itself wisely: look for organic buckwheat from the latest harvest, not treated with any chemicals.
  • The kernels must be intact and have a uniform color - green and beige.

You can buy buckwheat for germination anywhere - from a large store to a market stall. The main condition is that the grains remain of high quality.


Sprouting green buckwheat is much easier than it seems:

  1. All you need is a glass of green buckwheat. This is an approximate amount - please note that the yield of the finished product will be approximately one and a half times greater.
  2. Rinse the cereal under cool water for a minute or two to get rid of excess starch.
  3. Place the already washed buckwheat in a large glass jar and fill it with clean drinking water in proportions of three to one. That is, for a glass of buckwheat - three waters. Leave for an hour and a half, no longer.
  4. Drain the water. The grains that have surfaced during this time can be safely thrown away; all the rest must be rinsed several more times until the water is completely clear.
  5. The remaining cereal must be put back into the jar (or any other ceramic, glass or porcelain container with a lid). The container must be tightly closed and placed in any warm place. Then you need to wait about five hours and carefully mix the grains again.
  6. After 8-10 hours, the first green shoots should appear. Sometimes it may take longer - don't panic, it may just be the nature of the grain. Wait until the sprouts are at least 1 mm long - then you can safely eat them. It’s better to wait two to four days: these are the sprouts that are considered the healthiest and most delicious.
  7. Ready-to-eat sprouts should be thoroughly rinsed again in clean water.

Everything turned out as it should, but how to use the sprouts now? So, if you have ready-made sprouted ones, they will be found by themselves.

Firstly, sprouts can be eaten as an independent dish. Secondly, add to any vegetable salads, season porridge, decorate sandwiches. For example, for starters, try to come up with a simple, but very original and tasty salad from two hundred grams of sprouted buckwheat, a bunch of fresh herbs and several cereal breads. All this splendor must be seasoned with oil (vegetable or olive) mixed with lemon juice. Tasty, original and very, very healthy!

When sprouting grains, avoid the most common mistakes: do not add excess water, even if it seems that there is not enough of it, do not leave the buckwheat for a longer period than prescribed in the recipe, and stir it in time.

Now you know how to sprout green buckwheat for food. Try new things and share your impressions with us!

Quite a lot has already been said about healthy eating today, and every day more and more people are changing their habits for the sake of health. Every now and then you can find colorful inscriptions on store shelves: “No GMOs”, “Does not contain cholesterol”, “Organic products” and the like. But not all of the inscriptions may be true. People who are concerned about their health seek to extract maximum benefit from the foods consumed, and not just saturate the body with food. They put the benefits of products first, and few know that the products we are all familiar with hide incredible benefits.

So, for example, our favorite buckwheat is not only a tasty cereal, it is also famous for its usefulness, especially if you include cereals in your diet that have not been subjected to heat treatment - frying -.

Giving preference to healthy eating and switching to healthy foods, it is very important to maintain a balance and monitor the variety of dishes, because if you constantly eat the same foods, there will be no benefit, and such a diet will very soon get boring. Green buckwheat is very enriching and adds special variety to the diet, which can be prepared in several ways: soaking, steaming, sprouting. And if there are no questions about the first two methods, everything is familiar here, then about the last one a logical question is brewing: “How to germinate green buckwheat?».

Buckwheat, and especially green buckwheat, is a “magic” cereal: it contains such an amount necessary for the body vitamins, minerals and trace elements, that it is prepared in every family and the most suitable option is chosen. Eating buckwheat has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body, it helps increase hemoglobin, strengthen the immune system, promotes cell regeneration, normalization metabolic processes in the body, besides, this cereal is very useful for people suffering from diabetes and observing because of this strict diet, limiting the consumption of potatoes and bread.

Green sprouted buckwheat is especially useful; This is justified by the fact that in the first days after the sprout appears, the processes occurring in it are very close in nature to those that occur in our gastrointestinal tract during the digestion of food. The percentage of useful substances that are absorbed by the body when consuming sprouted grains is several times higher than when consuming grains prepared in the usual way.

If you have made your choice in favor of sprouted grains, but do not know exactly how to germinate green buckwheat, it does not matter, it is a fairly simple process, which we will discuss in detail below.

How to germinate green buckwheat at home

Green buckwheat is sprouted due to its beneficial properties; in this form it is much more easily absorbed by the body with little energy expenditure during digestion. Sprouts are rich in protein and vitamin C. If we compare green sprouted buckwheat with regular buckwheat, then the former is undoubtedly more healthy.

But before learning the rules of how to germinate green buckwheat at home, you need to learn how to choose the right grains for germination.

Perhaps the most important point is that you need to choose green buckwheat, because these grains cannot be heat treated, unlike fried brown or steamed buckwheat, they are still “alive”, and only they are capable of sprouting.

If you take the issue seriously and choose the right cereal, then germinating green buckwheat at home will not cause you any difficulties.

  • It is optimal for germination to focus on high-quality cereals from the latest harvest, ideally if it is “organic cereals”, that is, an environmentally friendly place was chosen for sowing and no chemicals were used during the growing process;
  • Autumn or spring is the most optimal time to germinate buckwheat at home;
  • Carefully examine the grains: their integrity should not be compromised, and the color must be uniform green and beige;
  • There is no obligatory condition for purchasing buckwheat in a store or on the market; the most important thing is that the grains are of high quality.

Before you start germinating green buckwheat at home, you will need to take the following steps:

  • Choose the right dishes: try not to use plastic plates; it is better if you place the grains in a glass, porcelain or ceramic container.
  • Select a shallow and wide bowl for soaking the grains;
  • Be sure to rinse the cereal thoroughly, preferably rinse several times. Rinse as many times as necessary so that the water drained from the cereal is clear;
  • Prepare clean water. This can be spring or filtered water;
  • Find a piece of gauze or bandage.

How to properly sprout green buckwheat for food

After purchasing the “right” grains and completing the preparation stage, you can proceed directly to the most important and interesting thing - germinating buckwheat grains. The process is quite fascinating; at first glance, it seems labor-intensive, but in fact there is nothing complicated here; anyone can do it, even the inexperienced.

We have prepared for you detailed description and described step by step how to properly sprout green buckwheat for food. So let's get started.

  1. Buy green buckwheat grains. Only green and no other: ordinary cereals will never germinate and your expectations will be in vain.
  2. Determine the required portion of cereal for germination. There are absolutely no restrictions here, everyone calculates the serving size purely individually; note that it is best to germinate cereals with a small reserve (literally for 2-3 days), this will save you from the need to return to the germination process every day;
  3. Very important! You definitely need to wash the seeds, even if they look clean - this is not an indicator. It is advisable to rinse under running water at least three times. You can rinse the grains in a way convenient for you: under running water or pour in the grains and later remove those that have floated to the surface.
  4. Next, you need to place the washed grains in the container where they will be germinated.. It is better to choose wide glassware - it is convenient to lay out the grains in one layer.
  5. We should also talk about water. For germination, you cannot take regular tap water; you need the water to be purified, but under no circumstances boiled. Pour the grains clean water in proportion: pour three parts of water into one part of buckwheat.
  6. Prepare to wait. After about three hours, the grains will become twice their original size. That is why the dishes should be wide. If mucus starts to appear around the cereal, don’t worry, there’s nothing to worry about, you’ll just need to rinse the cereal again under water.
  7. Have you decided to properly sprout green buckwheat for food? Do not leave the seeds to swell for more than ten hours, otherwise an irreversible fermentation process will begin and such grains will have to be thrown away. They cannot be eaten.
  8. Rinse the buckwheat after the first two to three hours of swelling and spread it in a thin layer over the surface of the dish used for germination, and cover with one layer of gauze.
  9. Next, close the dish with a lid, but you don’t need to close it tightly, leave a flow of air, the grains should breathe. Place the container in a warm place for about a day, and once every ten hours you need to rinse the cereal, but this must be done extremely carefully so as not to injure the sprouts.
  10. When the set time has passed, you can notice small sprouts, no more than two to three millimeters, they are optimal for consumption.
  11. When the sprouts reach the desired length, you can remove them from the heat and put them in the refrigerator, which will stop the growth, or you can immediately start preparing your favorite dishes.

Before you germinate green buckwheat at home, carefully go through each of the outlined steps and prepare everything you need to realize your idea. Feel free to start germinating green buckwheat, and in just a couple of days (this is exactly the time period required for the grains to become as healthy and tasty as possible) you will be able to taste sprouted green buckwheat and fill your body with the beneficial elements it needs.

Brown grains are not the natural state of buckwheat grains, as many people think. They become this way after frying fresh greenish kernels, which is done to extend their shelf life. What green buckwheat tastes like, what can be prepared from it, and how healthy such dishes will be - interesting information in our article.

Few products can boast such an impressive range of useful substances. In terms of its composition, this cereal takes an honorable first place among other competitors.

Buckwheat contains:

  • B vitamins (almost all), ascorbic acid, PP, E, K;
  • optimal amount of minerals and trace elements;
  • essential amino acids - lysine, leucine, threonine, histidine (18 items in total);
  • fatty acid;
  • vegetable protein;
  • flavonoids - rutin, vitexin, isoorientin, etc.;
  • phytoestrogens (lignans);
  • essential oils;
  • carbohydrates - cellulose, fiber;
  • glucose, galactose.

One hundred grams of product contains 310 kcal, which indicates high nutritional value.

How is green buckwheat different from regular buckwheat?

Any product that undergoes heat treatment loses some of its properties. Buckwheat is not a happy exception.

The comparison table clearly demonstrates how the composition of buckwheat kernels differs before and after roasting.

ComponentsAmount of green buckwheat per 100 g, % of daily valueAmount per 100 g of fried cereal, % of daily value
Alimentary fiber40 35
Vegetable protein25 20
Vitamin B111 6
Vitamin B242 25
Vitamin B360 40
Vitamin B618 11
Folic acid13 9
Pantothenic acid21 13
Magnesium100 55
Phosphorus60 32
Iron20 14
Zinc30 16
Copper90 31
Manganese110 80
Selenium20 12
Calorie content17 15

Along with a decrease in the amount of substances valuable to the body, the beneficial properties of cereals decrease.

By the way, in the countries of the USSR until 1950, stores offered customers only natural, unroasted buckwheat.

Benefits for the human body

The rich composition is not the only advantage of buckwheat over other cereals. This crop is considered the most environmentally friendly, since practically no herbicides or toxic substances are used for its cultivation.

A strong argument in favor of the absolute naturalness of the product is also the fact that genetic modifications of buckwheat have not yet been developed. And the absence of gluten, a common allergen, in this grain allows almost everyone to consume the product without fear.

How does buckwheat affect the health of every person:

  • strengthens the immune system;
  • improves lipid metabolism;
  • replenishes the body's energy reserves;
  • eliminates slagging;
  • promotes normal digestion;
  • cleanses the gastrointestinal tract;
  • normalizes the concentration of sugar and cholesterol in the blood;
  • reduces skin aging processes;
  • renews cells, promotes tissue regeneration;
  • strengthens blood vessels;
  • normalizes blood pressure;
  • reduces the risk of developing oncological processes;
  • eliminates problems with potency;
  • improves the condition of nails and hair.

It is especially useful to consume buckwheat porridge and other dishes based on it for people with the following diseases:

  • pathologies of the digestive system - pancreatitis, ulcers, gastritis, colitis;
  • diseases of the cardiovascular system - ischemia, atherosclerosis, tachycardia, hypertension;
  • skin rashes - psoriasis, teenage acne, dermatitis;
  • infections affecting blood vessels - measles, scarlet fever, tonsillitis;
  • vein pathologies - thrombosis, varicose veins;
  • musculoskeletal disorders - arthritis, arthrosis, osteoporosis;
  • nervous system disorders - sclerosis, meningitis, chronic depression, encephalopathy;
  • immunodeficiency;
  • endocrine pathologies - hyper(hypo)thyroidism, thyroiditis, galactosemia;
  • liver and kidney diseases;
  • diabetes;
  • obesity;
  • oncological pathologies.

Ways to germinate green cereals

Nutritionists advise diversifying your diet with sprouted buckwheat grains. This product is more nutritious, it increases the amount of vitamins and antioxidants, while accelerating the absorption of nutrients.

It is not difficult to germinate green buckwheat.

  1. Rinse the grains well under running water so that no damaged kernels or debris remain.
  2. Place a layer of gauze in a colander and pour buckwheat onto it. Cover the top with two layers of gauze.
  3. Place the container in a dark and warm place for 8 hours.
  4. When all the water has been absorbed into the cereal, moisten the gauze again and leave the buckwheat for another 8 hours.

At the specified time, remove the gauze from the colander and rinse the cereal with water to remove any mucus that appears.

  1. Sift the cereal through a fine colander and remove the stones.
  2. Soak buckwheat in shungite (or purified) water for 3 – 4 hours.
  3. After the specified time, pour the grains into a sieve and cover with two layers of gauze.
  4. Wait until the first shoots appear (20 – 24 hours).
  5. You can eat them, or you can germinate them further. To do this, moisten the gauze additionally and leave for another day.

It is important not to overdo it with adding water. The gauze should be damp, but not too wet.

It is better to eat fresh sprouts immediately. They can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days.

How to cook correctly and tasty

Green cereals retain all their beneficial properties only if they are not cooked. Heat treatment significantly reduces the value of the grains.

Adherents of a raw food diet consume grains without any processing, saturating the body with valuable microelements and vitamins as much as possible.

Other healthy eating supporters use other methods of preparing cereals:

  • pour boiling water over the buckwheat (1:2), wrap the vessel and leave for 15 - 20 minutes;
  • put a pan of cereal in water on gas, bring to a boil, immediately turn it off and wrap it up for 20 - 25 minutes;
  • pour the kernels into a thermos, add boiled water (1:2) and leave overnight.

You can, of course, cook green buckwheat, but then it becomes too viscous. Not everyone likes this consistency. And such a product brings much less benefit.

Several recipes delicious dishes will allow you to get maximum pleasure from valuable cereals.

Fruit porridge.

Ingredients:

  • 150 g green kernels;
  • 40 g raw almonds;
  • 2 walnuts;
  • 50 g honey;
  • a pinch of salt;
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon;
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract;
  • 200 g of any fruit (fresh or frozen);
  • cocoa powder.

Preparation:

  1. Soak buckwheat and nuts overnight and rinse in the morning.
  2. Grind the ingredients with 1 glass of water in a blender until smooth.
  3. Add honey, cinnamon and vanilla, stir.
  4. Place in plates, add fruit, sprinkle cocoa on top.

This dish will be an excellent nutritious breakfast.

Buckwheat-mushroom pate.

Ingredients:

  • 0.5 kg of mushrooms;
  • 100 g green cereal;
  • 1 large onion;
  • 100 g walnuts;
  • a bunch of parsley;
  • spices.

How to cook:

  1. Pour over the cereal cold water for at least 2 hours, then drain the water.
  2. Chop the mushrooms and onions, fry in oil (preferably coconut).
  3. After cooling, place the mixture and buckwheat in a blender and blend until smooth.
  4. Add nuts, chopped parsley and spices to taste, mix the ingredients.

This pate can be spread on bread, added to salads or stuffed with vegetables, meat and other foods.

Sprout salad.

Ingredients:

  • 200 g buckwheat;
  • 40 g linseed or olive oil;
  • 2 tomatoes;
  • greens - arugula, basil, parsley, dill;
  • salt (preferably sea salt).

Preparation:

  1. Pre-germinate the cereal (shoots no more than 3 cm).
  2. Chop the tomatoes and herbs and combine with the sprouts.
  3. Mix, add oil and salt to taste.

A healthy mixture for baking is obtained from crushed dry buckwheat grains and flour (1:1). Bread, buns and pies made from this product are especially tasty and nutritious.

There are several options for the buckwheat diet:

  • mono-diet;
  • combination of cereals with other products (kefir, vegetables, fruits);
  • fasting days.

Each of these types of dietary food requires compliance with rules that allow you to speed up the process of losing weight without harm to your health:

  • choose whole grains (kernels);
  • eat small portions every 3 hours;
  • reduce sugar and salt intake;
  • drink at least 1.5 liters of clean water every day;
  • do not continue the diet if food causes rejection;
  • exit the diet gradually.

How to cook green buckwheat for dietary nutrition? You can choose the option of raw grains, pre-soaked in cold water.

The most effective way to lose weight is to consume sprouted grains. Sprouts take longer to be absorbed by the body, which provides a long-lasting feeling of fullness. And fiber stimulates the cleansing of toxins.

You should not consume more than 50 grams of green buckwheat sprouts per day!

Eating a nutritious diet with healthy grains will help you lose weight. overweight and make your figure perfect.

Contraindications and possible harm

Maximum information about the benefits and harms of cereals will allow you to use the product correctly.

Due to the absence of synthetic components, natural grains can cause harm only in very rare cases. There are no categorical contraindications for use, there is only advice on limiting cereals in the diet.

You should minimize the consumption of buckwheat dishes:

  • if you have kidney stones;
  • people with cholestatic pathologies;
  • patients with gout;
  • for hematological disorders (with increased blood clotting);
  • during exacerbations of gastrointestinal diseases.

Pediatricians do not recommend introducing green buckwheat into the diet of children under 4 years of age. The fragile intestines are not yet able to cope with the product, and constipation and allergic reactions may occur. From the age of five you can already dilute fresh fried cereals in dishes (15 - 20%).

If you eat too much green cereal, it can cause bloating. Therefore, portions should be small.

Properly prepared buckwheat, in the absence of contraindications, will replenish the body with useful microelements, give energy, vigor and health.

Now you can find a lot on store shelves healthy food without GMOs, sugar, biological additives and cholesterol. Of course, not all of these products are actually useful, because the marketing ploy has not been canceled. The desire to get the maximum benefit from food is understandable, but you shouldn’t fall for tricks. After all, even ordinary products can be incredibly useful if used correctly.

Beneficial properties of green buckwheat

Brown buckwheat is not a completely correct use of this plant. Yes, the taste of this cereal is excellent - it is bright and pronounced. And the shelf life is very decent, but this has only been achieved to the detriment of the product's usefulness.

The heat treatment that buckwheat undergoes before sale destroys most of the vitamins. Well, subsequent cooking reduces their number even more. But green buckwheat is not processed, it retains all the benefits. More precisely, it retains the following useful elements:

Sprouting buckwheat is clearly not wasted labor. It will be useful to introduce it into your diet. Even if you don't have any health problems, it will help you stay in shape. As you can see, chemical composition the product is very rich.

How to properly sprout cereals

It's actually quite easy to do this at home. You just need to follow certain rules. Here you need to learn to observe time intervals, otherwise you can ruin the finished product. At first you will need to check the instructions, but then you will remember the sequence of actions, and everything will be given to you easily and quickly.

So, proceed as follows:

To stop the growth of buckwheat, it is enough put it in the refrigerator. Or you can immediately find a use for it. If you have completed each step correctly, then the sprouted buckwheat is completely ready to eat. This means that you can move on to the most interesting part - start preparing various delicious dishes from it.

Recipes with sprouted buckwheat

These seeds leave plenty of room for your imagination. There are almost no restrictions on their use. Green buckwheat can also be used for preparing desserts and savory dishes. It will bring a lot of benefits and subtle flavor notes to every dish.

There is only one piece of advice that is worth heeding: do not cook buckwheat, otherwise you will undo your efforts, even though the dish will turn out edible. So turn on your culinary imagination and start creating. After all, the kitchen is a great place for experimentation! And the list of recipes below will give you fresh ideas and inspire you to cook.

Smoothie recipe

You can complement your favorite fruits with green buckwheat. She will add healthy drink slow carbohydrates and proteins, due to this smoothie will become a complete snack. They can have a snack for breakfast or lunch break.

You will need:

  • a glass of sprouted buckwheat;
  • one banana, kiwi, pear;
  • half a glass of water.

Salads with buckwheat

Sprouts go well with any fresh vegetables. Even classic recipe using fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and onions will make them more interesting and satisfying.

But you can prepare a more interesting salad, which for those who want to lose weight can replace the main dish for lunch or dinner.

You will need:

Cut the avocado pulp, cheese and celery into cubes. Simply break the bread, and chop the washed greens with a sharp knife. Mix the prepared products together, season with a mixture of the selected oil, soy sauce And lemon juice. You can add some baked fish or chicken breast, if you are not a vegetarian.

Buckwheat candies

As mentioned above, buckwheat also complements desserts perfectly. You can safely prepare a healthy sweet, which is allowed in unlimited quantities for children and diabetics. Cooking will take you a minimum of time; the finished product will be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

You will need:

Pass buckwheat through a meat grinder along with dried fruits, lemon and nuts, add spices to taste, mix until smooth. You can even season the mixture with a pinch of hot pepper - it will add a touch of piquancy. But adding spices is always a matter of taste. With damp hands, roll small balls (about Walnut), roll part in cocoa powder and the other part in coconut.

That's it, the candies are ready to eat! Try and enjoy their interesting taste. If desired, you can even make a different sprinkle, for example, take confectionery sprinkles instead of shavings, which will delight you and the children with its rainbow color.

It is not at all necessary to prepare multi-component and complex dishes that will take up a lot of your time and effort. Even cereal seasoned with vegetable oil and flavored with spices turns out very tasty. It can be prepared with the addition of lemon juice for piquancy.

Now you know how to sprout buckwheat so that it retains all the nutrients. Sprouted buckwheat will be a great way to get your figure in order, get rid of extra pounds, and saturate your body. necessary vitamins and nutrients. In addition, you will always feel unprecedented lightness with such food, your mood will be elevated! Therefore, be sure to include green buckwheat in your menu, replacing the usual brown variety with it. You will immediately begin to notice changes that will happen to you both inside and outside.

Attention, TODAY only!

Healthy eating is becoming increasingly popular. One of the products with high nutritional value, is green buckwheat for sprouting. But not everyone knows how to germinate green buckwheat. Let's talk about the technology of germinating grains at home and ways to use sprouts.

Green buckwheat differs from brown buckwheat in that it is not subjected to industrial heat treatment and retains all natural vitamins and microelements. When such grains are sprouted, all beneficial substances are activated and easily absorbed by the body. Buckwheat becomes “alive”. Until recently, unprocessed buckwheat was a strange product. Today it can be found in any natural food store, and sometimes in a regular supermarket. What are the beneficial properties of this product and why is it so attractive to healthy lifestyle followers?

Nutritional value of green buckwheat

Green buckwheat sprouts contain 18 amino acids, 9 of which are essential, and are the leader in the content of vitamins and minerals among cereal crops. They contain:

  • vitamin PP;
  • B vitamins;
  • vitamin E;
  • vitamin C;
  • vitamin P;
  • calcium;
  • iron;
  • phosphorus;
  • zinc;

Green buckwheat is ideal for nutrition - it is easily digestible and saturates the body. slow carbohydrates. Thanks to its amino acid composition, sprouted buckwheat has extremely beneficial effects:

  • prevents cardiovascular diseases;
  • accelerates metabolic processes;
  • restores the “correct” microflora in the intestines;
  • protects blood vessels and prevents arthritis and osteoporosis;
  • protects immune system and strengthens skin, nails and hair;
  • normalizes blood sugar levels;
  • reduces cholesterol levels;
  • improves the functioning of the liver and gall bladder.

Green buckwheat is universal - you can eat it as much as you want, combine it with all kinds of foods and add it to different dishes - cold and hot, salty and sweet. In addition, the balanced composition of sprouted buckwheat allows it to become a complete replacement for animal protein.


Green buckwheat as an alternative to meat

It has already been proven that any meat is more or less harmful to health, clogs blood vessels with cholesterol, is difficult to digest and even causes cancer. Although it has nutrients, whether they will be absorbed by the body is a big question. Sprouted buckwheat grains contain quite a lot of easily digestible protein, organic healthy fats and more than 70% carbohydrates. It is not without reason that it is called a superfood (from English “supereda”), such food charges you with energy for several hours and has no side effects.

Product namekcal per 100 gProteins per 100 gFats per 100 gCarbohydrates per 100g
300 13 4 71
Veal90 19,7 1,2 0
Beef187 18,9 12,4 0
Rabbit199 20,7 12,9 0
Mutton203 16,3 15,3 0
Medium fat pork320 16,4 27,8 0

This is interesting

The famous American doctor, nutritionist and celebrity trainer Douglas Graham defined the optimal percentage ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats for a person as 80/10/10. In his book “The 80/10/10 Diet,” he wrote that modern standards for protein consumption are greatly overestimated, and in order to maintain the functioning of organs and muscles, an adult needs a large amount of high-quality carbohydrates. If this statement is true, then green buckwheat has a good chance of displacing meat and taking center stage on dinner tables.


How to germinate buckwheat?

To properly germinate buckwheat, you will need:

  • buckwheat greens;
  • cup for germination - glass, ceramic, clay (not plastic);
  • running water for washing grains;
  • clean water for germinating buckwheat;
  • clean cotton cloth (or gauze);

Different sources suggest germinating buckwheat in different ways. Some people revive the grains within two or even three days, while others enjoy the finished product within 24 hours. The fact is that green buckwheat activates all nutrients already at the moment when the sprouts have just hatched, and this happens within a day. Therefore, we will describe this particular method of germination.

Usually the grains are soaked in the morning so that they germinate for the next breakfast. But, in general, this can be done at any time of the day.

To germinate green buckwheat, you need to follow a number of simple steps.

  1. Pour the required amount of green buckwheat into a glass or ceramic cup.
  2. Rinse with running water - pour and drain water several times.
  3. Remove grains that float when washed - they will not germinate.
  4. Pour the washed buckwheat with water.

    It is better to take the highest quality water - spring or melt water, or, in extreme cases, filtered. It will be absorbed into the grains and activate the revitalization processes.

  5. Leave for 6 – 10 hours.
  6. Rinse thoroughly to remove mucus with running water - pour and drain water several times.
  7. Cover clean, damp grains in a cup with a damp cloth.
  8. Leave on the table for 12 – 15 hours.

At this stage, it is important not to put unsprouted buckwheat in the refrigerator (cold will stop the revival process), not to cover the grains with a lid so that air circulates in the cup, and not to leave the cup completely open - the grains will dry out and will not revive. It is worth covering the container with gauze.

Small tails (sprouts) have appeared on the grains, which means that the sprouted buckwheat is ready to eat.

It is better to store sprouted buckwheat in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days.


How to cook sprouted buckwheat?

Green sprouted buckwheat can be used to make a variety of foods and drinks. In addition, it can be consumed as an independent dish and added to regular food - soups, side dishes, meat, vegetables. This will make them healthier and more nutritious.


Smoothie

A sprouted green buckwheat smoothie typically consists of the following ingredients:

  • green buckwheat;
  • water;
  • fruit/vegetable/greens;
  • honey (or other sweetener).

The number of components can be changed all the time. A more nutritious smoothie will have more buckwheat, a refreshing fruit smoothie will have more fruit, and you don’t need to add any sweetener at all. By experimenting with different flavors, you can come up with recipes for making your ideal drink.

To prepare a smoothie, grind the selected ingredients in a blender until smooth. Smoothies are drunk from a straw or from a bottle, and if it is thick, they are simply eaten with a spoon. It retains not only all the nutrients of its constituent products, but also beneficial fiber.


Porridge

Green buckwheat porridge is created from sprouted grains ground in a blender. As a rule, its main ingredients are buckwheat and banana. Banana makes the porridge very sweet and aromatic.

You can add to the porridge according to your taste:

  • dates;
  • nuts;
  • dried fruits;
  • flaxseed - it will create a consistency close to oatmeal.

It is better to add these ingredients soaked - pre-wash and pour boiling water for a few minutes. They can be ground together with buckwheat in a blender or added in pieces immediately before eating the porridge.

In addition, regular porridge is also prepared from sprouts - you can also cook green buckwheat. However, heat treatment destroys some of the beneficial substances.

Buckwheat can be prepared in different ways:

  • steamed (in a 2:1 ratio with water, cooking time - 15 minutes);
  • steam with boiling water and let it brew (in a 2:1 ratio with water, until the water is completely absorbed);
  • Cooking on the stove is the least preferred option (cooking time - 15 minutes, ratio with water - 2:1).

You can add beneficial nutrients to cooked sprouts, as well as to regular buckwheat porridge. vegetable oils(linseed, unrefined sunflower, sesame and others) or butter.


Salads and raw food dishes

Sprouted grains can be added to any salads, but it is best to sprinkle them fresh vegetables. Such a salad will saturate the body with vitamins, cleanse with fiber and create the correct microflora in the intestines.

Today, a raw food diet is gaining popularity - a type of nutrition that excludes traditional heat treatment. As a rule, raw foodists are supporters of plant-based foods. The main source of nutrients in a raw food diet is sprouted grains, and green buckwheat is a favorite.

In addition to the above dishes, a wide variety of raw food foods are prepared from sprouts:

  • pates;
  • salad dressings;
  • cold soups;
  • bread;
  • pizza base;
  • rolls.


Fasting days on sprouted buckwheat

The average human diet, as a rule, includes a lot of “non-living” thermally processed food and little fiber. There are few useful substances left in cooked food, and while digesting it, the body works hard to get the maximum benefit from the available food. The body has neither time nor energy left for deep cleansing actions at the cellular level - they are reduced only to the superficial removal of waste products from the body.

Often our body just needs a spring cleaning, so fasting days are considered very useful. What are the benefits of unloading on buckwheat sprouts? This method is suitable for active people. It will allow you to receive enough calories for normal life activities and will launch the body’s self-cleaning functions. “Live” grains stimulate the body’s toxin-removing functions, however, if the body is very polluted, then during fasting days unpleasant or painful sensations may appear:

  • headache;
  • joint pain;
  • sweating;
  • weakness;
  • white coating on the tongue;
  • smell from the mouth.

All these effects indicate cleansing of the body - the stronger discomfort, the more slagged the body is. Therefore, when unloading (including on buckwheat sprouts), you should not take any medications and give the body additional physical activity.

Such fasting days are very useful for losing weight - thanks to the same cleansing and slag-removing effect, buckwheat sprouts help you lose extra pounds.

Different diets and nutrition systems recommend consuming different foods. Today there are so many of these systems that the only way to understand whether a food product is suitable for a particular person is to rely on sensations. Even very healthy green buckwheat may not be suitable - individual intolerance will arise or it will simply seem tasteless. Therefore, when introducing buckwheat sprouts into the diet, it is better to be consistent and moderate.