Buckwheat flour & honey: ancient foods that may become superfoods of the future

Several types of honey have been found to contain antioxidants. "Buckwheat" honey, however, has been found to have much higher levels of antoxidants than other honeys, and when consumed actually translates to an increased antioxidant activity of blood (J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Mar 12;51(6):1732-5). but whether this relates to improved health is unknown J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Feb 26;51(5):1500-5.

In Australia, buckwheat honey is hard to find. America produces this honey and China produces a blend of buckwheat honey and other honey called "bamboo" honey.

Buckwheat is not a form of wheat. Though it’s similar to wheat in nutrition, buckwheat isn’t actually a grain—it comes from a hardy, weed-like plant related to rhubarb. Buckwheat has a distinctive three-cornered tan seed and has been used for centuries by many countries around the world before wheat became a staple.

Buckwheat grains/flour is high in protein (good amino acid profile), fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, antioxidant flavonoids (especially rutin) and lignans. Buckwheat is gluten free thus can be consumed by people with coeliac disease. Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The Yi people of China consume a diet high in buckwheat (100 grams per day, about 3.5 ounces). When researchers tested blood lipids of 805 Yi Chinese, they found that buckwheat intake was associated with lower total serum cholesterol, lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL--the form linked to cardiovascular disease), and a high ratio of HDL (health-promoting cholesterol) to total cholesterol.

Preliminary animal studies suggest that it has the ability to reduce body fat, reduce cholesterol, prevent gallstones and seems to help lower blood sugar levels (implications for diabetes management).