From en.wikipedia.org:
[Species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae] [a commonly cultivated
crop plant] {{Speciesbox |name = Buckwheat |image = Japanese Buckwheat
Flower.JPG |genus = Fagopyrum |species = esculentum |authority = Moench
|synonyms =
- _Polygonum fagopyrum_ <small> L. 1753 </small>
- _Fagopyrum cereale_ <small> Raf. </small>
- _Fagopyrum dryandrii_ <small> Fenzl </small>
- _Fagopyrum emarginatum_ <small> (Roth) Meisn. 1840 </small>
- _Fagopyrum emarginatum_ <small> Moench 1802 </small>
- _Fagopyrum fagopyrum_ <small> (L.) H.Karst., invalid tautonym </small>
- _Fagopyrum polygonum_ <small> Macloskie </small>
- _Fagopyrum sagittatum_ <small> Gilib. </small>
- _Fagopyrum sarracenicum_ <small> Dumort. </small>
- _Fagopyrum vulgare_ <small> Hill ex Druce 1913 </small>
- _Fagopyrum vulgare_ <small> T.Nees 1853 </small>
- _Polygonum emarginatum_ <small> Roth </small>
|synonyms_ref = [1] |}}
BUCKWHEAT (_FAGOPYRUM ESCULENTUM_) or COMMON BUCKWHEAT[2][3] is a flowering
plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds
and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BC in the
region of what is now Yunnan Province in southwestern China. The name
"buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as _Fagopyrum tataricum_,
a domesticated food plant raised in Asia.
Despite its name, buckwheat is not closely related to wheat, nor is it a
cereal or a member of the grass family. It is related to sorrel, knotweed,
and rhubarb. Buckwheat is considered a pseudocereal because the high starch
content of the seeds enables buckwheat to be cooked and consumed like a
cereal.
** Etymology
The name "buckwheat" or "beech wheat" comes from its tetrahedral seeds, which
resemble the much larger seeds of the beech nut from the beech tree, and the
fact that it is used like wheat. The word may be a translation of Middle
Dutch [dum]: [dum] "beech" (Modern Dutch [nl]; see PIE *_bhago_-) and [dum]
"wheat" (Mod. Dut. [nl], antiquated [nl]), or may be a native formation on
the same model as the Dutch word.[4]
** Description
Buckwheat is a herbaceous annual flowering plant growing to about [60], with
red stems and pink and white flowers resembling those of knotweeds.[5][68] The
leaves are arrow-shaped and the fruits are achenes about 5–7 mm with 3
prominent sharp angles.[6][94]
** Distribution
_Fagopyrum esculentum_ is native to south-central China and Tibet,[7] and has
been introduced into suitable climates across Eurasia, Africa and the
Americas.<ref name="POWO"/>
** History
The wild ancestor of common buckwheat is _F. esculentum_ ssp. _ancestrale_.
_F. homotropicum_ is interfertile with _F. esculentum_ and the wild forms
have a common distribution, in Yunnan, a southwestern province of China. The
wild ancestor of tartary buckwheat is _F. tataricum_ ssp. _potanini_.[8]
Common buckwheat was domesticated and first cultivated in inland Southeast
Asia, possibly around 6000 BC, and from there spread to Central Asia and
Tibet, and then to the Middle East and Europe, which it reached by the 15th
century.[9] Domestication most likely took place in the western Yunnan region
of China.[10]
The oldest remains found in China so far date to [circa] 2600 BC, while
buckwheat pollen found in Japan dates from as early as 4000 BC. It is the
world's highest-elevation domesticate, being cultivated in Yunnan on the edge
of the Tibetan Plateau or on the plateau itself. Buckwheat was one of the
earliest crops introduced by Europeans to North America. Dispersal around the
globe was complete by 2006, when a variety developed in Canada was widely
planted in China. In India, buckwheat flour is known as _kuttu ka atta_ and
has long been culturally associated with many festivals like Shivratri,
Navaratri and Janmashtami. On the day of these festivals, food items made
only from buckwheat are consumed.[11]
** Cultivation
thumb
Buckwheat is a short-season crop that grows well in low-fertility or acidic
soils; too much fertilizer – especially nitrogen – reduces yields, and the
soil must be well drained. In hot climates buckwheat can be grown only by
sowing late in the season, so that it blooms in cooler weather. The presence
of pollinators greatly increases yield.[12] Nectar from flowering buckwheat
produces a dark-colored honey.[13]
The buckwheat plant has a branching root system with a primary taproot that
reaches deeply into moist soil.[14] It grows [75] tall.[15] Buckwheat has
tetrahedral seeds and produces a flower that is usually white, although can
also be pink or yellow.[16] Buckwheat branches freely, as opposed to tillering
or producing suckers, enabling more complete adaption to its environment than
other cereal crops.<ref name="Stone-1906"/>
Buckwheat is raised for grain where only a brief time is available for growth,
either because the buckwheat is an early or a second crop in the season, or
because the total growing season is limited. It establishes quickly, which
suppresses summer weeds, and can be a reliable cover crop in summer to fit a
small slot of warm season.<ref name="Björkman-2008"/> Buckwheat has a growing
period of only 10–12 weeks[17] and it can be grown in high latitude or
northern areas.[18] Buckwheat is sometimes used as a green manure, as a plant
for erosion control or as wildlife cover and feed.<ref name="Björkman-2008"/>
** Production
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:12em; text-align:center;" |+
Buckwheat production <br>[2023, tonnes] |- | [RUS] || 1,149,067 |- | [CHN] ||
504,266 |- | [UKR] || 210,720 |- | [USA] || 86,679 |- | [KAZ] || 83,491 |- |
[BRA] || 64,611 |- | TOTAL || 2,204,015 |- |colspan=2|[Source: FAOSTAT of the
United Nations][19] |}
In 2023, world production of buckwheat was 2.2 million tonnes, led by Russia
with 52% of the total, with China and Ukraine as secondary producers (table).
*** Biological control
_F. esculentum_ may be used as a pollen and nectar source to increase natural
predator numbers to control crop pests.[20]
<gallery> Buckwheat Bhutan.jpg|Field of buckwheat in Bumthang (Bhutan)
Buckwheat field near Vrchovina in Czech Republic.jpg|Buckwheat field near
Vrchovina in the Czech Republic Fagopyrum esculentum1.jpg|Common buckwheat in
flower Buckwheat flower macroA Crop1.jpg|Buckwheat flower in close up (thrum)
Fagopyrum esculentum seed 001.jpg|Seed and withered flower of buckwheat
Fagopyrum_%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B0.jpg|Hulled roasted buckwheat
cereal (kasha) </gallery>
** Phytochemicals
Buckwheat contains diverse phytochemicals, including rutin, tannins,
catechin-7-O-glucoside in groats,[21][22] and fagopyrins,[23][24][25] which
are located mainly in the cotyledons of the buckwheat plant.[26] It has almost
no levels of inorganic arsenic.[27]
*** Aromatic compounds
Salicylaldehyde (2-hydroxybenzaldehyde) was identified as a characteristic
component of buckwheat aroma.[28] 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone,
(E,E)-2,4-decadienal, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol,
(E)-2-nonenal, decanal and hexanal also contribute to its aroma. They all
have odour activity value of more than 50, but the aroma of these substances
in an isolated state does not resemble buckwheat.[29]
** Nutrition
{{nutritional value
| name=Buckwheat
| kJ=1435
| protein=13.25 g
| fat=3.4 g
| satfat=0.741 g
| monofat=1.04 g
| polyfat=1.039 g
| omega3fat=0.078 g
| omega6fat=0.961 g
| carbs=71.5 g
| fiber=10 g
| calcium_mg=18
| iron_mg=2.2
| magnesium_mg=231
| phosphorus_mg=347
| potassium_mg=460
| sodium_mg=1
| zinc_mg=2.4
| manganese_mg=1.3
| vitC_mg=0
| thiamin_mg=0.101
| riboflavin_mg=0.425
| niacin_mg=7.02
| pantothenic_mg=1.233
| vitB6_mg=0.21
| folate_ug=30
| copper_mg =1.1
| selenium_ug = 8.3
| water= 9.8 g
| note=Link to entry at USDA FoodData Central (see https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170286/nutrients) }}
Raw dry buckwheat is 10% water, 72% carbohydrates, 13% protein, and 3% fat
(table). In a reference amount of [100], dry buckwheat supplies 343 calories
of food energy, and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of
three B vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid) and several dietary
minerals (table).
*** Gluten-free
As buckwheat contains no gluten, it may be eaten by people with gluten-related
disorders, such as celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or dermatitis
herpetiformis.[30][31] Nevertheless, buckwheat products may have gluten
contamination.<ref name="Ciacci-2015" />
*** Potential adverse effects
Cases of severe allergic reactions to buckwheat and buckwheat-containing
products have been reported.[32] Buckwheat contains fluorescent phototoxic
fagopyrins.<ref name="Eguchi-2009"/> Seeds, flour, and teas are generally safe
when consumed in normal amounts,[date=September 2023] but fagopyrism can
appear in people with diets based on high consumption of buckwheat sprouts,
and particularly flowers or fagopyrin-rich buckwheat extracts.[33] Symptoms of
fagopyrism in humans may include skin inflammation in sunlight-exposed areas,
cold sensitivity, and tingling or numbness in the hands.<ref
name="Benković-2015" />
** Culinary use
[List of buckwheat dishes] [date=December 2015] alt=Buckwheat (left),
buckwheat flakes (fast cooking) (right), and crispbread made of buckwheat
flour The fruit is an achene, similar to sunflower seed, with a single seed
inside a hard outer hull. The starchy endosperm is white and makes up most or
all of buckwheat flour. The seed coat is green or tan, which darkens
buckwheat flour. The hull is dark brown or black, and some may be included in
buckwheat flour as dark specks. The dark flour is known as _blé noir_ (black
wheat) in French, along with the name _sarrasin_ (saracen). Similarly, in
Italy, it is known as _grano saraceno_ (saracen grain).[34] The grain can be
prepared by simple dehulling, milling into farina, to whole-grain flour or to
white flour. The grain can be fractionated into starch, germ and hull for
specialized uses.
Buckwheat groats are commonly used in western Asia and eastern Europe. The
porridge was common, and is often considered the definitive peasant dish. It
is made from roasted groats that are cooked with broth to a texture similar to
rice or bulgur. The dish was taken to America by Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian,
and Polish immigrants who called it _kasha_, as it is known today, who mixed
it with pasta or used it as a filling for cabbage rolls (stuffed cabbage),
knishes, and blintzes. Groats were the most widely used form of buckwheat
worldwide during the 20th century, eaten primarily in Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland, called _grechka_ (Greek for
'grain') in Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian languages.
Buckwheat noodles have been eaten in Tibet and northern China for centuries,
where the growing season is too short to raise wheat. A wooden press is used
to press the dough into hot boiling water when making buckwheat noodles. Old
presses found in Tibet and Shanxi share the same basic design features. The
Japanese and Koreans may have learned the process of making buckwheat noodles
from them.[date=August 2025]
Buckwheat noodles play a major role in the cuisines of Japan (_soba_)[35] and
Korea (_naengmyeon_, _makguksu_ and _memil-guksu_). _Soba_ noodles are the
subject of deep cultural importance in Japan. The difficulty of making
noodles from flour with no gluten has resulted in a traditional art developed
around their manufacture by hand. A jelly called _memilmuk_ in Korea is made
from buckwheat starch. Local buckwheat variety from Bongpyeong, Korea, is
known as _Bongpyeong memil_ and is a powerful symbol for both cultural and
gastronomic reasons.[36]
Noodles also appear in Italy, with _pasta di grano saraceno_ in Apulia region
of Southern Italy and _pizzoccheri_ in the Valtellina region of Northern
Italy.
Buckwheat pancakes are eaten in several countries. They are known as
buckwheat _blini_ in Russia, _galettes bretonnes_ in France, _ploye s_ in
Acadia, _poffertjes_ in the Netherlands, _boûketes_ in the Wallonia region of
Belgium, _kuttu ki puri_ in India and _kachhyamba_ in Nepal. Similar pancakes
were a common food in American pioneer days.[37] They are light and airy when
baked. The buckwheat flour gives the pancakes an earthy, mildly mushroom-like
taste.
Yeasted patties called _hrechanyky_ are made in Ukraine.
Buckwheat is a permitted sustenance during fasting in several traditions. In
India, on Hindu fasting days (Navaratri, Ekadashi, Janmashtami, Maha
Shivaratri, etc.), fasting people in northern states of India eat foods made
of buckwheat flour. Eating cereals such as wheat or rice is prohibited during
such fasting days. While strict Hindus do not even drink water during their
fast, others give up cereals and salt and instead eat non-cereal foods such as
buckwheat (_kuttu_). In the Russian Orthodox tradition, it is eaten on the
St. Philip fast.[38]
Buckwheat honey is dark, strong and aromatic. Because it does not complement
other honeys, it is normally produced as a monofloral honey.
<gallery align="center"> Japanese Zaru Soba02.jpg|Soba noodles made from
buckwheat flour Kuttu Pakoras from India.jpg|_Kuttu ke pakore_, a snack made
from buckwheat flour, India Chalamthang 7.jpg|Buckwheat bread (roti) with
potato curry and sour curd, Sikkim, India File:Гречневая_каша.jpg|Grechka of
Russia, Ukraine and Belarus
Esno4Wkmana_jul_2014_Cassnam_066.jpg|_Pizzoccheri_, the Northern Italian pasta
made with buckwheat </gallery>
** Beverages
*** Tea
Buckwheat tea, known as _kuqiao-cha_ (苦荞茶) in China, _memil-cha_ ([ko]) in
Korea and _soba-cha_ ([ja]) in Japan, is a tea made from roasted
buckwheat.[39]
*** Beer
In recent years, buckwheat has been used as a substitute for other grains in
gluten-free beer. Although it is not an actual cereal (being a pseudocereal),
buckwheat can be used in the same way as barley to produce a malt that can
form the basis of a mash that will brew a beer without gliadin or hordein
(together gluten) and therefore can be suitable for coeliacs or others
sensitive to certain glycoproteins.[40]
*** Whisky
[Buckwheat whisky]Buckwheat whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage
made entirely or principally from buckwheat. It is produced in the Brittany
region of France and in the United States.
*** Shōchū
Buckwheat [焼酎] is a Japanese distilled beverage produced since the 16th
century. The taste is milder than barley shōchū.[date=February 2021]
** Upholstery filling
Buckwheat hulls are used as filling for a variety of upholstered goods,
including pillows. The hulls are durable and do not insulate or reflect heat
as much as synthetic filling. They are sometimes marketed as an alternative
natural filling to feathers for those with allergies. However, medical
studies to measure the health effects of pillows manufactured with
_unprocessed_ and _uncleaned_ hulls concluded that such buckwheat pillows do
contain higher levels of a potential allergen that may trigger asthma in
susceptible individuals than do new synthetic-filled pillows.[41][42]
** See also
[Food] <!-- alphabetical order please WP:SEEALSO --> <!-- please add a short
description WP:SEEALSO, via [subst:AnnotatedListOfLinks] or [Annotated link]
-->
- [List of buckwheat dishes]
- [Eriogonum]
[-]
** References
[Reflist]
** External links
[Buckwheat]
- [Fagopyrum esculentum]
[state = collapsed] [from=Q132734] [Authority control]
Category:Crops originating from Asia Category:Flora of China
Category:Fagopyrum Category:Pseudocereals Category:Taxa named by Conrad Moench
Category:Ark of Taste foods