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AYURVEDIC FOODS

Buckwheat Benefits (According to Ayurveda)

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

3. Similar foods and herbs

4. Impact: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Buckwheat: Buckwheat Tea Cake with Orange Zest & Raspberry

The substantial feel of buckwheat is like a cast iron pot on an open flame - warm, rustic, and comforting. It contains both warming and drying properties, making this a superfood for those who feel chronically weighed down, heavy and weak. It is a great substitute for rice, but more textured. Unlike rice, buckwheat's flavor boldly commands the plate. You won't forget the experience of eating this ingredient, and you'll crave it at the first sign of frost in the late-autumn air.

Strengthening & Circulating

Buckwheat, a hardy & versatile plant, may be ideal for chronic weakness due low metabolism associated with aging. A lack of metabolic function is at the core of most chronic disorders. Buckwheat's warmth comes with an ample dose of earth element. It is ideal among metabolism building foods because it is nutritious and strengthening as well. Its high iron content makes it a good blood tonic while magnesium nourishes and relaxes the muscles. According to Paul Pitchford in Healing with Whole Foods, "Buckwheat strengthens capillaries and blood vessels, inhibits haemorrhages, reduces blood pressure and increases circulation to the hands and feet."

Warm Yourself from Within

Buckwheat's popularity in northern climates and high altitudes is a testimony to its warming qualities. However, its warmth is unlike ginger or black pepper, whose pungency fans the flames of metabolism quickly. Rather, it improves metabolism without over stimulating the body. In macrobiotic language, buckwheat "activates yang reserves" much like salt - supporting your body's sustainable energy from deep within. Its warmth also comes in handy for balancing cold conditions, such as Vata type diarrhea in the intestines or undigested food in the stools.

Dry Out Excess Baggage

It is unique to find a drying astringent that also heating, but we've found it in buckwheat. It is ideal for watery kapha dosha due to its diuretic ability to reduce water weight and dry up mucus in the respiratory tract. It lowers blood sugar levels and has even been used for lowering blood pressure. Several studies have also shown that buckwheat improves insulin uptake in cells, which may be useful in insulin resistant diabetes.

Narrow Your Focus

Buckwheat is contracting according to macrobiotics - good for focused attention. Buckwheat's flavor, scent and qualities bring you right here, right now. Enough of other worries that cloud your mind - buckwheat will help you focus on what's really important.

Recipes with Buckwheat: Buckwheat Bran Muffin with Applesauce & Walnuts

About Buckwheat

Buckwheat's hearty warmth hits the spot on any damp cloudy day in November. Enjoy as you snuggle up with your loved ones, or while listening to crackling logs in a wood burning stove. Smoky, nutty and earthy, buckwheat is slightly demulcent like oatmeal but lighter on the stomach. Its rustic flavor is suitable for savory crepes and pastas. Its warming qualities make it one of the most commonly used grain-like foods in northern countries like Russia. It is also used in mountainous regions like Tibet where wheat cannot be grown.

The triangular shape of buckwheat and its hazel color make it resemble the nuts of the beech tree. This pseudo grain looks like rice, cooks like quinoa, but is really a fruit seed! Despite the name, buckwheat isn't related to wheat. Used as a grain or flour, the closest food relatives to this unique ingredient are rhubarb and sorrel.

Buying & Preparation

Buckwheat can be found in most whole food grocery stores next to the rice, oatmeal, and quinoa. Its unusual triangular shape makes it particularly easy to spot. The seeds are called buckwheat groats, and often you'll see them included in a breakfast porridge mix along with other well-loved hot cereals. Roasted buckwheat imparts an earthy, nutty flavor. Unroasted buckwheat tends to be more bland.

Cooking Buckwheat

Interested in buckwheat for breakfast? We prefer buckwheat crepes to wheat, especially for the savory kind (called gallettes in Brittany, France). Have you ever eaten Japanese food? Then you might have already eaten buckwheat without even knowing. The grain-like fruit seed is ground up to make Soba noodles, which are a favorite in stir-fry dishes.

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Is Buckwheat Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Buckwheat' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

SERVING SIZE: 1/4 c

SPECIES: Fagopyrum esculentum

FAMILY: Polygonaceae

EAT IN: AUTUMN-WINTER

FOR OCCASION: CLEANSE, ON-THE-MEND

Metabolic Nature of Buckwheat

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	LIQUEFIED ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED DRY ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY HOT ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation. LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT PUNGENT ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT SWEET ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	Subtaste: Bland BLAND Bland means doesn't have much taste. In Chinese medicine, bland taste refers to afood without little macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. SEE ALL 'BLAND' FOODS / HERBS Moves Energy: Outward OUTWARD Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating. SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS Tissue (dhatu): Blood Plasma Lymph BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-PLASMA-LYMPH' FOODS / HERBS , Muscle MUSCLE Muscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments. SEE ALL 'MUSCLE' FOODS / HERBS , Red Blood RED-BLOOD Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels. SEE ALL 'RED-BLOOD' FOODS / HERBS Affinity: Anti Aging ANTI-AGING Geriatric conditions typically involve low agni / metabolism, poor circulation, weakness & debility, muscle weakening, poor digestion, a drop in sex hormones, and connective tissue degradation in bones & skin. SEE ALL 'ANTI-AGING' FOODS / HERBS , Bowel Poop Elimination, Cleanse And Detox, Energy Vitality ENERGY-VITALITY Includes vitality improving foods, herbs, and exercises by dosha. SEE ALL 'ENERGY-VITALITY' FOODS / HERBS , Heart Circulation Blood, Muscle Health, Weight Loss Family: Polygonaceae
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Buckwheat Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Digestion: Warms Abdomen WARMS-ABDOMEN Warms the muscles and organs of the abdomen, stimulating digestion and metabolism. SEE ALL 'WARMS-ABDOMEN' FOODS / HERBS Mind, Stress & Sleep: Nerve Relaxant Grounding NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts. SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS , Strengthens Resolve STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE Increases determination and courage by reducing stress and building strength. SEE ALL 'STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE' FOODS / HERBS Energy Vitality: Satisfies Stomach SATISFIES-STOMACH Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach. SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS , Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS Heart & Circulation: Blood Thinner BLOOD-THINNER Herbs that thin the blood. Helpful for people with heart disease or clogged circulation. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-THINNER' FOODS / HERBS , Blood Tonic BLOOD-TONIC An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS , Hypotensive HYPOTENSIVE An herb that lowers blood pressure. SEE ALL 'HYPOTENSIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Vessel Tonic VESSEL-TONIC An herb that improves the tone and integrity of blood vessel walls. This is helpful in easy bruising. SEE ALL 'VESSEL-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Kidney & Urinary: Diuretic DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS Weight Loss: Lowers Blood Sugar LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR An herb that lowers blood sugar. SEE ALL 'LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR' FOODS / HERBS Strength, Muscle Health: Muscle Relaxant MILD MUSCLE-RELAXANT Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma. SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS , Muscle Tonic MUSCLE-TONIC Herbs that strengthen and tone muscle tissue. Helpful for people recovering from long term illness and debility, or after a sprain. SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Other: Quercitin Constituents: Rutin STRONG RUTIN Rutin is a flavonoid with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Commonly used to treat conditions such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and high blood pressure. SEE ALL 'RUTIN' FOODS / HERBS , Carbohydrate, Flavonoids FLAVONOIDS Flavonoids are a colorful type of polyphenol. As all polyphenols, they have a strong antioxidant effect. Many flavonoids have an anti-inflammatory, and/or antiallergen effect. SEE ALL 'FLAVONOIDS' FOODS / HERBS , Insoluble Fiber, Iron IRON Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen in red blood cells. SEE ALL 'IRON' FOODS / HERBS , Magnesium MAGNESIUM Helps muscles relax. Laxative. SEE ALL 'MAGNESIUM' FOODS / HERBS , Manganese, Phosphorous, Phytates PHYTATES Phytates prevent absorption of nutrients. They are commonly found in all seeds, including nuts, grains, and beans. Sprouting greatly reduces phytate content, as well as long, slow cooking with vinegar. SEE ALL 'PHYTATES' FOODS / HERBS , Polyphenols POLYPHENOLS Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants seen in many fruits and vegetables. There are more than 8,000 types. SEE ALL 'POLYPHENOLS' FOODS / HERBS , Selenium, Soluble Fiber, Zinc

Foods with a Similar Nature to Buckwheat

Beets

Beets has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Warms-abdomen, Muscle-relaxant, Satisfies-stomach, Blood-thinner, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Vessel-tonic

LEARN MORE

Lamb

Lamb has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Warms-abdomen, Muscle-tonic, Satisfies-stomach, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Strengthens-resolve

LEARN MORE

Amaranth

Amaranth has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Nutritive, Blood-tonic, Muscle-tonic, Satisfies-stomach, Diuretic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

LEARN MORE

Popped Amaranth

Popped Amaranth has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Muscle-tonic, Satisfies-stomach, Diuretic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Muscle-relaxant, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Beef

Beef has these Actions in Common

Muscle-tonic, Satisfies-stomach, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Warms-abdomen, Blood-tonic, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Tahini

Tahini has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Muscle-tonic, Satisfies-stomach, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Warms-abdomen

LEARN MORE

Almonds

Almonds has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Muscle-relaxant, Nutritive, Muscle-tonic, Satisfies-stomach

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Sorghum Flour

Sorghum Flour has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Diuretic, Nutritive, Hypotensive, Satisfies-stomach

LEARN MORE

Shrimp

Shrimp has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Satisfies-stomach, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Warms-abdomen, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Adzuki Beans

Adzuki Beans has these Actions in Common

Satisfies-stomach, Muscle-tonic, Blood-tonic, Nutritive, Diuretic

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Buckwheat

Vidari

Vidari has these Actions in Common

Nutritive, Vessel-tonic, Blood-thinner, Diuretic, Hypotensive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Muscle-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

LEARN MORE

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Strengthens-resolve, Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Muscle-relaxant, Muscle-tonic

LEARN MORE

Eleuthero Ginseng

Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Hypotensive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Muscle-relaxant, Muscle-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

LEARN MORE

Balarishta- Vitality Tonic

Balarishta- Vitality Tonic has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Muscle-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Strengthens-resolve, Warms-abdomen

LEARN MORE

Oats, Fresh Milky Seed

Oats, Fresh Milky Seed has these Actions in Common

Nutritive, Blood-tonic, Muscle-relaxant, Muscle-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

LEARN MORE

Gokshura

Gokshura has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Bhringaraj

Bhringaraj has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Hypotensive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Vessel-tonic

LEARN MORE

Motherwort

Motherwort has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Vessel-tonic

LEARN MORE

Punarnava

Punarnava has these Actions in Common

Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Hypotensive, Lowers-blood-sugar, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

LEARN MORE

Dong Quai

Dong Quai has these Actions in Common

Blood-thinner, Blood-tonic, Hypotensive, Muscle-relaxant, Vessel-tonic

LEARN MORE

Bala Taila

Bala Taila has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Muscle-tonic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive

LEARN MORE

Impact of Buckwheat

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.