There’s a bit of a stigma against carbs in our society. Many people believe that they are essentially the worst thing in the world if you are trying to lose weight. Some believe that they aren’t good for you at all.
As such, people may be hesitant before choosing to eat a new food as they may be concerned about its carbohydrate content.
So, is buckwheat full of carbs? Here’s the answer to that question among many others.
Is Buckwheat High In Carbohydrates?
The short answer to this question is yes, buckwheat contains a high amount of carbohydrates. It’s the main food group that makes up buckwheat, in fact.
Now, before you permanently swear off buckwheat, it’s important to note that this isn’t a bad thing.
Carbohydrates can sometimes be a bad thing when eaten in excess, but it also depends on the kinds of carbohydrates that you are eating.
Buckwheat is a natural, organic carbohydrate, which is much better for you than many of the manufactured carbohydrates out there.
As a naturally occurring food, buckwheat actually comes with a number of benefits that should not be ignored.
Buckwheat also has a low to medium glycemic index which means that when you eat it you are not as likely to have any massive spikes in blood sugar, making it ideal for diabetics.
In specific, in 100 grams of buckwheat there are roughly 71.5 grams of carbohydrates.
What Other Nutrients Are Present In Buckwheat?
Carbohydrates are not the only thing present in buckwheat, of course.
Buckwheat is also incredibly high in fiber. It’s not possible for the body to digest fiber, but it is important for the health of your colon.
As a result, it also means that your digestive tract operates more efficiently and having plenty of fiber can also help you to reduce your risk of getting colon cancer.
Buckwheat is also high in protein and amino acids. Protein is important for muscle repair and recovery, and so it’s a vital nutrient if you are doing strength training activities such as weight lifting.
Protein can even help you to stay full after meals so you are less likely to want to eat more throughout the day.
Buckwheat is also high in a number of important minerals. It contains a high amount of copper, which is good for the health of your heart so long as it isn’t eaten in excess.
It also contains manganese, which is vital for a high functioning metabolism.
Buckwheat contains magnesium, which can help to reduce your chances of getting a number of chronic health conditions like heart disease.
It also contains iron which is important for your blood, and phosphorus which helps the tissues in the body to stay well maintained.
Are Carbs Bad For You?
So now that you know that buckwheat contains a high amount of carbohydrates, you may be wondering if carbs are actually bad for you?
Carbohydrates are actually a necessary part of a balanced diet. Without carbohydrates, your body is unable to function as it should.
When it comes to carbohydrates, you should simply try to reduce the number of refined carbs that you eat.
Refined carbs don’t consist of the outside grains of the carbohydrates, and this can make blood sugar levels rise at a rapid rate. Some examples of refined carbs include chips, white bread, desserts, rice and pasta.
When choosing carbs to eat, you should instead be looking for whole grains. This includes things like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and more. And yes – this does indeed include buckwheat.
Is Buckwheat Healthier Than Rice?
One thing that a lot of people ask about is whether buckwheat is healthier than rice. The answer to this honestly depends on your definition of healthy and what your health goals are.
There are some key things to note about both of these foods.
For starters, if you need to follow a gluten free diet then buckwheat is the thing that you should be eating rather than rice, since it’s gluten free.
In addition to this, buckwheat also has a low glycemic index, so it’s a better choice than rice if you are diabetic or have another condition that requires you to keep your blood sugar levels low.
Buckwheat also contains a lot more minerals than rice.
On the flip side, rice is a better choice if you are hoping to eat something with fewer calories. In addition to this, rice also contains less saturated fats than buckwheat and is lower in carbohydrates.
Both rice and buckwheat contain the same levels of cholesterol and the vitamin and sodium levels are the same in each. There are pros and cons of both rice and buckwheat.
If you want more of the health benefits of rice though, you may be better off eating brown rice rather than white rice since the nutritional value of brown rice is much higher.
It’s higher in fiber and it’s also better for helping you to remain full for longer periods of time.
What Grains Are Low In Carbs?
Now you know all about buckwheat, you may be wondering what carbs are out there that are lower in carbs. Well, you have a number of great options at your disposal.
For starters you have oats. Oats are the quintessential grain – they are delicious, versatile and high in nutritional value. They are high in fiber and the protein levels in oats are rather decent too.
They can be used in more than just your porridge too – did you know that you can make pancakes out of finely ground oats?
Just add eggs, milk and oats, whisk together into a batter and cook as you normally would with regular pancakes!
You could also give Quinoa a try. This pseudocereal comes armed with a lot of important antioxidants that are instrumental in reducing inflammation.
In just a cup of quinoa you will have a mere 34 grams of carbs too, so they’re perfect if you are following a low carb diet. Like buckwheat, it’s also quite high in things like magnesium, copper and manganese.
Another well known grain that’s low in carbs is barley. It contains a high amount of fiber and in just one cup you will only get 41.5 grams of carbs. When it’s cooked you will get even more nutritional value out of it.
These are just a few of the grains out there that are low in carbs. They’re a great alternative to barley if you’re a little put off by the carbohydrate content of buckwheat.
Conclusion
In short, buckwheat is a grain that is quite high in carbs. This is not necessarily a bad thing since the carbs are high quality and not refined.
With buckwheat, you are getting a highly nutritious food that is high in all of the right kinds of carbohydrates.
With that being said, there are certainly alternatives that you can try if you would prefer something slightly lower in carbs.
