Buckwheat

[rawstrength]

I have raw buckwheat with the hulls still on - it is black. I don't want to sprout it because buckwheat greens can be a toxin.

Does anyone know anything else I could do with it?
Thanks!

[Stina]

Well, feed them to birds or squirrels I suppose. But I think these toxins are just a matter of the amount, meaning that the attributes outweigh the problems when done in moderation. It's why I rotate my leafy green consumption. I can't believe how many people I know who eat spinach every single day! I could eat kale every day but I don't let myself. I'm crazy about kale.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

I'm with you, Stina: Rotation! I could liiiiive off of spinach, but I don't let myself. Gotta get in some kale and lettuce and chard, among others.

RawStrength, I'm not sure if mine are with or without hulls, but I am just soaking mine for about 6-10 hrs (depending on when I can get to them) and then dehydrating, then using them as an addition to cereal and in making raw granola (which will also be made into a cereal) and raw bars for the bf when he goes to work. I have a recipe online called Bushy-Tail Goji Bars http://intherawcommunity.ning.com/forum/topics/bushytail-goji-bars

[freshlight]

I did sprout it last month and didn't have any side effects and I'm REALLY sensitive to things......but it tastes very neutral, almost like nothing at all.
Thought that might be interesting. Take care, Eva

[Zaphirah]

Uh-oh. I make an AWESOME pizza crust out of sprouted buckwheat. RS-can you share your source of info?

[HolyGuacamole]

Buckwheat sprouts aren't toxic until they are long enough to be green. If you just sprout little tails you should be fine.
I don't remember where I read this, but I have read it many times over, and I feel confident that it is the case as we use buckwheaties all the time and have never suffered any ill effects.

[HolyGuacamole]

OK, I can't find anything to back up what I just said. *LOL*
Still, I know that's what I've read and believe.

I did find this oft-referred to and reprinted article
http://www.townsendletter.com/Dec2004/buckwheat1204.htm
wherein the author actually shuns pretty much all sprouts and a panoply of greens - and celery, for Heaven's sake - as toxic, which casts serious doubt (to me, anyway) on the validity of what he says. Also, it made me laugh, 'cause it seems pretty darn silly.


If I can find reference to what I mentioned above, I will be sure to post it.

[HolyGuacamole]

According to Wikipedia,
Buckwheat greens contain fagopyrin, a naturally occurring substance in the buckwheat plant. When ingested in sufficient quantity, fagopyrin is known to cause the skin of animals and people to become phototoxic, which is to say hypersensitive to sunlight, particularly if juiced or eaten in large quantities. Due to the growing popularity of sprouts in general, and a widespread ignorance as to the toxic dangers posed by buckwheat greens specifically, many people are today suffering unnecessarily.[4][5]

...which seems to suggest dose is crucial, which makes good sense to me. If you aren't consuming mass quantities of buckwheat greens, I can't imagine you would have a problem.

Again, if I dig up where I read that the greens are no bueno while the little white tails are OK, I will post it here.

[rawstrength]

HolyGuacamole - I have also read that in the case of buckwheat, little tails are fine to eat, but greens are toxic. Even in what you quoted above, you mentioned that it is the buckwheat greens that are troublesome. Because my buckwheat is from www.sproutpeople.com it has the indigestible black hulls on it and can only be eaten when sprouted to the point of having leaves. The hulls fall off once the leaves open up. I think I will sprout it to use the greens in small amounts. Or maybe I will just give it to the birds. Has anyone suffered ill effects from eating too much buckwheat greens?

I agree with previous posts that all greens should be rotated.

[rawstrength]

I found it!
'Unlike the shoots of the buckwheat plant, buckwheat groats, or seeds, are not generally problematic because they contain only trace quantities of fagopyrin. Buckwheat groats are commonly sold as kasha or are ground into buckwheat flour, which is used to make soba noodles and buckwheat pancakes. These foods have long been used as staples in many cultures and appear to be perfectly safe. The danger lies not in the grains, but in the mature green buckwheat plants that some animals may ingest, and in the young green shoots, which increasing numbers of health-conscious individuals are consuming. These foods contain large quantities of toxic fagopyrin.'

From http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_257/ai_n7638045/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1 .