Buckwheat is a highly nutritious and versatile seed that can be consumed raw or toasted, cooked or uncooked, and even ground into flour for baking.
Contrary to popular belief, buckwheat contains no wheat (100% gluten-free) and is not a grain.
Like most nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes, soaking and sprouting is the best way to maximize nutrition and improve their digestibility. In our opinion, it’s well worth the time and effort to soak and sprout buckwheat grouts!
The Benefits of Sprouting Buckwheat
Soaking and sprouting buckwheat helps break down the phytate (phytic acid) that it contains in it’s raw form.
By removing the phytate and allowing the seed to sprout, our body is able to absorb a much higher percentage of the vitamins and minerals during the digestive process.
Research in the 1940s by a Biochemist named Clive McKay, uncovered incredible increases in vitamin A (up to 300 percent) and vitamin C (more than 500 percent) in sprouted vs. unsprouted soy beans.
Although that particular study used soy beans, nutritional experts agree that there are significant benefits to sprouting any foods.
Choosing the Best Buckwheat Groats to Sprout
You’ll want to make sure your buckwheat meets the following criteria to ensure that it’s suitable to sprout:
- Raw, not toasted grouts
- Whole groats, not milled or damaged
- As fresh as possible, and has been stored properly
Step-by-Step Sprouting Process
Follow these steps:
- Rinse
Place buckwheat groats large strainer and rinse under tap water.
- Soak
Place in a sprouting jar, fill with filtered water, and let sit for 24 hours. Rinse with fresh water every 1-2 hours until the water is clear.
- Sprout
After 24 hours, thoroughly rinse 3-4 times. Place the sprouting jar within another container on an angle to allow drainage/airflow.
Place jar in a cupboard, or cover with a cloth. Soak and drain periodically to keep groats moist. Once the sprouts reach 0.5-1 inches in length, the process is complete. - Dehydrate
Place sprouted buckwheat groats evenly on a food dehydrator and leave for 8-12 hours (until completely dry).
- Toast (*Optional)
To bring out its flavour you can create your own ‘kasha’ by lightly toasting your sprouted buckwheat in an iron skillet.
- Enjoy!
Once the groats have been dried they will keep in the pantry for months. They can also be ground into four using a food processor or blender.
Does Sprouted Buckwheat Have to Be Dehydrated?
Dehydration significantly increased its shelf life and doesn’t require refrigeration. If you do not dehydrate sprouted buckwheat it will only last a few days in the fridge.
Where do I Order Canadian Organic Buckwheat Hearts?
We offer both organic raw, and organic toasted Canadian buckwheat hearts at our online store.
We choose to sell Canadian-grown organic buckwheat as opposed Chinese-grown. Not only is it superior in terms of quality and freshness, but we also believe in supporting our local economy whenever possible.
We hope you found this post helpful. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or feedback by leaving a comment below.
