With plenty of other grains to choose from, why should you bother with buckwheat? Because it is:·     uten free. If you have coeliac disease or are intolerant to gluten, you can eat buckwheat. Just be careful to check labels if you are buying buckwheat products like soba noodles, as they may be combined with wheat.

• Gluten free. If you have coeliac disease or are intolerant to gluten, you can eat buckwheat. Just be careful to check labels if you are buying buckwheat products like soba noodles, as they may be combined with wheat.
• High in antioxidants. Buckwheat is rich in antioxidants, more so than many other grains. These include rutin (which may lower your cancer risk and improve your blood lipids) and quercetin (which may lower risk of cancer and heart disease). It is also one of the richest food sources of D-chiro inositol, a unique type of soluble carb that reduces blood sugar and so may help manage diabetes.
• Rich in minerals. Compared to other grains, the minerals in buckwheat are particularly well absorbed. That is because buckwheat is relatively low in phytic acid, which can reduce the absorption of minerals. Buckwheat contains manganese, copper, magnesium, iron and phosphorus, all essential and sometimes lacking in our diet.
• High in fibre. Buckwheat is rich in fibre, particularly insoluble fibre and resistant starch. These provide fuel for your beneficial gut bacteria, helping them increase in number.

To cook buckwheat groats for use in soup, salad, or as a side dish, first rinse them well before simmering in boiling water for 10 minutes, until they are tender but still have a little bite. Drain well.