Common buckwheat (Polygonum fagopyrum)

Other names: Buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum, Buckwheat

Common buckwheat (Polygonum fagopyrum) is also known as buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum or buckwheat. The plant, originally from Asia, was cultivated 6 000 years ago and gradually spread around the world. Its hardiness and ease of cultivation make it a popular field crop. The distinctive features of buckwheat are its bright pink flowers and dark brown, nut-like fruits. The main use of buckwheat lies in the kitchen, but this versatile helper also finds application in medicine.

The culinary uses of buckwheat are very broad. Most often it is used to make flour, which is ideal for making bread, dumplings, pancakes, pasta or gnocchi. Buckwheat flour is particularly popular among people who suffer from coeliac disease because it is gluten-free. Furthermore, buckwheat is used to prepare porridges, soups, sweet and savoury dishes and even drinks. Buckwheat is often added to salads or used as a side dish with meat. Buckwheat is also used to make a fermented beer-like drink called buckwheat beer. Innovative cuisines also use buckwheat to make desserts, sweets and ice cream. Buckwheat is also becoming a popular raw material for gluten-free foods.