Is buckwheat a grain? page

[ChasingButterfly]

Dear Primal users,

I am a novice here, seeking for help. My doctor wants me to go grain-free for at least a few weeks to try and heal a series of GI symptoms (they have stopped being invalidating since going gluten-free, but have not disappeared yet).

Can anyone tell me if this means I have to let go of buckwheat as well? I seem to understand it is not a grain, but am not sure this means it would be allowed. Not that I use buckwheat on a regular basis, but on the rare occasions I bake something for myself (even most GF items are off limits because they contain tapioca/cassava, which I cannot have), that's what I use.

Also (and think the answer here is "no") : I have been eating a GF bread by Julian Bakery (the Carb Zero, all the others containing millet are off-limits for me), which uses oat fiber (not bran, not flour). Would this be ok in a grain-free diet?

Thanks for listening! Just trying to figure out which parts of my pantry are not OK at the moment!

[j3nn]

Buckwheat isn't a grain but I don't think it's Primal-approved. It's a pseudo-grain. If you properly soak it before eating it, it helps reduce the negative effects. But you should run it by your doc first. Likely answer will be to avoid it while on elimination.

I like Julian Bakery's low carb paleo bread, the coconut one. However, it has psyllium in it, so run that by your doctor too. Psyllium is a known gut irritant for some people. Check out chowstalker.com and dessertstalker.com for paleo baked goods. Also fastpaleo.com

[ChasingButterfly]

Hi, j3nn,
Thank you! I have had the coconut bread before, I think I can give it another go, it was actually quite nice! Psyllium we established seemed ok, never had a problem having anything containing psyllium (soy is one of my foes, instead).

I have taken a look at the recipes. I cannot have almonds - does using all coconut flour work?

[j3nn]

Hi, j3nn,
Thank you! I have had the coconut bread before, I think I can give it another go, it was actually quite nice! Psyllium we established seemed ok, never had a problem having anything containing psyllium (soy is one of my foes, instead).

I have taken a look at the recipes. I cannot have almonds - does using all coconut flour work?

Coconut flour behaves much differently than almond. A good rule of thumb is 3 eggs for every 1/4 cup coconut flour. I would look for recipes that specifically use coconut flour to avoid expensive flops.

[ChasingButterfly]

. A good rule of thumb is 3 eggs for every 1/4 cup coconut flour.

THIS is USEFUL information! Thanks! I think that I may actually make my own recipes from scratch using that ratio: I have been an enthusiast baker for many years now, even for special diets (GF, dairy-free, vegan, etc), so I think I can get a hang of that with small-bacth experiments. We'll see how it goes!

[j3nn]

Good luck! Experimental baking is fun. There's a grain-free low carb bread recipe on my blog that's pretty incredible and so easy to make.

[ChasingButterfly]

ooh, I like those! Thanks! I am trying to follow a very strict diet that should help managing my thyroid disease, and it's SO difficult to be both GF and stay away from goitrogens (unfortunately, after doing the goitrogen-elimination diet, I came to realize that they DO affect me, and a LOT - bleargh!). Coconut seems my friend so far, but I must be careful not to overdo it. Most nuts I have problems digesting.

[Damiana]

Buckwheat and Grain Alternatives | Mark's Daily Apple

[paleo-bunny]

It's not technically a grain but has some of the same antinutrients as grains that cause problems for some folk.

[Sandra in BC]

I think you'll be more successful if you stop looking for ways to "have your bread and eat it too".

Fat, meat, veggies, nuts, eggs. And a little fruit and dairy if you tolerate either. Perhaps white rice now and then.

But not "flour" made from rice, oats (a grain by the way) or any other starchy pseudo-grain seed thingy.