Flour, buckwheat
Whole food · Cereal Grains and Pasta
Photo: Wikipedia
Buckwheat flour is a robust, gluten-free flour with a deep, nutty, and slightly earthy flavor that yields a pleasantly dense, hearty texture. Despite its name, it is a nutrient-dense pseudocereal, not a grain, offering a powerful combination of high-quality protein and fiber. It's a staple for creating everything from rustic pancakes to savory noodles, prized for its unique, wholesome character.
Calorie split: 10% protein · 84% carbs · 6% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its distinct, earthy flavor that adds depth and complexity to both sweet and savory dishes. It's incredibly versatile, used in everything from French crêpes to Japanese soba noodles, and is a beloved staple in many traditional cuisines.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its strong, nutty taste can be overpowering for some, and its dense texture may feel heavy if not balanced properly. To counteract this, combine it with lighter flours like wheat or rice flour, and pair it with protein or fat (like eggs or butter) to improve texture and balance the flavor.
Key benefits
- Gluten-free, making it suitable for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
- High in fiber (10.35g per 100g), which supports digestive health and promotes satiety.
- Contains all nine essential amino acids, a rare trait for a plant-based flour.
- Rich in minerals like manganese, magnesium, and copper.
- May help support healthy blood sugar levels due to its fiber and protein content.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Buckwheat is not a grain or a type of wheat; it's a pseudocereal related to rhubarb and sorrel, and its flowers are a major source of nectar for honeybees, producing the distinctive dark, robust buckwheat honey.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 12.0 g |
| Energy (Atwater General Factors) | 358 kcal |
| Energy (Atwater Specific Factors) | 334 kcal |
| Nitrogen | 1.5 g |
| Protein | 8.9 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 2.5 g |
| Ash | 1.6 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 75.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 10.3 g |
| Total dietary fiber (AOAC 2011.25) | 11.4 g |
| High Molecular Weight Dietary Fiber (HMWDF) | 10.7 g |
| Low Molecular Weight Dietary Fiber (LMWDF) | 0.00 g |
| Beta-glucan | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 59.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 30.6 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 3.8 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 167 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 282 mg |
| Potassium, K | 378 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 0.00 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.8 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.53 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 1.5 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 15.7 ug |
| Molybdenum, Mo | 44.5 ug |
| Thiamin | 0.24 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.16 mg |
| Niacin | 3.8 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.17 mg |
| Biotin | 15.1 ug |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Pasta, gluten-free, corn flour and quinoa flour, cooked, ANCIENT HARVEST — USDA does not publish this profile for Flour.
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.15 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.09 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.04 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.66 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.17 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.48 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 0.47 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.95 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.91 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.91 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3i | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.00 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Pasta, gluten-free, corn flour and quinoa flour, cooked, ANCIENT HARVEST — USDA does not publish this profile for Flour.
| Tryptophan | 0.02 g |
| Threonine | 0.10 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.09 g |
| Leucine | 0.35 g |
| Lysine | 0.16 g |
| Methionine | 0.06 g |
| Cystine | 0.07 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.15 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.12 g |
| Valine | 0.11 g |
| Arginine | 0.18 g |
| Histidine | 0.09 g |
| Alanine | 0.21 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.19 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.46 g |
| Glycine | 0.12 g |
| Proline | 0.29 g |
| Serine | 0.15 g |
| Hydroxyproline | 0.00 g |
FAQ
Is buckwheat flour gluten-free?
Yes, buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free, making it a safe and nutritious option for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Can I substitute buckwheat flour for all-purpose flour in recipes?
It's best to use a blend (e.g., 50% buckwheat, 50% all-purpose) for a balanced texture and flavor. Using 100% buckwheat flour can result in a denser, more crumbly product.
What does buckwheat flour taste like?
It has a robust, nutty, and slightly earthy flavor that is more pronounced than regular wheat flour, adding a wholesome, rustic character to dishes.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.58 kcal/g · 10% calories from protein · 10.3 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.00 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.