Does Buckwheat Reduce Glucose?
Canadian researchers think that buckwheat will reduce blood glucose levels. They base their findings on a study of diabetic rats. Buckwheat extracts lowered their blood glucose levels by 12 percent to 19 percent after a meal. It is something called chiro-inositol that appears responsible here. It is one of the nine inositol isomers and is relatively rare. However, it has been previously shown in animal and human studies to play a significant role in glucose metabolism and cell signaling. Chiro-inositol is relatively high in buckwheat and rarely found in other foods. Of all the seeds analyzed, only mung beans have more. The researchers prepared an extract from the buckwheat variety Koto (Fagopryrum esculentum Moench). Kade Research Ltd. in Morden, Manitoba, Canada, provided the buckwheat. It happens that Kade Research also provided funding for the study, and one of the study’s authors is currently collaborating with the company to develop new buckwheat varieties that contain much higher
