Gluten-Free…..Jowar, Teff,…Healthy Grain

Small in size, Big in benefits. A tummy filler, without the gluten. Iron, without the supplements. Energy, without the crash. Just the good stuff.

Teff is an ancient grain with an impressive nutritional profile. It packs lot of good stuff in its tiny size.It packs a high mineral content, containing 17 times the Calcium and twice the amount of iron of whole wheat and barley.

Generally nutrients are concentrated in the bran and germ but in Teff because its too small to hull all the nutrients are concentrated in the grain itself making it a powerhouse of nutrients.

Teff is also used in India, Australia, Africa and the United States….and many more countries.

Teff Benefits

1. Aids Circulation

The iron in teff increases oxygenation naturally treat anaemia to important organs and areas of the body. 

Did you know that iron deficiency is the single most prevalent nutritional deficiency worldwide?

Anaemia occurs when the body is unable to get enough oxygen to the cells and tissues; as a result, the body feels weak and fatigued.

Fortunately, due to its iron content, teff can naturally treat anaemia.

2. Promotes Weight Loss

Copper provides the body with energy and helps heal the body’s muscles, joints and tissue. As a result, teff, which contains 28 percent of our daily value of copper in just one cup, promotes weight loss and increased energy.

Adenosine tri-phosphate (or ATP) is the body’s energy currency; the food that we eat is utilized as fuel, and this fuel is converted into ATP. ATP is created in the mitochondria of cells, and copper is needed for this production to properly take place.

Teff’s fiber content is also another contributing factor to its role as a food that can help you lose weight fast.

3. Relieves PMS Symptoms

Adding teff to your diet cuts back inflammation, bloating, cramping and muscle pain associated with menstruation.

Because teff is a food high in phosphorus — containing 30 percent of your daily value — it helps balance hormones naturally. In fact, hormone balance is the primary factor that determines PMS symptoms someone experiences, so teff also serves as a natural remedy natural remedy for PMS and cramps.

Copper also increases energy levels, so it helps women who feel sluggish and fatigued before and during menstruation. Copper also helps relieve muscle and joint pain, and it reduces inflammation.

4. Boosts the Immune System

Because teff is a high source of B vitamins and essential minerals, it boosts the immune system. Thiamine, for example, helps maintain the muscle tone along the walls of the digestive tract, where much of the immune system is located.

Because thiamine aids digestion, it allows the body to extract nutrients from food more easily; these nutrients are used to boost immunity and defend the body from illness.

Thiamine helps in the secretion of hydrochloric acid, which is essential for the complete digestion of food particles and absorption of nutrients.

That means you don’t want a thiamine deficiency, and consuming teff can help prevent developing one.

5. Supports Bone Health

Millions of. adults are affected by osteoporosis, and it’s one of the leading causes of bone fractures in the elderly.

Luckily, teff is a great source of calcium and manganese, so it promotes bone health. Calcium – rich foods are critical for bones to solidify properly. Growing young adults need enough calcium in order for the body is achieve its peak bone mass.

Manganese, in combination with calcium and other minerals, can help reduce bone loss, especially in older women who are more susceptible to bone fractures and weak bones.

Manganese deficiency also poses a risk for bone-related disorders because it helps with the formation of bone regulatory hormones and enzymes involved in bone metabolism.

Disclaimer: The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensue discussion or debate.   

Thank you …You can buy teff in your local health food store or online. When storing teff, make sure it’s kept in a sealed container. 

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Serves as a Gluten Alternative

Teff is a gluten-free grain, so people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance can add teff to their gluten sensitivity diet and take advantage of its health benefits.

Celiac disease is a serious digestive disorder that’s increasing around the world. When a person has celiac disease, gluten causes an immune reaction that targets the intestinal villi. These finger-like projections are responsible for nutrient absorption, and the damage flattens the villi over time.

The disease is linked to malnutrition, and it affects every symptom of the body.

Some common symptoms of celiac disease or gluten intolerance include abdominal bloating or pain, anxiety, joint or bone pain, canker sores, constipation, infertility, skin rashes, vomiting, foul-smelling or fatty stool, and chronic diarrhoea. A gluten intolerance is 30 times more prevalent than celiac disease.

To overcome gluten sensitivity, try to go gluten – free for a while so your intestinal villi can recover, and then slowly introduce wheat products again to a lesser degree. If your body displays similar reactions after adding gluten back into your body, you may have a more severe intolerance that requires avoiding gluten altogether.

Teff is a great alternative to wheat, so experiment with this tiny grain

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Boosts the Immune System

Because teff is a high source of B vitamins and essential minerals, it boosts the immune system. Thiamine, for example, helps maintain the muscle tone along the walls of the digestive tract, where much of the immune system is located.

Because thiamine aids digestion, it allows the body to extract nutrients from food more easily; these nutrients are used to boost immunity and defend the body from illness.

Thiamine helps in the secretion of hydrochloric acid, which is essential for the complete digestion of food particles and absorption of nutrients. That means you don’t want a thiamine deficiency, and consuming teff can help prevent developing one.

Jowar in my opinion (teff) is among the healthiest choices you can make for your daily carbohydrate intake. Given a typical balanced diet comprises 55-60% carbohydrates, you can have one or one-and-a-half servings of jowar twice a day, either at breakfast, lunch or dinner.

You can also use this flour to make porridge, which is very healthy for children. Roast multigrains like whole wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi, etc. with green mung, chana (Bengal gram) dal, sago (sabudana), etc. to the multigrain atta, and cook it till it reaches the consistency of porridge, using one part flour and three parts water.

If you want to serve it savoury, add jeera (cumin) and salt. If your kids prefer sweet porridge, try gor  (jaggery) and milk instead. Adding crushed almonds will enhance its nutritional value.

If you are fond of dosas and idlis, you can add jowar to the usual rice batter in a 2:1 ratio (two parts jowar flour, one part rice idli batter).

Teff is gluten free which is the main reason why Indian roti, naan or paratha made of wheat will not be the same as Roti made of jowar / teff flour.

But you can still make roti of teff flour. It'll be similar to roti made of Jowar- sorghum or bajra-pearl millet.

It will be flat and can be roasted on a pan with oil or ghee. The texture will be very different too. But I know this is equally good to eat.