Thanks for that Dmitri. One has to watch these terms that mean one thing on one country and another somewhere else. Also, thanks for the time about roasting buckwheat if bought raw.

It’s the same in most Slavic languages. “Kasha” is literally “porridge,” “Buckwheat porridge” is called “Greek porridge” (or rather an old corruption of the word for “Greek”) because it was first introduced from Byzantium circa 600–700 AD.

One thing you might mention to your readers is the difference between “Russian” style buckwheat porridge sold in European stores, and the buckwheat typically sold in health food stores is that the European style is roasted, while in health food stores it is not. It is pretty disgusting if not roasted, and probably less digestible. So if that’s what you have, you can put it in a large skillet on high heat, and keep stirring it until it is evenly light toasty-brown.

Sorry to hear about your bad encounters with buckwheat, Kelly. Sure, everyone is eating it, doesn’t mean to say it agrees with you. Looks like you’ll have to cut it out anyhow if it seems to be causing the problem, so you might as well try it again in six months. If you find you’re OK with it, don’t over-do it!
Good luck!

If you eat a lot of it, it you may be allergic to something else but think it’s this new food you’re eating all the time. Or maybe you’re eating too much and have become sensitive to it.

Try leaving it alone for a few weeks, see what happens, then try it again. If all symptoms go away, only to re-appear when you eat it again, chances are you’re sensitive to it. If this happens, cut it out for six months to a year, then try it in small amounts and not too often, you might just find you’re OK with it again.

Good luck!

hi there, i like buckwheat a lot and i’m trying to eat it as a replacement for a pasta, rice… however, i start to believe that it has caused me an allergic or rather skin reaction. Simply I tried it a few times just to confirm that it is reaction to buckwheat. I had a rush on my face and neck. It looked like acne – just that it happened at the same day i ate it. I really like it and couldn’t figure out why such a healthy super-food can cause it. Then i realised that it does contain copper and since i’m allergic to it, I have maybe eaten a bit too much and therefore had the reaction on my face. I still want to believe it’s maybe something different, but maybe it really is this buckwheat. 🙁

You’re not properly digesting US or Russian buckwheat? I assume US.
Certainly the soil is different and that may account for much of the difference. Possibly the strain is different to suit local conditions.

Sorry to hear your sister had such a strong reaction to buckwheat.
The fact is that a minority of people could have a reaction to absolutely any food in existence.

my sister had such a bad allergic reaction I rushed her to the hospital. she stayed overnight, that’s how bad she was.
the antihistamines and cortisone wasn’t enough..
I think it is HIGH time any/all products with BUCKWHEAT have health warnings (like peanuts) as more and more “health” products are including the it.. mixed with wheat.. or as a “gluten-free” white substitute. this is unacceptable.
it is very dangerous!
the doctor has advised my sister that the allergy gets worse, as one is more exposed to it.
so.. she literally said “you could die next time, you wont have 15minutes to get to a hospital”.