5 Reasons You Should Be Eating Teff

Posted: 02 Jan 2015 07:00 AM PST

Teff is one of the most nutritious alternative grains in the world, offering a large amount of calcium, fiber, protein, and antioxidants necessary for dynamic health and wellbeing. It's energy efficient, protects bone health, and provides long-lasting satiation that may support your weight loss efforts. Compared with wheat, teff is higher in nutrients and easier on digestion, mainly because it is absent of gluten. If you take a close look, you'll see just how this nutritional powerhouse can support your health.

5 Benefits of Teff

Teff can be purchased in its whole form and cooked in the same way as quinoa. Also, teff flour is available for the gluten-free baker out there, adding flavor, nutrition, and color to your baked goods. Here are some of the benefits of teff you really should know.

1. Naturally Gluten Free

Teff is a gluten-free grain, meaning it doesn't contain the protein responsible for adverse allergic and/or digestive reactions in celiac disease patients. ^[1] The truth is that most people, regardless of whether or not they are diagnosed with celiac disease, are sensitive or downright intolerant to gluten. Certain skin conditions, digestive complaints, and mood disturbances are all subtle ways your body is telling you that something in your diet is not right.

2. Provides Long-Lasting Energy

Most grains contain protein, but usually not in adequate amounts to be sufficient for a healthy diet. Teff is much higher in amino acids in comparison to other grains, with lysine being one of the highest amino acids found in the grain. ^[2] While teff should never be relied on as a complete source of protein, it can provide the amino acids necessary for supporting energy levels throughout the day. Teff is considered a whole grain, so its carbohydrates are slowly broken down into glucose for a steady assimilation into cells. This means that, compared with refined grains, teff may help support energy without the crashes experienced following consumption of refined carbohydrates.

3. Keeps You Regular

One ounce of teff flour contains roughly five grams of fiber, compared to all-purpose wheat flour which contains 1 gram. Including more high-fiber grains in your diet is a great way to ensure regularity in your bowel movements. ^[3] Regularity is important for removing toxic wastes from the colon, which may be helpful for reducing accumulation of toxic compounds in the body. The added fiber also increases satiation which may be helpful for reducing snacking in between meals.

4. Energy Efficient

Teff is a much smaller grain compared to rice and wheat, so it typically cooks faster. This makes teff an energy-efficient grain, making it popular among environmentalists and health foodies alike. Since it does cook faster than most grains, it is important to watch it carefully during preparation.

5. Bone Health

It can be difficult to find a good source of calcium, especially if you're avoiding dairy products. While milk is certainly high in calcium, there are other whole foods that are much more nutritious than milk that also provide roughly the same level of calcium content. Teff is high in calcium, which can be helpful for supporting bone health. ^[4] Its protein content may also add an extra boost for bone health, and the high level of antioxidants contained within the grain could also be considered protective for the bone matrix.

How to Prepare Teff

Teff can be prepared in a similar fashion as quinoa or rice. Due to its small size, teff cooks faster than most grains and should be watched carefully during the preparation process. Generally, a 1:2 ratio of grain to water should be used when cooking the whole grain. Teff can be substituted in place of rice or steel-cut oats in a variety of recipes while adding a delicious, nutty flavor. Teff flour can replace around ¼ of the total flour used in baked goods to increase the final product's nutritional profile.

Have you ever used teff? How do you like it? What are your favorite ways to consume this alternative grain? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

References:

Letizia Saturni, Gianna Farretti, and Tiziana Bacchetti. The Gluten-Free Diet: Safety and Nutritional Quality. Nutrients. Jan 2010; 2(1): 16-34.
G. R. Jansen, L. R. DiMaio, N. L. Hause. Cereal Proteins, Amino Acid Composition and Lysine Supplementation of Teff. J. Agric. Food Chem. 1962, 10(1), pp. 62-64. doi: 10.1021/jf60119a021.
Doris Piccinin, M.S. R.D., Tsegazeab Woldetatios, PhD. More About Ethiopian Food: Teff. EthnoMed.
Utah State University. Teff. Food Sense: Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences.

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