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Teff vs. Buckwheat — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Jack Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on July 25, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Teff
vs
Buckwheat

Summary

Teff is richer in zinc, phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, folate, and vitamin A. 

On the other hand, buckwheat is richer in selenium and vitamin K. Buckwheat also has less sodium than teff.

Table of contents

  1. Taste and Use
    1. Introduction
      1. Nutrition
        1. Calories
          1. Carbs
            1. Fiber
              1. Protein
                1. Fats
                  1. Minerals
                    1. Vitamins
                      1. Glycemic index
                      2. Health Impact
                        1. Gluten-Free Diet
                        2. References

                          Taste and Use

                          Teff possesses the mildest taste, while its darker variations exhibit a more earthy flavor. Teff grains have a resemblance to miniature flax or brown poppy seeds. 

                          Teff can make porridge, breakfast cereals, and side dishes.

                          Conversely, buckwheat has a nutty and slightly bitter flavor akin to the taste of whole-wheat flour or rye. It is commonly used to prepare noodles, crepes, and granola due to its unique taste and versatile culinary properties.

                          Introduction

                          This article will be a comparison of teff and buckwheat. The comparison will be according to their nutritional content and health impacts. In the end, we will consider some general differences between them.

                          Nutrition

                          This section will compare 100g of each in uncooked form.

                          Macronutrient Comparison

                          Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                          Teff
                          Teff
                          3
                          4% 20% 75%
                          Protein: 3.87 g
                          Fats: 0.65 g
                          Carbs: 19.86 g
                          Water: 74.93 g
                          Other: 0.69 g
                          3% 20% 76%
                          Protein: 3.38 g
                          Fats: 0.62 g
                          Carbs: 19.94 g
                          Water: 75.63 g
                          Other: 0.43 g
                          Contains more ProteinProtein +14.5%
                          Contains more OtherOther +60.5%
                          ~equal in Fats ~0.62g
                          ~equal in Carbs ~19.94g
                          ~equal in Water ~75.63g

                          Calories

                          Teff is slightly higher in calories compared to buckwheat. Teff provides 101 calories per 100g, while buckwheat has 92 calories.

                          Carbs

                          Both foods are mainly made of carbs. 73g of carbs in teff compared to 71g in buckwheat. The carb content of teff is slightly higher.

                          Carbohydrate type comparison

                          Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                          Teff
                          Teff
                          0
                          57% 29% 14%
                          Starch: 0 g
                          Sucrose: 0.4 g
                          Glucose: 0.2 g
                          Fructose: 0.1 g
                          Lactose: 0 g
                          Maltose: 0 g
                          Galactose: 0 g

                          Fiber

                          The fiber content of these two is equal; both have 2.7g of fiber per 100g.

                          Protein

                          They have similar amounts of protein; however, the protein content of both grains in raw form is around 13g.

                          Fats

                          They contain negligible amounts of fats.

                          Minerals

                          Teff is richer in zinc, phosphorus, iron, manganese, potassium, and calcium.

                          However, buckwheat has more selenium. Buckwheat also has less sodium than teff.

                          In the diagram below, we can visualize the mineral distributions.

                          Mineral Comparison

                          Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                          Teff
                          Teff
                          7
                          Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 36% 15% 9.4% 77% 75% 30% 51% 1% 373% 0%
                          Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 36% 2.1% 7.8% 30% 49% 17% 30% 0.52% 53% 12%
                          Contains more CalciumCalcium +600%
                          Contains more PotassiumPotassium +21.6%
                          Contains more IronIron +156.3%
                          Contains more CopperCopper +54.8%
                          Contains more ZincZinc +82%
                          Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +71.4%
                          Contains more ManganeseManganese +609.7%
                          Contains less SodiumSodium -50%
                          ~equal in Magnesium ~51mg

                          Vitamins

                          Teff is richer in vitamins B1, folate, and vitamin A. Buckwheat is richer in vitamin K.

                          Below we can see the distribution of their vitamin profiles.

                          Vitamin Comparison

                          Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                          Teff
                          Teff
                          4
                          Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0.12% 0% 0% 46% 7.6% 17% 0% 22% 0% 0% 14% 0%
                          Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 1.8% 0% 10% 9% 18% 22% 18% 0% 4.8% 11% 11%
                          Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
                          Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +357.5%
                          Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +26%
                          Contains more FolateFolate +28.6%
                          Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +18.2%
                          ~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg
                          ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                          ~equal in Vitamin B3 ~0.94mg
                          ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                          Glycemic index

                          Teff has a glycemic index of 57, while buckwheat has a glycemic index of 45. In comparison, buckwheat is categorized as having a low-glycemic index food.

                          Health Impact

                          This section will focus on the different health impacts that each grain provides.

                          Teff is richer in iron, positively affecting the blood and circulation system. It prevents iron deficiency anemia development. This was mainly observed in pregnant women. (1)

                          Teff is also rich in zinc, providing several health benefits and regulation of overall homeostasis. Zinc benefits the immune system, reduces flaring of chronic diseases, and reduces diabetes development and cancer risks. (2)

                          Zinc has spermatogenic functions, and deficiency is a risk factor for male infertility. (3)

                          Vitamin B6 present in teff reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases. (4)

                          Buckwheat is rich in copper, which positively affects bone health, and overall, copper has an essential function in metabolism and energy production. (5) (6)

                          Buckwheat has neuroprotective benefits. (7)

                          Gluten-Free Diet

                          Gluten is a group of proteins present in wheat and various grains, responsible for providing dough with its elastic properties. Individuals with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition, cannot tolerate gluten. The disease is characterized by the immune system attacking the lining of the small intestine, leading to anemia, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, and bloating due to nutrient absorption problems. Fortunately, gluten-free alternatives like teff and buckwheat can be used as substitutes for wheat flour in gluten-free diets (8).

                          References

                          1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29936535/
                          2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22071549/
                          3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6010824/
                          4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22116704/
                          5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34210051/
                          6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26097228/
                          7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15107579/
                          8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34836247/ 
                          Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
                          Education: Haigazian Medical University
                          Last updated: July 25, 2023
                          Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

                          Infographic

                          Teff vs Buckwheat infographic
                          Infographic link

                          Comparison summary table

                          Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                          Teff Buckwheat
                          Lower in Sugar ok
                          Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                          Lower in price ok
                          Rich in minerals ok
                          Lower in Sodium ok
                          Lower in Glycemic Index ok
                          Rich in vitamins ok
                          Lower in Cholesterol Equal

                          All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                          Nutrient Teff Buckwheat Opinion
                          Calories 101kcal 92kcal Teff
                          Protein 3.87g 3.38g Teff
                          Fats 0.65g 0.62g Teff
                          Net carbs 17.06g 17.24g Buckwheat
                          Carbs 19.86g 19.94g Buckwheat
                          Magnesium 50mg 51mg Buckwheat
                          Calcium 49mg 7mg Teff
                          Potassium 107mg 88mg Teff
                          Iron 2.05mg 0.8mg Teff
                          Sugar 0.9g Teff
                          Fiber 2.8g 2.7g Teff
                          Copper 0.226mg 0.146mg Teff
                          Zinc 1.11mg 0.61mg Teff
                          Phosphorus 120mg 70mg Teff
                          Sodium 8mg 4mg Buckwheat
                          Vitamin A 2IU 0IU Teff
                          Vitamin E 0.09mg Buckwheat
                          Manganese 2.86mg 0.403mg Teff
                          Selenium 2.2µg Buckwheat
                          Vitamin B1 0.183mg 0.04mg Teff
                          Vitamin B2 0.033mg 0.039mg Buckwheat
                          Vitamin B3 0.909mg 0.94mg Buckwheat
                          Vitamin B5 0.359mg Buckwheat
                          Vitamin B6 0.097mg 0.077mg Teff
                          Vitamin K 1.9µg Buckwheat
                          Folate 18µg 14µg Teff
                          Choline 20.1mg Buckwheat
                          Saturated Fat 0.134g Teff
                          Monounsaturated Fat 0.188g Buckwheat
                          Polyunsaturated fat 0.188g Buckwheat
                          Tryptophan 0.041mg 0.049mg Buckwheat
                          Threonine 0.149mg 0.129mg Teff
                          Isoleucine 0.146mg 0.127mg Teff
                          Leucine 0.311mg 0.212mg Teff
                          Lysine 0.109mg 0.172mg Buckwheat
                          Methionine 0.125mg 0.044mg Teff
                          Phenylalanine 0.203mg 0.133mg Teff
                          Valine 0.2mg 0.173mg Teff
                          Histidine 0.088mg 0.079mg Teff
                          Fructose 0.1g Buckwheat

                          Which food is preferable for your diet?

                          ok
                          ok
                          is better in case of low diet
                          Teff Buckwheat
                          Low Calories diet ok
                          Low Fats diet ok
                          Low Carbs diet ok
                          Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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                          Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                          The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                          Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                          8%
                          Teff
                          8%
                          Buckwheat
                          Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                          67%
                          Teff
                          24%
                          Buckwheat

                          Comparison summary

                          Which food is lower in Sugar?
                          Teff
                          Teff is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.9g)
                          Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                          Teff
                          Teff is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.134g)
                          Which food is cheaper?
                          Teff
                          Teff is cheaper (difference - $2.4)
                          Which food is richer in minerals?
                          Teff
                          Teff is relatively richer in minerals
                          Which food contains less Sodium?
                          Buckwheat
                          Buckwheat contains less Sodium (difference - 4mg)
                          Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                          Buckwheat
                          Buckwheat is lower in glycemic index (difference - 6)
                          Which food is richer in vitamins?
                          Buckwheat
                          Buckwheat is relatively richer in vitamins
                          Which food contains less Cholesterol?
                          ?
                          The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

                          References

                          All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                          1. Teff - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168918/nutrients
                          2. Buckwheat - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170686/nutrients

                          All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                          Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.