Monday, March 10, 2014

Eragrostis tef



Here it is the 10th of March. I am finally getting around to updating my weight information in the right sidebar and general comments in the form of a blog post. As you can see from my weight history, since returning from a cruise in January that resulted in a bump up in weight I have for the most part been able to push my weight in the right direction. The drop in weight has just been excruciatingly slow.

I suppose you are wondering about the funny title of this post. Well, Eragrostis tef is a whole grain that is also known by the name Teff. I was reading about this whole grain recently because it is naturally gluten free which is a good fit for our primarily gluten free home.

Teff is an annual grass native to the Ethiopian Highlands of the Horn of Africa. The whole grain has an attractive nutrition profile, being high in fiber and Iron while also providing protein and Calcium. It is said to be similar to Millet and Quinoa in cooking; however, the similarity to quinoa, which I have cooked, was lost on me. The whole grain Teff seed is very small. (think poppy seed)

I also read that Teff is high in resistant starch, a newly-discovered type of dietary fiber that can benefit blood sugar management, weight control, and colon health. It’s estimated that 20-40% of the carbohydrates in teff are resistant starches.

So, after finding out that Teff is available as a whole grain or flour in either a brown or ivory color I came across information about its use. Turns out that Teff flour is used by Kenyan and Ethiopian distance runners to make injera, a traditional flat bread which is said to be a staple of their diet. Hummmm……

Teff is now being produced in the USA, primarily in Idaho, and I was able to locate a package of brown whole grain Teff at my local health food store. I’ve been experimenting with mixing it in my oatmeal for the past month or so. The ratio I seem to like the best is 3 parts Teff to 1 part oatmeal. I also throw in some chopped walnuts and diced dried apricots.

So, while Teff is an interesting little grain, I have to report that I am still running more like an elderly Hoosier than a Kenyan or Ethiopian.   

Hopefully, I will be able to share some more interesting information at the start of next month.