[Musqua]

In the Winnipeg Free Press on Wednesday Nov. 19/2003 Issue there is a headline that reads Buckwheat linked to management of Diabetes. The jest of the study (controlled) reads that the buckwheat seed lowered blood glucose levels by 12-19 percent when fed to diabetic rats. The active component in buckwhear believed to be responsible for lowering blood glucose is called chiroinositol . They say this may make cells more sensitive to insulin or may act as an insulin mimic. The resreachers aren't sure how much buckwheat a person would have to ingest for this but they are working on it.

What I have typed is just an excerpt from the column. The study findins will appear un the Dec.3/2003 issue of the Journal of Agricultural And Food Chemistry.

Hope this is helpful to some. I have a copy of the whole column if anyone is interested. I also have the email of the reporter.

Heather

[Andrea]

Buckwheat certainly doesn't lower my blood glucose levels! I have celiac disease and can't have wheat, so when i make crepes or pancakes, i make them out of buckwheat flour. I have to bolus the same amount of insulin as i would have had to if they were made from regular wheat flour. Maybe it's just the seeds (also known as kasha) and not the flour?

Andrea