Grow Healthy
With Dr. Sally's
"Vital Signs" Blog
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is indigenous to Ethiopia and Eritrea, where it has served as the daily staple for roughly 90 million people for thousands of years. It is a stress-tolerant, fast-growing cereal grain that is still cultivated using ancient farming methods. Teff has been growing in international popularity in recent decades, as health-conscious consumers seek out ever more gluten-free options.
After a year of the pandemic, have you ever been more ready for spring? In California, everything is turning green and it’s almost warm enough to get your herbs in the ground. By summer, you’ll be looking for ways to use all those bushy basil plants. Meanwhile, grab a bunch or two of basil at the market and make this pesto and my updated minestrone soup (sans the pasta).
Now, that you’re aware of the multiple problems with gluten and its evil twin, gliadin, let me introduce you to a few gluten-free grains that are used around the world. Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, rice, oats and corn are the grains that do NOT contain gluten. They’re generally well tolerated by gluten-sensitive individuals. Some I serve with dinner and others I find more palatable as a breakfast “porridge”.
Growing up in America, the grain we’ve most commonly eaten is wheat…wheat for bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a few snacks in between! Wheat has risen to the top of our “most preferred” grain list because it contains gluten, a protein that gives it that “gluey” consistency, ideal for baking bread.
