Academic Journal

Buckwheat: An Underutilized Himalayan Crop with Multifaceted Nutraceutical Benefits

Bibliographic Details
Title: Buckwheat: An Underutilized Himalayan Crop with Multifaceted Nutraceutical Benefits
Authors: Kirti, Raina, Ruchika, Kumari, Palak, Thakur, Rohit, Sharma, Ashun, Chaudhary
Source: Recent Advances in Food, Nutrition & Agriculture. 16:266-281
Publisher Information: Bentham Science Publishers Ltd., 2025.
Publication Year: 2025
Subject Terms: 2. Zero hunger, 13. Climate action, 15. Life on land
Description: The human population is growing and alternate food options are needed to provide food and nutritional security to mankind. Reduced agricultural output as a result of climate change and increased demand for grains because of continuous population growth have created a gap between demand and supply of food. Buckwheat is a pseudocereal crop plant with high nutritional value that can be included as an alternate food in our diet. It is a traditional crop plant grown in the high mountains of the Himalayas for food as well as fodder. It completes its life cycle in 3-4 months, so is mostly grown as a second crop in between main crops like maize and barley. It also acts as a green manure by improving the phosphorus content of the soil. Buckwheat has high nutritional value as it is rich in essential amino acids, vitamin B, trace elements, and other nutrients. The main bioactive compounds identified in buckwheat are rutin, quercetin, isoquercetin, d-chiroinositol, resveratol, and vitexin, which are responsible for its pharmacological properties. Research focused on value addition by exploring its nutritional, pharmaceutical, and other alternative uses of commercial importance, is needed for reviving buckwheat cultivation practices and its conservation. Considering the multifarious applications of buckwheat, this review summarizes the currently available knowledge on the agronomic and nutraceutical significance of buckwheat to project its value as a future crop in the avenue of agriculture and functional food.
Document Type: Article
Language: English
ISSN: 2772-574X
DOI: 10.2174/012772574x323710240719073908
Access URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39253909
Accession Number: edsair.doi.dedup.....856366653b29ff602f2da9805ae8be16
Database: OpenAIRE
Description
ISSN:2772574X
DOI:10.2174/012772574x323710240719073908