Have you tried Teff? Is it the new Quinoa?

Teff is a grain that I have admired for some time due to its potential gut health benefits but I hadn’t seen it anywhere lately until I came across it on Instagram of all places! Teff is traditionally an Ethiopian grain, is sometimes referred to as the orphan grain, and is naturally gluten free (but always check the label). I’ve purchased three teff products to try so I’ll let you know how they go.

What’s so good about Teff?

Teff is also high in nutrients that other flours and grains aren’t such as iron and calcium (one cup has about the same calcium as a cup of milk) and it’s very low in sodium so it’s a win win.

Teff can be used in baking (replace the flour with it), can be used for porridge, teff burgers and because it’s a wholegrain it’s also full of amazing nutrients. Because teff is very small it can stick together so don’t expect it to be like rice or other larger grains.

Teff also has all the essential amino acids so it’s a brilliant source of protein and it’s low GI. Because teff is a small grain it can be easily used to make wholegrain products such as bread which means that the nutrients and high fibre content are maintained when it's cooked.

You may have already guessed but the fibre in teff, @~12g per 100g, is also high in prebiotic fibres. Yes, food for your gut bugs. Variety is the key to a high diversity and a healthy gut so the more different types of prebiotic fibres that you have in your diet the better.