Buckwheat

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), also called common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae, grown for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Its cultivation began around the 6th millennium BC in what is now Yunnan Province in southwestern China. Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not a grass; it is instead related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb. Because the high starch content of its seeds allows it to be cooked and eaten like a cereal, it is classed as a pseudocereal. Some people suffer serious allergic reactions to buckwheat, and there are documented concerns about its use in pet food.