What Are Teff Grains?

In recent years, healthier lifestyle choices and appreciation of the benefits of wholesome foods have become a driving factor for purchasing decisions. Fortunately, this has sparked a great deal of research into new, healthy sources of food and food production, with one of the newer additions to the family of ‘superfoods’ and ‘ancient grains’ being Teff.

Teff is a naturally grown gluten-free grain from North Africa that is non-GMO certified and can be consumed as grain or as flour. Since the discovery of Teff grains’ valuable properties, commercial production has begun in both the United States and South Africa, with AGT Foods being a forerunner in producing the finest Teff flour (brown, dark brown, ivory or white).

For many years, Teff has been a staple food in Ethiopia. Long-distance runner, Olympic gold medallist, and world record holder Haile Gebrselassie has mentioned Teff as a secret to the success of Ethiopian runners.

WHY YOU SHOULD START USING TEFF

Teff contains no gluten, and for this reason, people with severe allergies to wheat gluten have a healthier, non-allergenic alternative. Studies have also shown that these ancient grains have more nutritional value than major grains such as wheat, barley and maize due to the seeds being tiny – meaning the outer portions of bran and germ make up a large part of the seed.

Another reason for it being more nutritious is that it is mostly produced as a whole-grain flour, containing high levels of iron, minerals and healthy fats – making it an ideal addition to healthy diets.

THE FUTURE OF TEFF ANCIENT GRAINS

With the rise in popularity of ancient grains and superfoods, Teff is poised to become a resource for many foods including gluten-free foods.

Being a fabulous source of fiber, Teff Flour is mainly used for the making of traditional Injera Bread from Ethiopia. However, it is also versatile and can be used in many other ways such a making a breakfast porridge or used in any other gluten-free recipes.

The cooking and baking possibilities of Teff grains are endless. You can use it in muffins, pancakes, biscuits, cakes, cookies, stir-fry dishes, soups, stews, puddings and so much more.

Teff plants are also cheap to raise and quick to produce, making it a viable alternative for certified agronomists.

If you would like to find out more about the Teff super grains, see the AGT Foods Teff website page.