Welcome to Tigrai Online,      Daily News that matters


Why eating injera teff - taff is healthy for you

Tigrai Online April 01, 2013

Teff field in the highlands of Ethiopia
Teff field ready to be harvested in the highlands of northern Ethiopia

Sometimes we tend not to give enough value to our own natural wealth, culture, and traditions and this is the case when it comes to Teff or Taff (Tigrigna) the wonder Ethiopian grain.

Ethiopian injera made from Teff
Injera is an Ethiopian spongy flat bread made from Teff

Even though injera (a spongy flat bread) is Ethiopian’s main staple food, there are some misunderstandings in many Ethiopian people injera is bad for you, but it is not true. For the purpose of this article when we are talking about injera we are referring to injera mainly made from teff or taff.

Teff is the smallest grain
Teff is the smallest grain in the world measuring only about one to two millimeters across

Teff the smallest grain in the world measuring only about one to two millimeters across was fully domesticated in the highlands of northern Ethiopia about 3000 to 1000 BC. Taff accounts to about 25 % of all grain production in Ethiopia.

Teff grows in most parts of the highlands of Ethiopia and a little bit in Southern Eritrea. Recently farmers in Australia and the United States started to experiment with growing Taff. Teff is cooked as injera most of the time mixed with barley or wheat.

Health benefits of eating injera made from Teff or Taff

Ethiopian food made from injera Teff is yammy and good for you
Injera which is the main staple food of most Ethiopians is served with spicy sauce and variety of vegetables

Teff has the highest content of calcium compared to other grains like wheat and corn, about 123 mg per cup cooked.  The calcium content found in Teff is very similar to spinach.

Teff is an excellent source of resistance starch, which is a dietary fiber with huge benefits on balancing blood sugar in our body. About 40% of the carbohydrates in Teff are resistance starch which also is very beneficial in colon health and weight management.

This ancient grain is high in vitamin C which is minimal in most grains. Teff is also a great source of protein.

Teff, a gluten free whole grain is a wonder grain tiny in size but loaded in nutrition. Ethiopians have been growing, harvesting and eating teff for thousands of years.

Western nutritional scientists have done all the studying and analyzing of Taff and realizing it is a grain that has to be explored. In connection to the benefits of Teff a Holland company has been trying to patent it, but the Ethiopian people and government are fighting it.

Ethiopians and the whole world in general should be thankful to our forth fathers for domesticating taff. We should eat injera and be happy and healthy.

Advertisements

Sponsored Links

More Articles

Ethiopian health sector gets $120 million from world bank

$1 billion worth of fuel oil imported from Sudan to Ethiopia

The Glittering Transformation of Ethiopia is beyond Reproach

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to establish a bank to challenge IMF and World Bank

The ICG’s six point recommendation for Eritrea transition

An Eritrea man sentenced to more than nine years in U.S. federal prison

Hagos Gebrhiwet Berhe wins the junior men's race at the 2013 IAAF World Cross Country Championships

Ethiopia will never use the port of Asseb unless the Isaias Afwerki regime is gone

Tsgabu Grmay won stage 5 of the Tour de Taiwan

The Hague - The Latest Warlord Being Dragged from - The Congo

Ethiopian Airlines Graduates 99 Trainees

Book review "Between the Jaws of Hyenas" Reviewed by Dr. Ghelawdewos Araia

Yityish Aynaw Ethiopian Jew crowned as Miss Israel 2013

Heineken to build the largest brewery in Ethiopia

Sheik Mohammed Al Moudi wins libel action against Ethiopian Reviews and its Editor

Open Letter to Prince Kahlid Bin Sultan, Deputy Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia

Ethiopia, The Proud Host Of Two Key Continental Events

Abune Mathias is elected as the 6th Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

World Bank impressed about Ethiopian impressive Successes in Health

Tullow Oil Discovers oil in Ethiopian

A Saudi general goes berserk against The Ethiopian Grand Renaissance dam

Ethiopian MRO Services Develops Overhaul Capability for the CFM56-3 and CFM56-7 Engines

Defining Heroism in Ethiopia

International Rivers and the Omo - short on fact and long on fiction again!

Ethiopia's Strategic Resolve to Building the Grand Renaissance Dam

Pinko unveiled six Ethiopian versions of its signature cotton Pinko Bags

An interview of Melaku Bedada from the Embassy of Ethiopia in D.C. with Tsehaye Debalkew of Selam radio

Lekatit 11 Celebration in Washington DC 2013 (photos)

Meles Zenawi: Dedicated peace advocate and a brilliant military strategist part II

Ethiopia manufactures first military unmanned aircraft