This nutrient-rich strain of buckwheat originated in southeast China and was brought to regions of the Himalayas thousands of years ago, where it thrived under the extreme weather conditions. It made its way along the Silk Road to Europe in the Middle Ages and eventually to colonial North America, where it thrived because it doesn’t require irrigation, herbicides, or pesticides.

Here is also a newly discovered bioactive molecule called 2-hydroxybenzylamine (2-HOBA) that is, as far as anyone knows, found only in the seeds of this plant.

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Myriad Benefits

The discovery of 2-HOBA, also called salicylamine, is causing particular excitement. It  is a naturally-occurring, lipophilic analog of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) (Davies SS, Zhang LS. Curr Pharmacol Rep. 2017). HTB appears to the only food source of this compound.

Preclinical trials suggest that 2-HOBA protects against cellular damage by scavenging reactive carbonyl species. According to a 2019 research summary by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, it may also protect against cognitive decline stemming from age-related increases in brain lipid oxidation.

This phytonutrient also has potential heart-health benefits.  It may protect against cardiovascular pathology by preventing the protein dysfunction and inflammation associated with reactive carbonyl species.

Flavonoids in HTB promote mitophagy and aid in clearing injured mitochondria and damaged immune cells that can lead to immunosenescence. The phytonutrients in HTB buckwheat are considered “cytokine modulators” that regulate gene expression and cytokine secretion.

Phytonutrients & Co-Evolution

To understand the potential impact of HTB, it is worthwhile reflecting on the nature of phytochemicals and the process of co-evolution we share with the plant world.

Phytochemicals, or phytonutrients, are “secondary metabolites” produced by plants as part of their elaborate defense mechanism. These compounds are central to a plant’s immune system, helping to protect it from a range of insect and microbial predators, as well as from ionizing radiation, toxins, and other stressors like drought. The harsher the environment, the more phytochemicals the plants naturally produce.

Because we’ve co-evolved eating plants, we’ve developed receptors for their phytonutrients which have positive influences on our own metabolism. When we consume colorful pigmented plant foods, we’re effectively borrowing the plants’ immune systems to regulate our own physiology. Plants that produce compounds beneficial to us humans gain a reproductive advantage in that we tend to propagate them widely.

So far, more than 25,000 phytochemicals have been discovered in plants. The Rockefeller Foundation has taken on the gargantuan task of categorizing them as part of its  Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI).

The phytonutrients in HTB buckwheat are considered “cytokine modulators” that regulate gene expression and cytokine secretion.

Phytonutrients interact with our genes to influence phenotypic expression, reduce inflammation, improve mitochondrial function, support detoxification, balance hormones and more. A few common examples include Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea, glucosinolates in broccoli, and curcumin in turmeric.

Phytochemicals differ from macro- and micronutrients in plants, in that a lack of a specific phytonutrient does not necessarily cause disease. For example, an extreme lack of dietary ascorbic acid results in scurvy, but a lack of EGCG does not result in any specific disease. That said, phytonutrients do provide many benefits, and their absence in a human diet contributes to age-related and chronic conditions.

HTB contains an impressive array of phytonutrients with beneficial effects on lipid metabolism, immune regulation, and blood sugar metabolism due to its soluble fibers and d-chiro-inositol (Huda MN et al. Food Chem. 2021).

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

 Expect more on this revolutionarry Super Food in the near future.

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