Among the many diets, it is so difficult to choose one that does not require large financial costs and at the same time allows the body to maintain a balance of nutrients even in a restricted diet. That is why the buckwheat diet is so popular. In terms of usefulness, groats replaces a whole food set, acts quickly, and is inexpensive.
The whole secret lies in the correct preparation of porridge, which, as the main course of the diet, will switch the body into a mode of getting rid of fat deposits, excess fluid and other ballast.
The benefits of buckwheat for the human body
In terms of its nutritional value, buckwheat is one of the leading cereals among cereals. The protein in it is almost like in meat, which it successfully replaces in the diet of vegetarians. And carbohydrates, unlike most cereals, are very small, which is important for diabetics and those who are losing weight. At the same time, buckwheat is rich in fiber, which means it can cleanse the liver and the entire digestive tract.
The content of vitamins and microelements in this cereal is a separate topic. B vitamins are essential for the heart and brain, provide good vision and water-salt balance, and vitamin P is good for blood vessels.
Folic acid, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc and a whole list of other trace elements and useful acids make buckwheat indispensable for replenishing vitality, cellular and lipid metabolism.
That is why buckwheat porridge is a must on the menu of pregnant women, children and everyone who cares about their health. And, of course, in the diet of those who monitor their weight. Indeed, with such valuable qualities, buckwheat has a low calorie content and the ability to remove excess cholesterol and other unnecessary substances from the body. Such a successful combination formed the basis of the buckwheat diet.
Possible harm to cereals
Due to its easy tolerance, buckwheat has no contraindications to use. But it is recommended in limited quantities for people with chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, with a tendency to spasms and diarrhea, as well as during inflammatory processes in the digestive system.
Duration of the buckwheat diet and possible weight loss
With all the usefulness of buckwheat, the maximum permissible duration of a diet based on it without tangible harm to the body is 14 days. Moreover, the most pronounced weight loss occurs in the first week. Therefore, nutritionists have developed options for different durations - for three, five, seven days and for two weeks. After all, not everyone can withstand a mono-diet for a long time, in this case, you can choose a more gentle option.
How many kilograms will go in a certain period of time, it is impossible to say for sure. It all depends on the "starting" weight and the mass of other individual characteristics. On average, in a week it is possible to lose from 1. 5 to 3 kg, and in two - from 3 to 6 kg. This process is all the more obvious, the more extra pounds in the body. You can repeat the buckwheat weight loss course no earlier than a month and a half after the previous one.
The correct way to cook diet porridge
Buckwheat for weight loss is prepared in a special way: it must be steamed, not boiled. Therefore, it is more convenient to cook immediately the volume required for the day. 500 g of buckwheat groats in the evening should be poured with boiling water in a volume of 1. 5 liters, covered and put in a warm place or wrapped in a blanket. In the morning, the crumbly dietary porridge will be ready to eat.
A faster option is obtained using a thermos. A glass of cereal is poured into his flask and poured with two glasses of boiling water, and then closed with a lid. A 45-minute infusion is enough for the porridge to come to readiness.
In this form, the cereal retains its value as much as possible. Diet porridge excludes additives in the form of salt, sugar, oil, spices and sauces.
Varieties of buckwheat diet
The variety of buckwheat-based diets is quite extensive. The most famous options:
- strict buckwheat;
- sparing (healing);
- buckwheat-kefir;
- buckwheat and apple;
- buckwheat and vegetable;
- buckwheat with dried fruits;
- with low-calorie dairy products;
- with vegetables, lean fish and lean meat.
A strict diet involves the use of exclusively steamed buckwheat and water, from time to time a small amount of kefir, but this option is a real test of willpower. The most popular is buckwheat-kefir, which allows, in addition to porridge, up to a liter of kefir per day.
A sparing buckwheat diet for weight loss is also used as a therapeutic relief for the body. She allows you to add a little cottage cheese to a buckwheat breakfast, a piece of lean meat for dinner, as well as one snack a day in the form of an apple or a glass of kefir or yogurt without additives.
The inclusion of dried fruits (no more than five to six pieces per day) or a teaspoon of honey will help those who do not feel well without sugar in their diet.
In any of the variations, you can drink ordinary non-carbonated water or green tea without restrictions, eating four to six times during the day, and the last one is 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Mono diet for 3 days
The three-day version is more likely not a diet, but a useful deloading course, or a trial option for those who want to test their strength before a longer food restriction. But even in such a short time, many manage to lose about two kilograms and feel pleasant changes in the condition of their skin.
It is optimal to stay on a strict buckwheat or buckwheat-kefir (up to 1 liter of kefir per day) diet for all three days. If this is too difficult or a feeling of weakness appears from the lack of sugar, it is permissible to eat an apple, orange or some dried fruit.
Diet for 5 days
A longer dietary course allows for a greater variety of low-calorie dietary brewed porridge supplements.
| Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st day | Buckwheat porridge, a glass of low-fat kefir, an apple | 200 g of porridge, 200 g of vegetable salad with olive oil | Buckwheat drenched in kefir, unsweetened tea |
| 2nd day | Buckwheat drenched in kefir, apple, tea | Buckwheat drenched in kefir, 200 g of fresh vegetables | Buckwheat drenched in kefir, unsweetened tea |
| 3rd day | During the day, eat five servings of buckwheat drenched in kefir, drink more water | ||
| 4th day | Buckwheat porridge, 100 g low-fat cottage cheese, 0. 5 cups of kefir | Buckwheat porridge, a piece of boiled lean meat, stewed vegetables | 100 g buckwheat porridge, a glass of kefir |
| 5th day | Alternate buckwheat with kefir every two hours + a lot of water and green tea |
Diet for 7 days
For a tangible weight loss, it is recommended to hold out on a kefir-buckwheat diet all week or to be guided by the following scheme.
| Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st day | Porridge, half a glass of kefir | Steam buckwheat cutlets without oil | Buckwheat porridge or casserole, a glass of kefir |
| 2nd day | Buckwheat pancakes, a glass of kefir | Porridge, dried fruits | A glass of kefir |
| 3rd day | Porridge, dried fruits | Porridge, green salad | Porridge, a glass of kefir |
| 4th day | Buckwheat bread, buckwheat pancakes | Porridge | Porridge, apple |
| 5th day | Porridge, a glass of kefir | Cabbage salad, steamed buckwheat cutlets | A glass of kefir, orange or apple |
| 6th day | A glass of kefir | Steamed buckwheat cutlets | Porridge or casserole, a glass of kefir |
| 7th day | Buckwheat pancakes, a glass of kefir | Porridge, dried fruits | A glass of kefir |
Diet for 14 days
| Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st day | Porridge, unsweetened coffee | Vegetable soup | Buckwheat with baked vegetables |
| 2nd day | Porridge with vegetables, unsweetened tea | Milk buckwheat soup without sugar | Buckwheat, boiled egg, greens |
| 3rd day | During the day - buckwheat porridge, more water | ||
| 4th day | |||
| 5th day | During the day - buckwheat with dried fruits, rosehip decoction | ||
| 6th day | Buckwheat, tea | Chicken broth with herbs | Buckwheat with cauliflower in batter |
| 7th day | Porridge with vegetables | Okroshka with egg | Buckwheat, egg |
| 8th day | Porridge, cottage cheese, tea | 200 g low-fat boiled veal | Porridge with vegetables |
| 9th day | Within three days - buckwheat in water, kefir, unsweetened tea | ||
| 10th day | |||
| 11th day | |||
| 12th day | Porridge, tea | Light vegetable soup | Buckwheat, a handful of nuts |
| 13th day | Porridge with dried fruits | Light soup with lentils | Porridge with vegetables and mushrooms |
| 14th day | Porridge, low-fat cottage cheese | Broth with egg | Steamed chicken breast porridge |
Diet can be delicious
Below are recipes you can use to diversify your buckwheat diet and get the most out of it.
Buckwheat soup
For three liters of water we take a glass of buckwheat, and also:
- onion;
- carrot;
- bell pepper;
- 2 tomatoes;
- a few pieces of cauliflower;
- some greenery.
Finely chop onions, carrots and tomatoes and simmer with a minimum amount of vegetable oil. Put them in boiling water along with buckwheat and other vegetables and cook for about 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, add herbs and a little salt.
A less strict version allows the addition of potatoes and a little ghee or beaten egg.
Porridge with vegetables
For a glass of buckwheat you will need a medium-sized zucchini, 1 bell pepper, 2 celery stalks, a fresh tomato (or a teaspoon of dried tomatoes), fresh herbs or dried herbs to taste, 40 ml of vegetable oil.
Pour the groats with two glasses of boiling water and set aside. Meanwhile, peel and cut the vegetables into cubes, and the peppers into strips and fry in hot oil. Previously, the oil can be calcined with mashed cumin or other favorite seasonings, as well as with dried tomato.
Combine ready-made vegetables with buckwheat, add half a glass of water, pepper and salt, bring the whole mass to a boil under the lid, and then cook over low heat for another 15 minutes. After that, remove from the stove, add chopped herbs and serve.
Buckwheat cutlets
For 200 g of cereal, take 1 egg and 1 onion. In addition, you will need bread crumbs, fresh herbs and salt, as well as vegetable oil for frying.
However, diet cutlets are best cooked in steam or in the oven.
Boil buckwheat in salted water until tender and cool. Chop the onion into cubes and add to the buckwheat along with the raw egg. Use a meat grinder to turn the mixture into minced buckwheat. Add breadcrumbs to the minced meat in such an amount that it becomes thick enough to form cutlets.
We sculpt them with wet hands, fry them or send them to a double boiler or oven.
Buckwheat pancakes
Diet pancakes are baked in the oven. According to this recipe, they are lush and tender. 300 g of buckwheat and a pack of cottage cheese must be passed through a meat grinder, gradually add 4 tablespoons of flour, a tablespoon of sugar and 0. 5 teaspoon of salt, and in the process of further kneading, add 1 glass of low-fat sour cream.
Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet to form pancakes and bake until golden brown.
Buckwheat cabbage rolls
You need to remove the top leaves from the cabbage fork, then lower the head of cabbage in boiling water, cook until half cooked, cool a little and disassemble into leaves. Places of thickening of the petioles must be slightly beaten off.
It is better to cook minced meat in advance. To do this, about 300 g of boiled buckwheat must be mixed with fried onions and an egg. Wrap the minced meat in leaves, forming envelopes or cylinders, and put on a greased baking sheet.
We bake for about 10 minutes, then fill with sour cream with the addition of salt and pepper and send to the oven for another half hour. Instead of sour cream, you can use sour cream sauce with the addition of a small amount of flour fried in butter and vegetable broth. Serve cabbage rolls sprinkled with chopped herbs.
Prohibited foods during the diet
A real buckwheat diet completely excludes the use of salt and sugar, oil, mayonnaise, ketchup and any other sauces, spices and seasonings. Meat and fish, if included in the diet during this period, should be lean. Dairy products are also required to have a low fat content and exclude the presence of flavoring and aromatic additives.
Of course, under a complete ban all flour and sweet, spicy and salty, starchy vegetables such as potatoes and super-sweet fruits such as bananas or dates.
Exiting the diet
This is a very scrupulous moment, on which the preservation of the result achieved with the help of a diet depends, as well as minimization of stress for organs and systems when returning to a normal diet.
So that the lost kilograms do not return in a short time, you need to get out of the restriction mode smoothly. For the first week, it is advisable not to remember about flour, sweet and fatty foods.
Little by little, you can introduce high-quality butter and every day or two add two or three new products - various, moderately fatty varieties of meat and fish, offal, cheeses, nuts. Drink enough plain water and green tea, and most importantly, do not overeat.
However, many of those who have gone through the unloading course do not themselves feel the need for previous unhealthy eating habits and consciously adhere to a balanced diet, minimizing or completely eliminating industrial confectionery, sauces with trans fats and high amounts of salt, fatty and fried foods.
Contraindications
Any diet is a powerful stress for the body, even if it is based on such a useful product as buckwheat. During this period, weakness, fatigue and headaches are possible, so it is better not to plan this event at the time of strong physical or psycho-emotional overload - exams, an emergency at work, etc.
In any case, even a person who considers himself perfectly healthy should consult a doctor before starting a long unloading.
Strict contraindications are:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- any form of diabetes;
- hypertension;
- high physical activity;
- stressful period;
- nervous diseases;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage;
- heart or kidney failure;
- undergone surgical operations on the abdominal organs;
- the recovery period after any surgery, serious injury or infection.
Nutritionists' opinions on the effectiveness of buckwheat diets
Practical experience of losing weight allows nutritionists to assert that buckwheat-based diets are effective in terms of weight loss and sustainability of the result, provided that the restrictions are correctly overcome. The body gets enough protein and fiber, vitamins and minerals, so harm is minimized.
Nevertheless, the monotony of taste can be tolerated quite hard, especially by people who already do not have a passion for buckwheat porridge. To understand how acceptable this option is for a particular organism, experts advise to first spend one unloading buckwheat day a week.
Conclusion
Even if the result of the diet seems insufficient, it is highly undesirable to exceed the established threshold of 14 days - this can lead to vitamin deficiency and exacerbation of chronic diseases. It is permissible to repeat weight loss on buckwheat no earlier than after a month and a half.
If during the period of the diet you felt bad or experienced symptoms of exacerbation of existing diseases, as well as previously unfamiliar unpleasant sensations, you must gently get out of restrictions and consult a doctor. Listen and love your body, and it will definitely support your wellness activities with its internal reserves.