Enjoy a serving of cooked buckwheat groats if you want to get a bunch of essential nutrients yet consume fewer calories than an average serving of grains will give you. This pseudo-grain is low in fat and calories, but high in fiber and protein content. It's also quite rich in minerals and B vitamins. Every spoonful of cooked whole buckwheat groats gives you a boost of folate and zinc with virtually no fat. Despite the name, buckwheat groats have nothing in common with wheat. That means that they are gluten-free and much more comfortable for your body to digest. Note that hulled buckwheat groats make both raw groats and kasha. However, buckwheat kasha is toasted whole buckwheat groats. Therefore, it cooks faster but also has an intense nutty taste and flavor with a trace of bitterness. However, raw buckwheat groats have a very mild flavor and will mostly taste seasonings when cooked. It allows you to use them much more creatively in recipes. Also, these buckwheat groats are firmer when cooked. Therefore, they are more likely to retain their shape. Raw Buckwheat Groats: Cooking Tips When you stock up on buckwheat groats in bulk, you'll enjoy them in many ways. Cooking this grain is very easy. You don't need to pre-soak it at all. Rinse the groats and put them in a pot, adding some salt. Use two cups of water or broth for every cup of whole buckwheat groats. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce heat. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, and your buckwheat dinner is ready. If you prefer to use buckwheat groats for sprouting, soak them for 20 minutes before spreading on a sprouting tray or plate. Cover with a kitchen towel. Rinse and put back the groats every 12 hours, but don't let them "grow" for more than 36-48 hours. Sproutable buckwheat groats will taste bitter if overgrown, so enjoy them fresh. You can buy buckwheat groats in bulk and store them in your pantry. But if you want to extend their shelf-life beyond a year, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.