As mbg’s health director, I work with Bland and his team on a regular basis, and I’m always eager to hear his insights on an array of health and well-being topics. So when I first heard him rave about a new “super ingredient” he’s working with, I was immediately intrigued. The star food: Himalayan tartary buckwheat. Where HTB is particularly unique, however, is its resilience and ability to grow amid challenging circumstances. “Himalayan Tartary buckwheat goes back centuries in the Chinese diet,” says Bland. “It’s a plant that survived despite the harsh growing conditions of its Himalayan mountain valleys. It survived by producing a portfolio of unique compounds that became the stress-fighting immune system of the plant itself.” HTB has a slightly bitter taste, but that’s a sign of its benefits, according to Bland. “A hearty plant produces the tools it needs to survive in harsh conditions,” such as bitterness, he explains. “And those phytonutrients deliver powerful benefit to whoever eats them.” The unique plant also contains D-chiro-inositol, a molecule involved in blood sugar regulation and hormone balance in our bodies. This small-batch artisanal flour is milled and packaged in upstate New York, and it’s the world’s first-ever certified organic, U.S.-grown harvest of Himalayan tartary buckwheat. As mentioned, part of the reason this buckwheat is so abundant in nutrients is due to its harsh growing conditions—which is why Big Bold Health strategically worked with a co-op of farmers based in northern regions, where it gets very cold. After the 2-pound bags of this unique flour arrived at my door—packaged oh-so-nicely and sealed with a tight weave of red string—I quickly looked into different ways to use this novel ingredient. The Big Bold Health team sent me an array of delicious-sounding recipes, and I opted for buckwheat pancakes (from Mark Hyman, M.D.) as my first trial run. These easy-to-make pancakes were filled with some of my favorite ingredients and spices—plus, I loved topping them with berries and a drizzle of nut butter for extra flavor, texture, and nutrients. I also tried out a recipe for almond and tartary buckwheat muffins, an awesome meal-prep option that left me with nutritious snacks for days. The verdict: Both of these healthy dishes were very tasty, and I would absolutely make them again. They had a rich, hearty flavor—and were fantastic meals to start the day or get a little boost of nutrition midafternoon. As someone who is acutely aware of how certain foods affect my energy levels, focus, and overall sense of well-being—I was very impressed by how satiated I felt for hours after noshing on these recipes, without those nasty feelings of a blood sugar spike or crash. Unlike some gluten-free flours that get really dense in baking projects, the HTB flour maintained a light, fluffy texture in these classic dishes. Plus, the pancakes in particular had a gorgeous deep maroon hue that added a bit of visual joy to the whole experience. It’s worth noting that both of these recipes use a combination of almond flour and Himalayan tartary buckwheat, to balance out the slight bitterness of the HTB flour. Curious to try the Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Super Nutrition Flour yourself? Sign up here to receive a 50% off coupon for the flour, plus eight free recipes (including the pancake and muffin recipes I mentioned!).
