Buckwheat has been around for centuries, but seldom used in pet foods. Today there are just a few specialty foods and treats in the market that contain this seed in their blend of carbohydrates. While its name and use might imply that it is a grain or a cousin to wheat, as it turns out common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is neither. Rather, its seed is more akin to that of rhubarb, knotweed or sorrel than the grassy seeds we know as cereal grains. It does get classified by some as a pseudo-cereal, but only because it has utility like a grain. So in this era of grain-free, novel and exotic ingredient-containing foods, is there a nutritional or processing reason that buckwheat remains relatively obscure to the pet food market?
Buckwheat is a dicotyledonous seed with a rounded three sided “tri-corn” shape. Its 1,000 kernel weight is 10–20 grams, which is very small when compared to wheat, corn and field peas at 35, 380 and 200 grams, respectively. It is grown in warm climates, is relatively disease and parasite resistant, and fits well within crop rotations in the areas it is commonly cultivated. The buckwheat plant grows from a hollow stalk with indeterminate heart-shaped leaves along the entire length. It flowers in a large cluster of white flowerets and the seeds follow a few weeks later.
