many key nutrients. For vegetarians
Teff provides more iron (gram for
gram) than red meat. It’s even better
news for Vegans, as Teff provides ore
calcium than milk. It is gluten free
which is perfect for Coeliacs.
In addition to these groups, it’s
just generally great for everyone
- it’s loaded with powerful nutrients
such as protein, magnesium and
amino acids. What this means is that
if people are looking for a healthier
grain alternative or just to be a
bit healthier, they can use Teff for
breakfast (in porridge or for muesli),
for lunch (for bread), for snacks
(we’ve got heaps of healthy options,
including muffin, banana bread and
pancake premixes), and for dinner
(for pasta or rice).
As with all great ideas the Teff
movement has caught on quickly
in the local area and farmers are
growing it as a summer fodder crop
for horses. The low GI profile of Teff
has made it a prized commodity
in the Equine industry and many
farmers are incorporating Teff into
their cropping programs for this
reason. Growing Teff or seed adds
a few more complexities due to
the small size of the seed and it’s
gluten free status. The McNauls’ are
working with a number of farmers to
help grow the Teff seed industry and
improve the profitability of the crop
for landholders.
As well as being Gluten Free
Teff provides many health benefits
including low FODMAP for those
with sensitive stomachs. It is a good
source of fibre and resistant starch
which keeps the bowel happy. As
Teff is such a small grain there is no
separation of the germ, endosperm
or hull and as such Teff retains all of
its valuable vitamins and minerals
including calcium and iron. Teff
contains essential amino acids which
play a vital role in the transportation
and storage of nutrients that assist
body functions. Teff’s high protein
content keeps you feeling fuller for
longer which allows you to consume
fewer calories throughout the day
helping manage body weight.
Cooking with Teff could not be
simpler. Naturally consumers ask
how do you cook with Teff and what
can it be used for? Teff is cooked
by boiling it and letting the seed
absorb the liquid, generally placed in
a rice cooker and cooked the same
as you cook rice for lunch or dinner.
Outback Harvest have a range of
recipes online and also recipe cards
for in store which have easy to cook
guides which customers love.
The future for Teff is bright. With
more and more Australians wanting
to be healthy, it is so easy to make
the switch to Teff and get so many
more nutrients and health benefits
out of what you eat.
Winter 2019 15