Buckwheat noodles

Buckwheat noodles

　　Buckwheat is one of the main autumn coarse grains produced in Xunyi. Its grains are triangular in shape, with black or silver-gray husks, and together with black rice, black beans, black sesame, and black fungus, they are known as the “Five Blacks” foods. Buckwheat noodles are highly nutritious. Their primary nutritional components include: 9.3%–10.9% protein, 2.5%–3.1% fat, 68.4%–72.2% carbohydrates, 339–354 kilocalories per 100 grams, 0.6%–1.4% crude fiber, 1.8%–3.6% ash content, as well as abundant minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron, and vitamins such as thiamine and riboflavin. A key nutritional feature is its content of “rutin,” a powerful remedy for high blood pressure, which also helps eliminate damp heat, relieve pain from rheumatism, reduce food stagnation, and inhibit cancer. There are many ways to consume buckwheat noodles—they can be eaten alone or mixed with other flours to achieve complementary nutrition. They can be made not only into noodles, hand-pulled noodles (hele), and twisted dough sticks (cuocuo), but also into fried cakes, pancakes, pastries, and more. Hele and cuocuo made from buckwheat noodles are local specialties of Xunyi, beloved by many.