Buckwheat—especially buckwheat groats, and to a lesser extent buckwheat flour—contains a third type of fiber known as resistant starch. This type of starch contains the benefits of both soluble and insoluble fiber, and it may help to make you feel fuller and more satisfied following a meal that is high in carbohydrates. Resistant starch may also help you control blood sugar and insulin levels.

The benefits of buckwheat were illustrated when researchers in one study divided subjects into three groups: one group consumed boiled whole grain buckwheat groats, a second group consumed bread made with half buckwheat flour and half processed wheat flour, and a third group consumed regular bread made from processed wheat. The study found that the first group that consumed the boiled whole grain buckwheat groats had the lowest spikes in insulin and blood sugar after eating, closely followed by the second group that consumed the bread made from 50% buckwheat flour. The third group that consumed the processed bread had the highest spikes in blood sugar and insulin.