Dorothy FarrarTeffmehl
Teff flour is the flour of teff, which is also known as dwarf millet. The gluten-free teff flour enjoys its greatest importance in its home country Ethiopia as a basic ingredient of flatbreads.
Here’s what you should know about teff flour
Teff or dwarf millet is native to North Africa and is most important in Ethiopia. It is considered to be millet and is gluten-free. Its most important area of application is in the production of teff flour. Teff has been grown and cultivated for thousands of years and is now also becoming increasingly popular in Europe due to its gluten-free nature.
In Ethiopia and adjacent parts of North Africa, teff flour is used to make flatbreads, especially injera. With these, the typical vegetable or meat stews are spooned up, so that the Ethiopian kitchen gets by almost without cutlery.
Teff flour also provides valuable dietary fiber and, in addition to flatbread, is also suitable for some other baked goods that can be prepared from wholemeal flours. Teff flour is relatively easy to use, but it cannot replace every type of flour: it has its limits, particularly in the case of sweet dishes and fine desserts, due to its rather wholemeal taste.
In Ethiopia, teff flour is also used as the basis for beer production and is also used for other alcoholic beverages.
importance to health
Teff is also known in Europe as a type of millet due to its gluten-free nature. In the form of teff flour, dwarf millet is initially used to replace wheat flour for a gluten-free diet, for example in the case of celiac disease or the desire to live less gluten. Furthermore, teff provides a lot of protein and fiber and is therefore well suited for vegetarians or vegans who do not eat animal proteins.
It cannot replace a piece of meat in this respect, but together with other protein-rich components of a dish it can contribute. With its high fiber content, teff flour also cleanses the intestines when consumed .
Dwarf millet also contains a number of essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc, as well as vitamin E and B vitamins. These ingredients are also retained in the teff flour.
Ingredients & nutritional values
Teff flour contains the same ingredients as unprocessed dwarf millet. While the carbohydrate content is similar to other flours and grains, teff flour provides a lot of vegetable proteins and fiber. Teff flour also contains vegetable fats, but in small amounts.
The gluten-free teff flour also has a large number of different minerals and vitamins that can help cover the daily requirement. There are hardly any differences between the more brown and the lighter teff variants.
| Calories and nutrients (per 100g) | ||
| kilocalories/kilojoules | 1247 kcal/ 297 kj | |
| protein | 11,7 g | |
| carbohydrates | 55,3 g | |
| Fett | 1,8 g | |
| fiber | 6,1 g | |
intolerances
Teff flour is one of the most tolerable flours and, like other millet products, is very suitable for allergy sufferers. First of all, celiac disease patients do not need to worry about teff flour: the flour is completely gluten-free. In addition, teff flour plays a role in the diet of people with histamine intolerance , as it is well tolerated by most of those affected.
Shopping and kitchen tips
Teff flour can be found everywhere in Ethiopia and is now appearing more and more frequently in European shops. It’s even easier to find than unprocessed dwarf millet. Health food stores and health food stores almost always have a selection of teff flour, and well-stocked supermarkets now also have teff flour ready for gluten-free alternative products. Like most other flours, teff flour will keep for several months in an airtight container once opened. It is important to avoid humidity during storage, otherwise teff flour can also form lumps.
There is teff flour made from lighter millet grains and a darker version that looks more like wholemeal flour. These colors are retained in the finished baked goods. Depending on what the teff flour is used for, there are also different degrees of fineness. While any type of teff flour can be used for traditional injera, very finely ground teff flour is recommended for sweet baked goods.
preparation tips
In Europe, too, teff flour is particularly popular for the Ethiopian national dish injera. The flat, flexible, dark flatbread can be eaten as a substitute for bread, and in its native Ethiopia it is used to spoon up vegetable and meat stews. Thanks to teff flour, Ethiopian cuisine is experiencing a small upswing in Europe – not least because many dishes that are spooned up with injera on teff flour follow vegetarian and vegan principles.
Besides injera, teff flour can also be used for other baked goods, but it is best used for savory ones. Although desserts also work well with the lighter teff flour, fine baked goods and patisserie in particular do not always tolerate the taste of teff flour. Teff flour is also suitable for use in cooking, for example it can be used to thicken gluten-free soups and sauces.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.