Meet teff, yet another ancient grain that could become a new ‘superfood’

“A lot of ancient grains, including quinoa, millets, and farro, have been in the spotlight recently as terrific sources of plant-based protein, fibre, minerals, and slow-digesting carbs. Eragrostis tef, also known as teff, Williams lovegrass or annual bunch grass, is an annual grass species native to the Horn of Africa, mainly grown in countries like Ethiopia and Eritrea today. Teff’s nutritional profile is excellent—a 100-gram serving of cooked teff provides 101 kilocalories of food energy, and it is a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, and manganese, and contains moderate amounts of thiamin, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and zinc. As awareness about the ancient grain grows, other companies in India may also start using teff in their nutritional products. Well, the label is used increasingly commonly but teff does have claims that cannot be ignored: besides being high in protein, iron, calcium, and micronutrients like vitamin C, B vitamins, copper, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese, teff is good for gut health — studies show an association of teff seed extracts and teff consumption with positive effects on the intestinal microbiome composition and function, potentially explaining why the prevalence of dietary iron and zinc deficiencies in Ethiopia are lower in comparison to other neighbouring African nations.