Eragrostis tef (Teff) is an intriguing grain, ancient, minute in size, and packed with nutrition. Teff is one of the ancient grains of the world finding resurgence in the modern diet.

Teff, the smallest grain in the world, measuring only about 1/32 of an inch in diameter. The word teff is thought to have been derived from the Amharic word teffa which means “lost,” due to small size of the grain and how easily it is lost if dropped. The common English names for teff are teff, lovegrass, and annual bunch grass.

It supplies more fiber rich bran and nutritious germ than any other grain! It also packs a high mineral content that boasts 17 times the calcium of whole wheat or barley. It takes 150 grains of teff to weigh as much as one grain of wheat which accounts for its high nutritional. In any grain the nutrients are concentrated in the germ and bran. With teff the germ and bran make up the bulk of the grain and because it is too small to hull, its nutrients are abundant and stay intact.

///Teff field (photo source: flickr)///

The grain is the basis of Ethiopian traditional cookery. Teff flour is the main ingredient of the pleasantly sour pancake like bread known as injera, which literally underlies every Ethiopian meal.
The flour is mixed with water and allowed to ferment for a few days exactly like the fermentation process of a sourdough starter. Because of this process, injera has a slight sour taste to it. The injera is then ready to fry into large flat pancakes, done either on a specialised electric stove or fire.
A variety of stews, and sometimes salads, are placed upon the injera for serving. Using one’s right hand, small pieces of injera are torn and used to grasp the stews and salads for eating.

///Traditional Ethiopian food with Injera (photo source: Flickr)

Origin and Centre of Diversity
Teff is endemic to Ethiopia and its major diversity is found only in that country. As with several other crops, the exact date and location for the domestication of teff is unknown. However, there is no doubt that it is a very ancient crop in Ethiopia, where domestication took place far before the birth of Christ.

On the basis of linguistic, historic, geographic and botanical notes, teff is assumed to have originated in northeastern Africa. The current area of cultivation is probably not the initial one of domestication; domestication probably occurred in the western area of Ethiopia, where agriculture is precarious and seminomadal.

///Injera prepared with Teff flour (photo source: Flickr)///

Properties

The composition of teff is similar to that of millet, although it contains generally higher amounts of the essential amino acids, including lysine, the most limiting amino acid. The amino acid composition of teff is excellent, its lysine content is higher than that of all cereals except rice and oats, it has good mineral content and its straw is nutritious. In teff seed the distribution of protein, percentage of ash and mineral elements is higher in the pericarp than in the endosperm.

The grain has a high concentration of different nutrients. This grain has a very high calcium content, and contains high levels of phosphorus, iron, copper, aluminum, barium, and thiamin. A big advantage, according to Soil & Crop, is the fact that the iron from teff is easily absorbed by the body. It could thus enhance the performance of elite sportspeople. Teff is high in protein. It is considered to have an excellent amino acid composition (including all 8 essential amino acids for humans) and has lysine levels higher than wheat or barley. Because of this variety, it stimulates the flora of the large intestine. Teff is high in carbohydrates and fiber. It contains no gluten, so it is appropriate for those with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease.
Teff safe alternative for celiac patients
Teff is a cereal that is only remotely related to wheat. Teff has a high nutritional value and offers a broad range of applications in food production. A test developed by the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) has shown that Teff is completely gluten-free, meaning it can probably be accommodated in the diet of patients suffering from celiac disease.
The Celiac Disease Consortium and the Netherlands Celiac Association are carrying out a joint study to determine whether patients also experience Teff as a safe and practical alternative to wheat. This study, the results of which are expected at the beginning of 2007, consists of questionnaires on the safety, use and possible complaints arising from the consumption of Teff.

///Teff field (photo source: Flickr)///

*Reference material: “The Ethiopian cereal Tef in Celiac Disease”, Letter to the Editor, L. Spaenij-Dekking et al, The New England Journal of Medicine, 353; 16 October 20, 2005.

Celiac disease is caused by aberrant T-cell responses to wheat gluten and the gluten-like proteins in barley and rye. The only cure for the disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. Although consumption of oats is generally considered safe for patients with celiac disease,2 recent studies indicate that the grain does contain T-cell–stimulatory epitopes1,3 and that symptoms of celiac disease develop in some patients after the consumption of oats.4 A cereal lacking T-cell–stimulatory peptides would thus be of great value to patients with celiac disease
Nutrition-minded Americans have turned to teff as a source of calcium, fiber, and protein. It is also an alternative grain for people allergic to the gluten in wheat. It has an appealing, sweet, molasses-like flavor, and it boils up into a gelatinous porridge.

Links to recipies with Teff :
fatfreevegan.com
pakupaku.info

Links some Videos (in German language / recommended by Kokebe):
video1
video2
video3