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Fun Facts About Teff


Submitted by Kim Allison
Posted on 13 Mar, 2020


Fun Facts About Teff
Teff, because of its amazing nutritional profile, has taken the health world by storm. But there’s a lot more to this supergrain that will intrigue you. Here are some fun facts we thought you’d find interesting.

Word teff originates from Amharic word "teffa" which means "lost", due to its incredibly small size of grain.
Three thousand grains of teff weigh just one gram (1/28 of an ounce).
Because of its small size, its bran and germ cannot be removed from the grain. Because of that, teff is always eaten in its whole form
Just one pound of teff grains can grow an acre of teff, while 100 pounds or more of wheat grains are needed to grow an acre of wheat.
Teff requires only 36 hours to sprout, the shortest time of any grain.
Teff’s protein content (around 14%) is largely easily digested albumins (similar to a vegetable version of egg whites).
Teff is thought to have originated in Ethiopia about 4000-1000 B.C.E.
Long-distance runners from Ethiopia consume teff as major source of protein and energy.
Teff is used in the manufacture of gluten-free beer.
Teff's straws mixed with mud are used as "mortar" for the building purposes.
Teff was long believed to be high in iron, but more recent tests have shown that its iron content comes from soil mixed with the grain after it’s been threshed on the ground – the grain itself is not unusually high in iron.
It’s been estimated that Ethiopians get about two-thirds of their dietary protein from teff.
Teff is traditionally used in Ethiopia to make injera, a flat sourdough bread. Injera is used as an edible serving plate. Food is piled on a large round of injera on a tray in the middle of the table and different foods are served directly onto the injera. The diners eat by tearing off bits of injera, and rolling the food inside.

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