Teff the seed of Lovegrass is grown across 87% of Ethiopia. There are hundreds of species of Teff. Certain types do best growing in the north, others do best in the south. Regardless of the type you eat the benefits to eating teff are endless! It is gluten-free, coeliac friendly and an incredibly important food for the plant-based eater.
We are the first company in the world to import teff from Ethiopia. We are super proud of this and take the responsibility very seriously! Over the past number of weeks we've had a lot of Teff questions which we'd like to address here to help you incorporate this super grain into your diet easily every day!
Why should I incorporate Teff into my diet?
Based on the mineral and vitamin contents present in Teff just 100g of Teff a day can help your metabolism function better, contributes to a much more robust immune system and helps build and maintain a stronger nervous system. It enables your active endurance levels to perform for 25% longer and is incredibly useful in replenishing iron stores lost through exercise (particularly important for women). It is the best grain source of prebiotic fibre which is a crucial fibre for maintaining good gut health. It is also super high in insoluble fibre which acts as a natural laxative relieving bloating. It's a source of protein which along with its high iron content is awesome news for active plant-based eaters.
How do I prepare Teff?
Simply mix the seeds with your favourite probiotic milk/mylk or yoghurt and leave in the fridge overnight. Once soaked, you can leave it in the fridge for 7 days and spoon out portions to add to anything every day. You can also mix Teff with oats to prepare a gorgeous bircher for brekkie each morning. Find more recipes here.
Why do I have to soak the Teff?
Soaking your Teff helps convert the phytic acid naturally occurring in all grains, nuts and seeds into phosphate. Phosphate is a mineral crucial to metabolism. If you've got slow digestion and other gut health issues releasing phosphate into your gut is super important. Through soaking Teff the high portions of minerals and vitamins become more readily bioavailable meaning you've got a super functional food ready to do super human acts around your body!
Can I eat too much Teff?
Nope! At HQ we eat Teff 3 times a day. In Ethiopia Teff is consumed in large amounts with every meal. From its high fibre content to its protein content to its ridiculously high mineral and vitamin contents, Teff is the one food we can't do without! It's too flippin' brilliant!
Can my baby eat Teff?
Absolutely! In fact Teff is probably one of the best foods you could feed a young child given its prebiotic fibre content. Introducing such a powerful grain into the diets of young children will enable the growth of new good gut bacterias meaning a healthier, happier life.
I struggle with IBS diarrhoea. Which of your products should I eat?
Go for our 48 Hour Fermented Teff Scones or the Chia Teff Loaf. Both have high amounts of soluble fibre which will slow down digestion and give your body a chance to absorb the vitamins and minerals you need so badly. Also mix 50% Teff with 50% oats to make Teff Bircher every morning. This will be a life hack you'll come to depend upon! You can introduce the Teff Pecan Banana Loaf after week 2. Make sure you eat at least one Teff portion every day.
I struggle with IBS constipation. Which of your products should I eat?
Start with the Chia Teff Loaf. Eat 2 slices every morning for 2 weeks and then you can move on to other products within the range. It is super super super important you eat a portion of Chia Teff Loaf every day for at least 3 weeks to gain the incredible benefits! It doesn't matter what you put on it. Just get it into you!
Where should I store my Happy Tummy products?
It's much safer to store them in the fridge as temperature changes effect the shelf life of the product. However, if you like to live in a cool house storing them out of sunlight and away from heat is perfect. Whatever you do, do not store them in tight containers! These live products need to breathe.
Can I freeze my Happy Tummy products?
Absolutely! Simply wrap them in the paper they come in and then wrap them in tin-foil or another cloth before placing them in the freezer. You can keep our products in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Can I take my Happy Tummy products on holidays?
We highly recommend that you do! Our products travel very well and it is super important that you keep your gut in a Happy Tummy routine as soon as you begin that journey. Keeping your tummy happy is all about consistency. Your good gut bacteria needs to be fed every day. Not just every 3 days or every other week. Start to really mind them and they will mind you!
I'm trying to loose weight and I'm afraid of carbs. Will I be ok on your products?
This will be a separate post but in short the fermentation of wholegrain carbohydrate is the most important chemical reaction in your body to keep you in good gut health and keep inflammation down. We can't stress enough how important it is to eat wholegrain carbohydrates every day! Through incorporating our products into your diet you will actually be able to manage your weight a lot better and speed up your metabolism. It is hugely likely that you will eventually get to a tummy shape you love through eating our products.
Where can I buy your products?
Our jars of Teff Grain and Lovegrass Porridge are available at Wholefoods, Planet Organic, health food stores throughout the U.K. and on our website. You can order our jars of Teff Grain and Lovegrass Porridge through Planet Organic's website for delivery throughout most parts of the world.
All our baked products are available to buy as one-offs or on subscription through our online shop. We deliver around London 3 days a week and around the U.K and Ireland 2 days a week.
I live in Ireland. Can I buy your products?
Absolutely! Even though we have a specific Ireland Box you can build your own box too. Order lots at a time so that you get the most value out of the shipping rate.
Shipping seems quite expensive...Your products seem expensive..
We are so sorry if the shipping costs disable some people from buying our products. In this case we recommend that you buy 4 products at a time to get the most value out of our national and international shipping rates. Bare with us as we grow and one day reduce costs as much as we can.
Our products are hugely labour intensive. There are 3 stages over 2 days in making our products by hand and the ingredients we use are all sustainably and organically sourced. We really care about the environment, fair wages and making you medicinal food. All of that comes at a certain value. But trust us when we say it's worth it!
If you've got any questions that haven't been answered here let us know and we'll include them in the next post.
Big Love,
The Happy Tummy Team xxx
