Online Travel Guide to Ethiopia-Teff:13 Suns Tours

NORTH ETHIOPIA

Teff/Tef

Teff or Tef (Eragrostis tef, ) is a species of lovegrass native to northeastern Africa. It is similar to millet in nutrition and in cooking, but the seed is much smaller.

Teff is an important food grain in Ethiopia and Eritrea, where it is used to make injera.Because of its small seeds (less than 1 mm diameter), one can hold enough to sow an entire field in one hand. This property makes teff particularly suited to a seminomadic lifestyle.

Common Names include Teff, Lovegrass, Annual Bunch Grass (English); Tef (Amharic); Tafi (Oromo; Taf (Tigrigna); Mil éthiopien (French).

Teff is believed to have originated in Ethiopia between 4000 BCE and 1000 BCE. Teff seeds were discovered in a pyramid thought to date back to 3359 BCE. .

It is adapted to environments ranging from drought stress to water logged soil conditions. Maximum teff production occurs at altitudes of 1800 to 2100 m, growing season rainfall of 450 to 550 mm, with a temperature range of 10 to 27 °C. Teff is day length sensitive and flowers best during 12 hours of daylight.

Teff has been widely cultivated and used in Ethiopia. Teff produces up to 2/3 of the total food provision of Ethiopia. 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. Due to its high iron content ,pople who consume injera have a very low rate of anemia

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 (10 %). 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(70-80%),fat(2%) and fiber. It contains no gluten, so it is appropriate for those with gluten intolerance or Celiac disease.