Sep 022011
 

The filling for a buckwheat pillow is named misleadingly. Buckwheat isn’t actually a grain at all, but rather a fruit. Which means that as a pillow filling, buckwheat has some great anti-allergy benefits.

1. Since buckwheat isn’t a grain, those with grain allergies will not have an allergic reaction when sleeping on a buckwheat pillow.

2. A buckwheat pillow is 99% dust free, so they don’t attract dust mites. This means that those with allergies to dust or dust mites won’t have a reaction to a buckwheat pillow.

3. A quality buckwheat pillow is filled with organically grown buckwheat, which has no chemicals or petroleum byproducts. Just clean, natural buckwheat filling.

Although there have been no reported cases of severe allergic reactions (asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, etc.) to using buckwheat hull pillows, those with allergies, or even those just committed to natural products, do need to exercise caution when choosing a buckwheat pillow.

Since buckwheat is grown worldwide, it follows that buckwheat pillows are made worldwide as well. If you are in the United States, take care to purchase a buckwheat pillow grown and manufactured in the United States or Canada. It is much more likely that the hulls filling these pillows have been grown organically and care has been taken in their manufacturing. Domestic manufacturing uses a process that carefully mills the buckwheat to prevent breaking the hulls and cleans them with a roasting process that removes 99% of the dirt and flour dust.

Wake up, Clintard! It's almost lunch time!
Creative Commons License photo credit: Ⅿeagan

On the other hand, a buckwheat pillow manufactured at a foreign plant is more likely to contain broken sections of hull or even flakes that aren’t treated carefully during the process. This can result in a less than 99% removal of flour and dust that can leak through the pillow covering and make allergies flare. Even if made carefully, foreign manufactured pillows must undergo a chemical fumigation before they can be sold in the United States.

The misnamed buckwheat isn’t wheat or a grain at all. So, food made with buckwheat is great with those for allergies to gluten. These properties feature in a lot of food and food type products like beer. But the allergy free advantages of buckwheat don’t stop with the use of buckwheat in food. Buckwheat hulls found in a buckwheat pillow are also great for those with allergies. The natural growing and manufacturing of buckwheat pillows helps those with grain, dust, and chemical allergies. It’s also great for those who don’t necessarily have an allergy to these irritants, but want to use products as natural as possible. So, make an investment in yourself – get rid of your traditional foam or fiber filled pillow and go with the organic, natural buckwheat hull filling in a buckwheat pillow.