SORGHUM: THE SUPERFOOD
Is Sorghum really a Superfood? You can bet on it! There’s no stopping this powerhouse grain. The USDA recognizes sorghum as an incredible nutrient-packed grain. It is also an excellent source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. What’s more, it’s easy to replace wheat, rice, or quinoa with whole sorghum in most recipes. Its rich nutrient source can be used and served in many ways.
Sorghum was first domesticated in Egypt 10,000 years ago and it spread into Sudan and Ethiopia. It has been a staple in Africa and India for millennia.
What is Sorghum?
It is a type of grass (Poaceae) that grows up to 8 feet tall with a grain head containing 750–1,250 edible starchy seeds. The grass family includes wheat, rice, corn, and sugarcane. Sorghum is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants. Some of these species are grown as cereals and natural sweeteners for human consumption, as fodder for animals, for the production of alcoholic beverages, and as bristles for brooms. The grains are typically off-white, small, and round, with a hard outer layer, the size of buckwheat.
Sorghum Bicolor is also called millet, Indian millet, Kaoliang, milo, durra, orshallu, imphee, jowar, cereal broomcorn, or guinea corn. It is a nutritious cereal food rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. When cooked, it is comparable to cooked barley, or wheat berry. It is soft and chewy with a nutty flavor.
The darker the color of Sorghum, the higher the mineral content.
Which is the most common type of Sorghum?
White Sorghum or Sorghum Bicolor, is the most common type for human consumption and it comes as a wholegrain or in the form of flour. It is the 5th most important cereal crop grown in the world.
What are the types of Sorghum?
There are two types of food-grade Sorghum: milo and sweet. Milo produces the edible seed while the sweet sorghum is used in producing the molasses-like sweetener, the Sorghum Syrup. This is extracted from the sweet-rich stalks of the plant, much like sugarcane. Back in the 1860s, during the shortage of sugar in the American Civil War, its syrup was used and gradually became a favorite with desserts and baked products in the southern US. Like honey, it requires no refrigeration.
How healthy is Sorghum to us?
Sorghum is:
o GMO-free, unlike maize and soya.
o Popped just like popcorn but unlike corn, it is packed with fiber and protein.
o Naturally gluten-free, for individuals suffering from celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity.
o An excellent balance of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
o Rich in antioxidants.
o Rich in significant amounts of protein, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, copper, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc in every serving.
o Rich in compounds including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and stearoyls.
o High in carbohydrates, with 10 percent protein and 3.4 percent fat, calcium, small amounts of iron, vitamin B1, and niacin.
How can sorghum be used in our diet?
Sorghum grains can be used to replace rice, quinoa, teff, millet, and amaranth, in the form of risotto, pilafs, and salads.
Suggestion-A: Pilaf
Soak the grains overnight to tenderize them. Rinse and strain the next morning. Boil them in an uncovered stew pot in a 1:3 ratio of grains to water, until tender. Drain any excess liquid in a colander and serve with any stew or meal.
Note that Sorghum takes longer to boil than its substitutes. It is best boiled without a lid, or it will take longer to steam.
Nutritionally, 1 cup of cooked Sorghum will contain around:
7 gm of Protein
8 gm of Selenium
5 gm of Fiber
219 Calories
20% of Daily Dietary Value.
Ground into a meal or powder form it can be used in porridge, pancakes, flatbreads, baked pastry products and cakes, roti, roux for sauces and gravies, or rejuvelac as a fermented energy drink.
Suggestion-B: Dehgueh (This is found everywhere in Mali, around any street corner)
In a ratio of 2:10 ground Sorghum to fresh cow milk or yogurt, with sugar to flavor (or Sorghum Syrup), provides an excellent energy drink.
(I always add 1 tablespoon of freshly ground roasted peanuts for texture!)
How viable is it to plant Sorghum?
Sorghum is an important food crop in Africa, Central America, and South Asia. It is:
o A high-yielding and sustainable food crop.
o Easy and inexpensive to grow at low maintenance costs.
o A sustainable and healthy grain alternative for the future.
o A highly sustainable food crop that is grown using minimum natural resources.
o Highly tolerant to salt, elevated temperatures, climate change, and drought in arid regions.
o Adaptable to low fertility soil.
o High in photosynthetic capacity.
o Reliable for food security.
o Higher in biomass yield than corn or sugarcane, as a biofuel source.
o A higher bio-ethanol output than sugarcane.
o Versatile as livestock fodder.
The United States was the largest producer of sorghum in the world in 2020 followed by Nigeria and Ethiopia.
In 2021/22, the US was the largest producer of Sorghum worldwide, producing about 11.4 million MT. That year, Nigeria produced about 6.7 MT of Sorghum.
Mexico remains one of the chief importers of U.S. sorghum, second only to China in purchases.
Sammy RNAJ
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