Sorghum is a grain, in other words a member of the grass family, along with wheat, rice and corn. If you are on a gluten free diet you need to know about sorghum. There are roughly 30 species of sorghum. most are used to feed animals as fodder or in a pasture, and some types are raised as a grain, meaning the kernels are separated from the plant and processed.
Sorghum Uses
Sorghum is used in gluten free baking and gluten free beer. Besides being found in specialty shops and baking in the Western world, it is an important food crop in Africa, South Asia and Central America due to it being drought-resistant and heat tolerant.
Sorghum Nutrition
Like all grains, Sorghum is high in starch. It does contain some protein. At 10.4 g/100g edible portion, it is somewhere between wheat at 11.6 and corn (9.2). The following is for whole-grain sorghum
| Nutrient | Unit | Value per 100 g | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proximates | |||||||||
| Water | g | 12.40 | |||||||
| Energy | kcal | 329 | |||||||
| Protein | g | 10.62 | |||||||
| Total lipid (fat) | g | 3.46 | |||||||
| Carbohydrate, by difference | g | 72.09 | |||||||
| Fiber, total dietary a | g | 6.7 | |||||||
| Sugars, total | g | 2.53 | |||||||
| Minerals | |||||||||
| Calcium, Ca | mg | 13 | |||||||
| Iron, Fe | mg | 3.36 | |||||||
| Magnesium, Mg | mg | 165 | |||||||
| Phosphorus, P | mg | 289 | |||||||
| Potassium, K | mg | 363 | |||||||
| Sodium, Na | mg | 2 | |||||||
| Zinc, Zn | mg | 1.67 | |||||||
| Vitamins | |||||||||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | mg | 0.0 | |||||||
| Thiamin | mg | 0.332 | |||||||
| Riboflavin | mg | 0.096 | |||||||
| Niacin | mg | 3.688 | |||||||
| Vitamin B-6 | mg | 0.443 | |||||||
| Folate, DFE | µg | 20 | |||||||
| Vitamin B-12 | µg | 0.00 | |||||||
| Vitamin A, RAE | µg | 0 | |||||||
| Vitamin A, IU | IU | 0 | |||||||
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | mg | 0.50 | |||||||
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | µg | 0.0 | |||||||
| Vitamin D | IU | 0 | |||||||
| Lipids | |||||||||
| Fatty acids, total saturated | g | 0.610 | |||||||
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | g | 1.131 | |||||||
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | g | 1.558 | |||||||
| Cholesterol | mg | 0 | |||||||
Sweet Sorghum
Sweet Sorghum is a type of sweet syrup derived from sorghum cane. Apparently, it is a good source of iron, calcium and potassium, and, according to NSSPPA (see below) was used as a supplement before supplements in pill form were available.
This logo is intended to insure genuine and pure sweet sorghum . According to National Sweet Sorghum Producers & Processors Association:
Concern about the abundance of “blended” and imitation “sorghum” labeled as pure, prompted the National Sweet Sorghum Producers and Processors Association to develop this logo whereby the use of this symbol assures the consumer of a pure, unadulterated product.
Each NSSPPA member displaying this emblem has complied with the association’s quality guidelines.
The logo, along with the member’s identification number, gives sorghum an identity and separates it from all other syrups in the marketplace. It permits the consumer to purchase with confidence.
References
- Sorghum Proteins: The Concentration, Isolation, Modification, and Food Applications of Kafirins
- Wikipedia on Sorgum
- National Sweet Sorghum Producers & Processors Association
- Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture