What Is Sorghum

1: Sorghum grain tastes good!

2: Sorghum grain is always whole grain whether popped as a snack, milled into flour or cooked whole as a cereal or pilaf”

3: Sorghum grain is high in potassium (350 mg/100 g) and low in sodium (600 mg/100 g) therefore promoting healthy blood pressure (1).

4: Sorghum grain is gluten-free enabling those with seliac disease to consume a healthy whole grain product.

5: Sorghum grain is rich in health promoting phytochemicals: phenolic acids, sterols, policosanols, and anthocyanins (2).

6: Sorghum grain and sorghum flour are rich in minerals: magnesium, copper, manganese, iron and zinc (1).

7: Sorghum grain and sorghum flour are rich in vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin,

niacin, vitamin 8-6 and pantothenate (1).

8: Sorghum grain is rich in macronutrients: containing 11% protein, 75% carbohydrate and 3% total fat (1).

9: Sorghum grain grown in the U.S. is free of condensed tannins that may interfere with mineral absorption (2).

10: Sorghum grain (1) and sorghum flour (3) are excellent sources of fiber with 6.3 g and 6.6 g per 100 g respectively.

EC Henley, PhD, BD, LD
January 2012

1. USDA Nationai Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 {2011i. Items 620067 and 20648.
2. Awika JM, Rooney, LW. Sorghum phytochemicals and their potential impact on human health.
   Phytochemistry 2004;65:1199122.
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 (2011)). Item# 20648.

Sorghum is traditionally grown throughout the Sorghum Belt, which runs from South Dakota to Southern Texas, primarily on dryland acres. Acreage increases are seen in non-traditional areas like the Delta and Southeast regions. In 2015, sorghum was planted on 8.5 million acres and 597 million bushels were harvested, the largest grain crop since 1997. The top five sorghum-producing states in 2015 were:

Kansas – 3.4 million acres
Texas – 2.6 million acres
Arkansas – 450,000 acres
Oklahoma – 440,000 acres
Colorado – 440,000 acres

The origin and early domestication of sorghum took place in Northeastern Africa. The earliest known record of sorghum comes from an archeological dig at Nabta Playa, near the Egyptian-Sudanese border, dated 8,000 B.C. Sorghum spread throughout Africa, and along the way, adapted to a wide range of environments from the highlands of Ethiopia to the semi-arid Sahel.

The development and spread of five different races of sorghum can, in many cases, be attributed to the movement of various tribal groups in Africa. Sorghum then spread to India and China and eventually worked its way into Australia. The first known record of sorghum in the United States comes from Ben Franklin in 1757 who wrote about its application in producing brooms.

In the United States and other countries across the globe, sorghum grain has been primarily used for livestock feed and ethanol production, but is becoming more popular in the consumer food industry as well.

The consumer food industry is a growing marketplace for sorghum. With so many healthy benefits packed in every delicious grain, consumers are finding creative ways to use sorghum in recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks like ours. Pop I.Q. can be used to add a nutritious crunch on top of salads, ice cream, cereal, and added to soups, stews, and casseroles. Plus, sorghum grain can be cooked using a stove top, slow cooker, oven or rice cooker to add a new twist to favorite recipes. As a result, sorghum now can be found in more than 350 product lines in the U.S. alone.

Traditionally, nearly one-third of the U.S. sorghum crop is used for renewable fuel production. In fact, sorghum produces the same amount of ethanol per bushel as comparable feedstocks while using up to one-third less water.

Sorghum is also used for new and expanding markets such as building material, fencing, floral arrangements, pet food, brooms and more. Sorghum's versatility gives it the flexibility to reach beyond traditional marketplaces.