Nutritional Benefits of Jowar (Sorghum) As We Grow

Blogs08 Aug 2024

Apart from the commonly used grains such as wheat, rice, maise and barley, sorghum is the 5th most widely grown cereal in the world. Typically grown in Africa and Asia, Sorghum is mainly used as animal feed. However, its excellent nutrients and composition have garnered a growing interest in it as biofuel and most importantly, for human consumption.

In this article, we’ll explore Sorghum as a grain, its nutritional profile and its health benefits in detail.

Nutritional Profile of Jowar (Sorghum)

Since every grain contains three main layers, the bran, the germ and the endosperm, let’s understand what a Sorghum grain contains.

• The bran contains phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins and carotenoids.
• The endosperm holds starch, proteins, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B complexes and minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc.
• In general, Sorghum has a high dietary fibre content, including 75-90% of insoluble fibres and 10-25% of soluble fibres.
• Sorghum contains phenolic compounds which offer anti-oxidant activity as well.

Health Benefits of Jowar (Sorghum)

1.Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects

As mentioned above, sorghum contains phenolic compounds that have antioxidant effects. This is essential as many chronic illnesses are born due to oxidative stress, the imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. Sorghum’s high antioxidant activity can help prevent oxidative stress and may help prevent several health issues.

When your body faces oxidative stress for a prolonged period, it can cause chronic inflammation and lead to illnesses. Many phenolic compounds found in Sorghum were found to reduce inflammation by inhibiting the growth of compounds that may cause it in the body!

2.Good for weight management

Sorghum or jowar has a low starch digestibility. Additionally, it contains condensed tannins that can react with starch and proteins to form bulk complexes in the digestive tract. These complexes can provide satiety and reduce the calorie intake in the body, thereby helping with weight management!

3.May support heart health

Sorghum contains complex compounds like lipids of phytosterols and polycosanols that can protect against the risk of high cholesterol and cardiovascular conditions. They can promote heart health by regulating the absorption and synthesis of cholesterol as well.

Incorporating Jowar (Sorghum) in Your Diet

Add this ancient grain to your diet by using it as the primary ingredient in your favourite home-cooked meals. Since Jowar is also gluten-free you can consume it even if you have a gluten intolerance!

The best way to have jowar is by washing it and soaking it for 8-10 hours. You can then use it to make poha and blend it with veggies to create a batter that you can use to make cheelas or pancakes.

Additionally, you can also add jowar flour to your regular flour to make healthy rotis. You can keep the ratio of jowar higher as compared to your regular flour. Rotis made with jowar used to be part of a traditional meal in many parts of India and they are now making a comeback!

Conclusion

Sorghum or Jowar is a wonderful cereal to add to your diet as it may provide several health benefits like supporting a healthy weight, boosting heart health, fighting oxidative stress, inflammation and chronic illness among others. You can easily use this grain in your meals by cooking it with vegetables and spices or making it into a batter for pancakes, tikkis and more. You can also take the traditional route and make Jowar Bhakri or Jowar rotis to maximise your use of this ingredient and boost your overall health!

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