Bran Full of Nutrition
If you add a variety of nutrients to your diet, you bless your body with the possibility of a lot of nutrition. In contrast to a lot of other types of cereal grains, sorghum is gluten-free. In fact, there is more. The bran layers of the dark coloured varieties of sorghum are dense with phytonutrients that have lots of healthful properties. Read on to learn about the different healthful benefits of sorghum. Image courtesy: Getty Images
The Variety of Nutrients in Sorghum
Sorghum can be served alone, used in porridges as well as breads or popped. Sorghum is rich in riboflavin, thiamin, trace minerals such as phosphorus, iron and potassium and niacin. The colour of sorghum may range from white to red to black and the bran that is dark-coloured is rich in certain food compounds such as tannins phenolic acids, policosanols and anthocyanins. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Fights Cancer
The bran layers of different varities of pigmented sorghum are rich in antioxidants that protect the body against development of cancer. Studies have shown a reduction in the mortality rates of people with esophageal cancer who regularly consumed sorghum. Certain compounds in sorghum, also called, 3-Deoxyanthoxyanins are present in the darker-coloured varieties of sorghums; these have strong altiproliferative activity against colon cancer. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Protects against Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
A study from the University of Georgia Neutraceutical Research Libraries said that bran layers of sorghum that have a high level of phenolic content as well as anti-oxidant properties tend to inhibit the protein glycation. Oat, wheat or rice bran, on the other hand, did not do much to inhibit the protein. This study showed that particular varieties of sorghum bran can affect the biological processes of that are crucial in diabetes and insulin resistance. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Manages Cholesterol
Sorghum is a rich source of phytochemicals, which is what drew researchers at the University of Nebraska to study its potential in managing cholesterol. When they fed different levels of sorghum lipids to hamsters for over 4 weeks, they found that the healthy fats present in sorghum reduced bad cholesterol levels significantly. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Slow Carbohydrate Digestion and Absorption
There have been studies done to prove that sorghum may help in the reduction of carbohydraye absorption and digestion, which could further help in controlling blood glucose levels in people who have diabetes. Adding sorghum to porridges helps to lower the estimated glycemic index of the porridge. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Is Gluten-free
If you are allergic to gluten or just cannot tolerate it, you can easily take to sorghum because it is gluten-free and therefore, a deserving alternative staple grain. Sorghum is said to be safe for those people who have celiac disease. If you do finally decide to bring lots of sorghum home, make sure that you do not depend on its protein for your daily needs because it is poorly digested once cooked and also is deficient in essential amino acid. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Treats Human Melanoma
Sorghum may help one to treat human melanoma, found scientists in Madrid who studied the effects of three different components from wine and one from sorghum on human melanoma cells. Even though the results were mixed, the researchers concluded that all the four components have therapeutic agents that can possibly treat human melanoma. Image courtesy: Getty Images
Reduces risk of Heart Disease
Sorghums are rich in antioxidants that are believed to help in lowering the risk of a lot of diseases including those of the heart. It Besides, the wax that covers the sorghum grain consists compounds, policosanols, etc that are known to improve cardiac health. Image courtesy:Getty Images
Benefits Metabolism
Consumption of sorghum ensures that you have a better, stronger immune system. Sorghum has lots of magnesium and copper, which contribute to healthy bone tissues and regulate body's calcium levels and boost immune system and promote development of red blood cells, respectively. Image courtesy: Getty Images
