How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?
CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW
![Recipes with Sorghum Flour: Gluten Free Saffron & Walnut Bread]()
Recipes with Sorghum Flour: Gluten Free Saffron & Walnut Bread
A couple of generations ago, sorghum was a staple sweetener in the South. It was cheap and plentiful. Every time I stop in a country store of the Southern Appalachian, I find a jar of sorghum molasses.
Sorghum flour is now gaining popularity among health enthusiasts as a gluten free alternative to wheat.
Sorghum may be eaten as a whole berry, or ground into flour. The flour has a fine, tender texture and delicate mouth feel. Just as smooth, demulcent, gooey as oatmeal or wheat but not as heavy. I noticed my sorghum pancakes were light and fluffy, delightful to eat and savory.
Chef Michelle Bernstein of Cena in Miami says the whole berries are "very toothsome and filling." Chef Marc Forgione of Lobster Press NYC says, "The closest thing I can compare it to is heirloom farro; it's got a great, earthy bite to it, and if you cook it risotto style, it will have a nice chew to it." For a fun twist, the berries can also be popped like popcorn.
Sorghum is closely related to sugarcane. It is slightly sweet and can be used to make alcohol.
The plant Sorghum bicolor is the 5th most important cereal crop grown in the world. It is popular not only in the southern USA, but also in Africa, and India.
Light, Easy to Digest.
Kapha individuals will enjoy sorghum because it is drier and lighter than wheat. It won't put you to sleep after eating. It's a great grain if wheat and dairy are causing too much mucus or weight gain.
It's unusual to find a light food that is nourishing AND satisfying. Sorghum is like white rice in lightness, but has a more robust nutritional profile. Most high protein, nourishing foods are heavy. Most light foods, like salads, are not considered comfort foods. But sorghum is both.
Satisfying, Relaxing But Light
Sorghum is especially great as a comfort food.
The ample sweet taste, and high magnesium profile, relaxes muscles. Sorghum's relaxing nature can be helpful for many conditions, from insomnia to epilepsy. It's high protein, complex carb, sugar balance makes it great for epileptics.
For a great grounding, yet light food, sorghum can't be beat!
Lungs
Brazilians decoct the seed for bronchitis, cough and other chest ailments. They use the ash for goiters. Arubans place hot oil poultices of the seeds on the backs of those suffering with pulmonary congestion.
Chinese medicine lists it as a cough suppressant and bronchodilator that resolves phlegm. The root is considered the most potent part of the plant for lung conditions.
Blood & Muscles
The high iron content of sorghum nourishes the blood. Sorghum plant sap is a known remedy for anemia. It is especially helpful in sickle cell anemia, as it builds hemoglobin. Studies suggest the sap is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. Sorghum would therefore be considered Pitta pacifying.
Sorghum is slightly warming. However, its mild vasodilating quality disperses excess heat - which may cause a pulsing sensation, and even lightheadedness.
Sorghum is sweet but a complex carbohydrate with a low glycemic index. Complex carbohydrates satisfy your hunger longer and are healthier for diabetes patients.
As a diuretic, sorghum may reduce blood pressure, relieve edema, and flush the kidney of toxins.
![Recipes with Sorghum Flour: Multigrain Pancakes]()
Recipes with Sorghum Flour: Multigrain Pancakes
Digestion & Elimination
Stools are generally more solid and better formed after eating sorghum. Here's why:
- Fiber bulks up the stool.
- Sorghum reduces inflammation which can cause diarrhea.
- It digests easily - important if your having digestive upset.
- All these qualities useful for client with diarrhea
As a diuretic, sorghum can even be constipating. Be cautious when undercooking sorghum, as it can form a sticky mass in the stomach (known as a bezoar)
Chef Tom Kaplan, owner of Hugo's in Los Angeles, warns - "[When cooking sorghum, ] let it get really soft, and it will firm up when it cools."
Sorghum is a nourishing and relaxing yet unusually light grain. Bitter and astringent aftertastes hint at Sorghum's Kapha pacifying nature. It is ideal for a stressful day when you want something satisfying that won't weigh you down.
Darker sorghums have more antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds than lighter varieties. Also, remember to look for sorghum under its many other names: In India it is known as jowar. Other names include great millet, Indian millet, milo, durra, or shallu.
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