If you’re looking for some new ways to shake up your meals, try sorghum. What is sorghum you might ask? It’s a grain like millet or fonio which can be cooked in many different ways, is packed with protein, and well worth discovering—or rediscovering, as the case may be. It may be an integral ingredient in packaged snacks or other foods you already enjoy but you should consider this sustainable superfood in it’s own right, cooked as a grain, popped like corn for a snack, or as a flour in your favorite baked goods. We caught up with a sorghum farmer and a nutrition expert to learn more about sorghum’s incredible versatility and health benefits.
- Kim Baldwin, sorghum farmer for Baldwin Ag Farms in McPherson County; her family also owns Papa Baldy’s, a popped sorghum company
- Lanier Dabruzzi, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition and food innovation at United Sorghum Checkoff Program, a producer-funded organization that helps U.S. sorghum farmers spread the word about sorghum
What Is Sorghum?
A cereal grain plant in the grass family (Poaceae), sorghum (botanical name Sorghum bicolor) has starchy seeds grown for food. Grain sorghums aside, other types, including grass sorghums, and broomcorn, are used for non-comestibles.
Ancient Grain
“Sorghum is an ancient grain that is grown throughout the United States, including on my farm in central Kansas,” says Kim Baldwin, a sorghum farmer for Baldwin Ag Farms in McPherson County, Kansas,
Age-old crop: Sorghum has been cultivated for thousands of years, with sorghum remains first discovered at an archeological site near the Egyptian-Sudanese border dating to 8,000 B.C. Sorghum became a major food crop in Africa before spreading to India, China, and the U.S..
Sorghum in the U.S.
Today, sorghum is one of the top five cereal crops globally. It was the first crop Baldwin’s in-laws harvested in the 1970s, and the farm still grows it annually. South Dakota through southern Texas is sorghum country. “This area is known as the Sorghum Belt, and it’s where the most sorghum in all of the world is grown,” says Baldwin.
Shape and color: Round and quinoa-size, sorghum comes in several colors, says Baldwin, including red, white, orange, bronze, tan, and black. Sorghum flour is usually made from tan and white grains, while other hues have different food applications.
Taste: Grain sorghum has a nutty, earthy flavor and chewy texture.
It’s a Superfood
Nutrition-wise, sorghum is no slouch. “Sorghum is a nutrient powerhouse,” says Lanier Dabruzzi, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition and food innovation, at United Sorghum Checkoff Program, a producer-funded organization. Here’s how it stacks up:
- “A serving of cooked whole grain sorghum is an excellent source of 12 essential nutrients, more than a serving of corn, wheat, oats, rice, or quinoa,” says Dabruzzi.
- One half-cup serving has nearly double the iron of a 3-ounce sirloin steak. “You would need to eat more than seven cups of raw spinach to get to the same amount of B6 offered in one half-cup serving of cooked whole grain sorghum,” Dabruzzi says.
- It’s a source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid, and antioxidants.
Why Sorghum Now?
Familiarity with sorghum may depend on your roots. “Many Americans, particularly in the Southern part of the country, know sorghum syrup, which is made by expressing the juice from the stalk and boiling it down until it forms a thick, dark syrup, much like molasses,” Dabruzzi says.
The grain is widely consumed in other countries, where it’s referred to as jowar, milo, and even millet, but stateside, it’s still largely a culinary enigma. That status is shifting, say the experts, pointing to several factors:
- Used extensively: This gluten-free, non-GMO grain is already a ‘secret ingredient’ in multiple products, says Baldwin. “Walking through my grocery store, I can find sorghum in cereals, baked goods, nutrition bars, syrup, and even baby food snacks,” she says.
- Popular in many cuisines: Sorghum resonates with curious home cooks. “As our country has become a melting pot of various cultures and global foodways, Americans are becoming more exposed to a variety of native dishes from around the world, many of which include sorghum,” Dabruzzi says. “Sorghum is a staple grain for African, Indian, Asian, and even some Native American dishes.”
- Positive impact: “Americans are more interested than ever about where their food comes from, its impact on the planet, and how it affects their health,” says Dabruzzi.
How to Eat Sorghum
Sorghum offers umpteen breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack possibilities. Here, a few suggestions to get you started:
Grain Sorghum
“Sorghum is a hearty grain that’s hard to overcook, making it a great option for cooks of all skill levels,” Dabruzzi says. It can be made using the stovetop, slow cooker, pressure cooker, or oven. Try our recipe here. Experts say it holds up well after being cooked, making it a meal prep favorite—cook a batch on Sunday and enjoy it a variety of ways through the week.
How to enjoy it: Instead of rice or quinoa, Baldwin uses pearled (hulled) or whole grain sorghum as a base for burrito bowls and stirs up arroz con leche (rice pudding) with sorghum. Try it in your go-to risotto dish.
Sorghum Flour
Sorghum flour can be swapped for traditional flour applications.
How to enjoy it: Try it in pizza crust, pancakes, waffles, baked goods, or as a dredge for frying. “It produces a crunchy crust that stays crispy longer than if using other flours,” Dabruzzi says.
Popped Sorghum
Smaller in size and more nutritious than popcorn, popped sorghum doesn’t get stuck in your teeth.
How to enjoy it: Plain, with salt or your favorite popcorn toppings, or with caramel coating.
Sorghum Syrup
Milder than molasses, sorghum is also a vegan alternative to honey.
How to enjoy it: Use it to sweeten energy bites, apple cider, cakes, and brownies (made with sorghum flour of course!).
Sustainability
Sorghum is as beneficial for the planet as it is for your body, Dabruzzi says, noting that it’s known as The Resource Conserving Crop™ for good reason. “There are so many valuable characteristics that make sorghum a climate-smart crop,” adds Baldwin. To name a few:
- Resilience: “One of sorghum’s superpowers is its adaptability to climate challenges, such as heat and drought, requiring an amazing 36 percent less water than other grains,” Dabruzzi says.
- Rainwater-reliant: Over 90 percent of all sorghum farmers grow sorghum without leaning on irrigation water, adds Baldwin. “We’re known as dryland farmers, which means we rely only on rain and snowfall to water our crops.”
- Soil protection: Sorghum helps with wind erosion, too, putting nutrients back into the soil after harvesting.
