Food

Food Trends: Try Sampling Sorghum

Posted: 3/11/2011

Sorghum bread is a trendy, tasty, healthy whole grain food option.

(NAPSI) - Food trend lists for 2011 tout everything from “locally sourced” to “subcuisines” and “free-from” foods. But what do all these fancy phrases mean for you?

For the average consumer, food trends can serve as an opportunity to try unfamiliar foods—like sorghum.

Sorghum is nongenetically modified and “locally sourced” or grown throughout the United States, primarily on dryland acres from South Dakota to Southern Texas. It can be found in grocery stores, often in the health/whole foods section.

With side dishes or “sub- cuisines” the new center of the plate, interest in grains like sorghum has increased. Sorghum is a healthy grain that makes nice whole grain flour. It can be used in steaming, frying, boiling and baking to make everything from muffins and cakes to breads, crusts and tossed salads.

As a “free-from” food, sorghum is also gluten free, meaning it does not contain gluten, a substance not tolerated by those with celiac disease.

Sorghum contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other grains. The antioxidants and polyphenolics found in many crops offer several health benefits, including helping to lower the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and some neurological diseases. Sorghum also provides iron, calcium, potassium, protein and fiber, as well as polycosanol, which lowers serum cholesterol and may improve heart health. And sorghum offers slow digestibility and a low glycemic index.

For more on sorghum, visit www.sorghumcheckoff.com/glutenfreemediakit.