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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food for Health of People and the Environment Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #414479
Research Project: FoodData Central

Location: Food for Health of People and the Environment Lab

Title: Unveiling Nutritional Potential: Exploring Sorghum as a Hidden Gem in Global Diets

Author
item YAMPAI, KRITCHANAN - University Of Maryland
item Fukagawa, Naomi
item ADEEB, BONNETTA - Steam Onward Inc

Submitted to: Nutrition Today
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Sorghum, an ancient drought-resistant crop from the grass family, is characterized by five main races. It is grouped into four types based on its use: grain, sweet, broom, and grass sorghum. Grain sorghum is used as a cereal, flour, or to make drinking alcohol. Additionally, it can be used as a clothes dye, with colored pigments being extracted from its leaves, stems, and sometimes seeds. Sweet sorghum is used to make syrups and as feedstock for biofuel production, particularly ethanol for flex-fuel vehicles designed to run on blends of ethanol and gasoline [21]. Broom sorghum is suitable for making brooms and brushes, while grass sorghum is often used in producing pet food, forage, and pastures. This factsheet will focus on the types intended for human consumption.

Technical Abstract: Sorghum, an ancient drought-resistant crop from the grass family, is characterized by five main races. It is grouped into four types based on its use: grain, sweet, broom, and grass sorghum. Grain sorghum is used as a cereal, flour, or to make drinking alcohol. Additionally, it can be used as a clothes dye, with colored pigments being extracted from its leaves, stems, and sometimes seeds . Sweet sorghum is used to make syrups and as feedstock for biofuel production, particularly ethanol for flex-fuel vehicles designed to run on blends of ethanol and gasoline . Broom sorghum is suitable for making brooms and brushes [20], while grass sorghum is often used in producing pet food, forage, and pastures . This factsheet will focus on the types intended for human consumption.