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Why Is Sorghum One of My New Favorite Grains?

The AHA! Team — Mon, 12 May 2025 05:33:30 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Learn why sorghum is one of my favorite new grains. Sorghum “Despite playing a significant role in Africa and Asia as a staple grain, sorghum has only recently emerged as a potential human food source in the developed world.” And it isn’t just a principal grain in many parts of the world, but it’s “critical in folk medicine” traditions, too. What might its health benefits be? There are some in vitro data from test tubes and petri dishes, as well as in vivo data, meaning “within the living” in laboratory animals, but only in the last decade have we started seeing human trials. In one study, participants were asked to eat sorghum pancakes or corn pancakes for supper every day for three weeks. Both groups saw significant, 20 to 30 percent drops in their cholesterol, but all participants were also “requested not to consume eggs and other cholesterol-boosting foodstuff,” so that may very well have played a role. Another study used biscuits. Those eating sorghum biscuits said they felt more satiated than when they ate wheat biscuits, but that “did not translate to differences in intake at the subsequent ad-libitum [all-you-can-eat] meal.” So, does it matter that they subjectively felt more satiated if that did not cause them to eat any less? Unsurprisingly, when put to the test, those eating sorghum versus wheat biscuits didn’t lose any weight, though the data are a bit mixed. A recent study concluded that “sorghum can be an important strategy for weight loss in humans.” However, those in the sorghum group didn’t actually lose more weight. They did eat hundreds more calories a day, though, and they still lost more body fat, as you can see below and at 1:41 in my video The Health Benefits of Sorghum. This may be because of their greater fiber consumption or intake of other goodies like the resistant starch in sorghum. The vehicle the researchers used was an artificially flavored, colored, and sweetened powdered drink mixture of water, milk powder, and either sorghum or wheat flour. That may be good for a study since you can make a blinded control, but it leaves you wondering what would happen if you actually ate the whole food. The resistant starch is exciting, though. Most of the starch in sorghum is either slow-starch—that is, slowly digestible—or fully resistant to digestion in the small intestine, which offers a banquet bounty of prebiotics for our good gut flora down in our colon. Evidently, it isn’t the sorghum starch itself, but interactions with the proteins and other compounds that effectively act as starch blockers, inhibiting our starch-munching enzymes. Sorghum ends up with “the lowest starch digestibility” among grains, which is why, traditionally, it was considered to be an “inferior” grain—but inferior in the sense of not providing as many calories. (That’s a good thing in the age of epidemic obesity.) Whole-wheat vs. Sorghum Muffin When study participants were given either a whole-wheat muffin (the control) or a sorghum muffin, with both containing the same amount of starch, researchers saw significantly higher blood sugars 45 minutes to two hours after subjects ate the wheat muffin, as shown below and at 2:58 in my video. They also saw a higher insulin spike, starting almost immediately after consuming the wheat muffin, as seen below, and at 3:03. Overall, after consumption of the sorghum muffin, researchers found a 25 percent lower blood sugar response, and the participants’ bodies had to release less than half the insulin to deal with it, as seen here and at 3:11 in my video. The same type of results were found with people with diabetes. Researchers saw a lower blood sugar spike with sorghum porridge compared to grits, and the participants’ bodies could deal with it with a fraction of the insulin. So, we need to educate people on how healthy sorghum is—and, some suggest, “develop products that are…healthy, convenient to use, and tasty.” No need! Sorghum is already healthy, convenient, and tasty just the way it is. I just press a single button on my electric pressure cooker with two parts water and one part sorghum, and it’s ready in 20 minutes. You can make a big batch and use it all week just like you would rice. Of course, there isn’t big money for the food industry when people eat the intact, whole grain. Instead, the industry is looking at sorghum for its “enormous potential for exploitation” in creating “functional foods and food additives.” (Did you know that adding sorghum to pork or turkey patties can decrease their “cardboardy ﬂavor”? Why eat sorghum when you can instead use it to make gluten-free beer?) It’s funny. When I wrote in How Not to Diet about taxpayer subsidies going to the sugar, corn syrup, oil, and livestock industries to subsidize cheap animal feed to help make Dollar Menu meat, I jokingly asked, “When was the last time you sat down to some sorghum?” Now that we know how good it is for us, maybe we should be taking advantage of the quarter billion dollars the United States is spending to prop up the sorghum industry and sit down to some sorghum after all. If you missed the previous video, check out Is Sorghum a Healthy Grain? My How Not to Diet Cookbook is full of delicious and healthful grain recipes. Check it out here. “Resistant starch”? Learn more about Resistant Starch and Colon Cancer and Getting Starch to Take the Path of Most Resistance. For more on the benefits of different grains, see related posts below. Key Takeaways Sorghum, widely used as a staple in Africa and Asia, is now being studied for its health benefits, with emerging human trials on its potential for cholesterol and blood sugar regulation. Studies show that sorghum may aid in lowering cholesterol and can increase feelings of satiety. However, this satiety hasn’t consistently led to reduced food intake. Sorghum’s resistant starch content results in lower blood sugar spikes and requires less insulin after consumption compared to other grains like wheat, making it promising for blood sugar management, especially in people with diabetes. Sorghum’s unique starch composition, largely resistant to digestion, offers prebiotic benefits for gut health and may act as a natural starch blocker. Despite sorghum’s potential health benefits as a whole grain, the food industry is more focused on its use in functional foods and additives. However, the grain can be easily prepared and enjoyed whole, offering a healthy, cost-effective option for any diet. To read the original article click here.

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Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies Recipe (Better Than the Original)

The AHA! Team — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 06:46:05 +0000

Recipe by: Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies Recipe Gingerbread is a staple when it comes to holiday treats. The warm spices and sweetness from blackstrap molasses bring a delightful addition to your Christmas cookie collection. These gluten-free gingerbread cookies are perfect to add to your holiday traditions while packing some nutritional punch. COURSE: Dessert DIFFICULTY: Easy SERVINGS: 24 Ingredients ▢1 cup cashew butter ▢½ cup maple syrup ▢¼ cup blackstrap molasses ▢1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger ▢1 egg ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract ▢1 teaspoon cinnamon ▢1 teaspoon ground ginger ▢½ teaspoon sea salt ▢⅓ cup coconut flour (or almond flour) ▢arrowroot starch, for dusting (optional)* Instructions Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add in cashew butter, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, fresh ginger, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ground ginger and sea salt. Stir until well combined. Add in coconut flour and mix well again. Use a tablespoon to measure out the dough for each cookie. Bake for 12–15 minutes. Remove from oven and dust cookies with arrowroot starch for added effect, if desired. Notes If you want to make a gingerbread man, roll out some of the dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes. Remove from oven, use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out the shape, and place back in the oven to bake for a couple more minutes. Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 15 min To read the original article, which includes thorough directions with visual examples, click here.

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Healthy & Delicious Garlic Breadsticks Recipe

AHA Publisher — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:00:53 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN – There’s a certain restaurant chain out there that became quite well known for its unlimited salad and breadsticks deal. And while that deal might be over now, breadsticks are still one of the yummiest parts of an Italian meal. While unlimited breadsticks might not be the cornerstone of a nutritious diet, you can enjoy them in a healthy way. My Garlic Breadsticks recipe is the perfect appetizer or accompaniment to any meal. These garlic breadsticks are so easy to make you won’t believe you haven’t tried before. With just a handful of ingredients like coconut oil, garlic cloves and gluten-free flour, you can whip it up at a moment’s notice. Try these at your next dinner. A Lower-Carb Breadstick? The first change I recommend making for a breadsticks recipe is to increase the good fats and lower the carbs, as most breadsticks are often made with inferior oils and are mostly carbs. While that kind of breadstick will only encourage you to keep eating, my garlic breadsticks recipe is higher in healthy fats and lower in carbs. Its nutritional profile is 175 calories per breadstick, with 15 grams of fats, 2 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbs. The key ingredients include healthy fats from coconut oil, coconut flour and an egg. Meanwhile, rather than use garlic powder, this recipe uses raw garlic. Eating garlic regularly is not only good for us — it has been linked to reducing or even helping prevent four of the major causes of death worldwide, including heart disease, stroke, cancer and infections. How to Make Garlic Breadsticks Preheat the oven to 350 F. Then, in a saucepan, bring the coconut oil, water and salt to a boil. Once the ingredients are boiling, remove the pan from heat and and stir in the garlic and gluten-free flour. Mix it all up and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Once the dough has cooled off, stir in the egg and seasoning to flavor up the breadsticks. Keep stirring! Slowly add in the coconut flour and knead the dough. Once you’ve worked it all up, place the garlic breadsticks on the parchment-lined baking sheet and slide in the oven. Let the dough bake for the next 30–50 minutes, or until the breadsticks are golden brown. Once the garlic breadsticks are ready, slice them into long sticks and enjoy! (You can choose to dip them in some homemade pasta sauce.) Be sure to make an extra batch — these won’t last long in the bread basket! Garlic Breadsticks Recipe Most breadsticks are loaded with carbs and unhealthy. Not these! These garlic breadsticks are so easy to make you won’t believe you haven’t tried before. INGREDIENTS ½ cup coconut oil, melted ½ cup water 1 teaspoon sea salt 5 garlic cloves, pressed or minced ¾ cup gluten-free flour 1 egg ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning ¼ cup coconut flour INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan over medium high heat, mix oil, water and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add garlic and gluten-free flour. Mix and let rest for 5 minutes. Once cooled to body temperature, add in egg and seasoning, stirring constantly. Add coconut flour and knead dough. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 30–40 minutes. Once baked, cut into long breadsticks. NOTES You can choose to dip these garlic breadsticks in some homemade pasta sauce. Yum! To read the original article click here.

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