Sorghum:an ancient, nutritious and healthly old world cereal

Letizia SATURNIDottore in Ricerca e Specialista in Scienze dell’Alimentazione

Tutor Master Internazionale di Dietetica e Nutrizione

Foodblogger – http://notonlyglutenfree.org

Sorghum: an ancient, healthy and nutritious old world cereal

Sorghum: an ancient, healthy and nutritious old world cerealNaples 28 October 2011

Class: MonocotyledonesOrder: GlumifloraeFamily: Graminaceae (Gramineae or Poaceae)

Sub family: AndropogonoideaeTribe: Andropogonaceae

Sub tribe: Sorghastreae Genus: Sorghum vulgare Pers.Synonym: Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.

What is Sorghum?

Sorghum is a cereal!

Tartarian buckwheat

rice cornwheat

ryebarley speltkhorosan wheat

(Kamut® )buckwheat greunkern

Cereals


Bread

Pasta

Pizza

Savoury snacks

Biscuits

Sweet snacks

Flours

Products

from Cereals to…..wheat

ricecorn


…. in recent years

Cerealphobia!I’m afraid of CHO

because they make me put on weight


Obese

Diabetic

Intollerant

Allergic122 Kg pro-capita of cereals 28 Kg pro-capita

of pasta26 Kg pro-capita

of sweetsvs 89 Kg in Italy

Nutrition

Health


Dietary fibre

Vitamins

Inorganic compounds

Cereals&Co.

Lipids

Carbohydrates

Proteins

Phytic acid

Phenolic acids

Flavonoids

Tocols

Pigments

Sterols

http://www.phytochemicals.info/Sorghum: an ancient, healthy and nutritious old world cerealNaples 28 October 2011

Cerealphobia!I’m afraid of CHO

because they make me put on weight

cereal

Beatification of cereals


Cereals and Mediterranean Diet

Source: L. Saturni & G. Ferretti - Celiachia e Dieta Mediterranea senza glutine – Il Pensiero Scientifico ed., 2011


Carbohydrates in a balanced diet providean intake of 55-60% of calories.

Sorghum - an ancient cereal

Sorghum - a nutritious cereal

Sorghum - a healthy cereal


Teff

Teff

Millet

Sorghum

Africa

Asia

India

Europa

America

Australia

Sorghum

Quinoa

Teff

Amaranth

Sorghum (durra or grano di Siria)


What is an ancient cereal?

- Plinio (60-70 A.D.) was the first to give a written description of sorghum;

- Vavilov considered the old Abyssinian (Ethiopian) areas the centreof origin of sorghum;

- de Wet demonstrated that sorghum was the first to bedomesticated some 3000 to 5000 years ago;

- Dahlberg and Wasylikowa reported on sorghum remains found atthe Nabta Playa archaelogical site in the Western Desert, southern Egypt dating back to 8000 B.C.


There is no official definition but sorghum is a truly ancient grain.

Source: Lèder I. Sorghum and Millet. Cultivated plants, primarly as food sources – Vol 1

Sorghum is the world’s fifth most important cereal.

23% of sorghum is grown for human consumption


Why are ancient grains so important? Agricultural interestSorghum is the dietary staple of more than 500 million people in over 30 countries of the semi-arid tropics (mainly in Africa and Asia).

Sorghum is particularly unique in that it grows in both temperate and arid climates.

Sorghum is drought-tolerant and resistant to water-logging and grows in various soil conditions.


Consumer interestGreater use in fine dining (unique flavours)

More widely available other than from natural food sections in supermarkets

Health benefits (primarily used as whole grains–generally not refined)

Visual interest (organoleptic characteristics like taste and colour, seed size and shape)

Product applications include bakery, pasta, extruded snacks, batters and bread products.

Sorghum - a nutritious cereal

Sorghum - a healthy cereal

Sorghum - an ancient cereal


Gluten-induced disorders

Celiac disease…. from a rare disorder typical of infancy to a common auto-immune inflammatory disease of the small intestine. It is mainly triggered and maintained by the storage proteins (gluten) of wheat, rye and barley, in genetically susceptible individuals.

Gluten sensitivity



The causes

Trigger

Genes

Leaky small

intestine

+

+

The clinical spectrum

Typical symptomsAbdominal distension, diarrhoea, vomiting,

weight loss, fatigue

Extraintestinal symptomsAlopecia, arthritis, ataxia, epilepsy, dental enamel hypoplasia,

infertility, osteoporosis

Associated diseasesType 1 diabetes, vitiligo, primary biliary cirrhosis

Source: Greetje J et al., Nature: Gastr & Hepat 7:204, 2010

A life-long gluten-free diet



Upon diagnosis Gluten-free diet Long-term gluten-free diet

Protein - -

Fibre Fibre Fibre

Iron Iron -

Calcium Calcium -

Vitamin D Vitamin D -

Magnesium Magnesium -

Folate, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Riboflavin

Folate, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Riboflavin

Folate, Niacin, Vitamin B12

Zinc - -

• the length of time that an individual has lived with the active, but undiagnosed, disease

• the extent of damage to the gut intestinal tract

• the degree of malabsorption

Common nutritient deficiencies

Lipids

Carbohydrates(fibres and starches)

Proteins(kafirins)

http://www.phytochemicals.info/

Dietary fibre

Vitamins (vitamin A and B-complex)

Minerals(iron, zinc, iodine)

Phytochemicals(tannins, phenolic acid, anthocyanins)

Chemical composition


Envirnomental

Artificial Suitable harvesting Correct storage conditions (cleaning, drying ……) Industrial processing (extrusion, puffing, cooking ….)

- strictly dependent on the plant (age, gender, stage of development …..)

- strictly dependent on ecological factors (climate, soil, altitude and interaction with other organisms like animal, plant, funghi, microrganisms)

Factors affecting the chemical composition


Source: Awika JM et al.. Phytochemistry. 2004 - 65:1199-1221

Chemical composition(per 100 g edible portion; 12% moisture)


Grains Proteing

Fatg

CHOg

Fibreg

Camg

Femg

Thiaminmg

Riboflavinmg

Niacin mg

Wheat 11.6 2.0 71 2.0 30 3.5 0.4 0.10 5.05

Brown rice 7.9 2.7 76 1.0 33 1.8 0.41 0.04 4.31

Corn 9.2 4.6 73 2.8 26 2.7 0.37 0.19 3.57

Millet 6.0 1.5 75 3.6 350 5.0 0.3 0.10 1.4

Sorghum 10.9 3.2 73 2.3 27 4.3 0.30 0.13 2.83

Data from Hulse et al. 1980; NRC/NAS (1982); USDA/HNIS (1989), Serna-Salvidar and Rooney (1991)

Proteins (6-18%)

ProteinsNon-Prolamine (albumins, globulins and glutelins)

LipidsEnzymes

ProteinsProlamins (Kafirins) FibreStarchMineralsEnzymes

FibreVitaminsMinerals

Kafirins are classified as either a, b, g or ,d based on molecular weight and solubility

Kafirins are rich in glutamic and non-polar amino acids (proline, leucine and alanine), but almost without the essential amino acid lysine.



gliadins glutenins

gluten

Secalins Rye +Hordeins Barley +Avenins Oats ?Zeins Maize -Oryzins Rice -Kafirins Millet, Sorghum -

Recent developments in proteomics have provided an important contribution to the understanding of the biochemical and

immunological aspects and the toxicity mechanism of prolamins. Source: Manone G et al., Expert Rev Proteomics 8(1):95, 2011


Carbohydrates

Fibre(86%)

Starch(56-73% amylopectine and amylose)

Soluble sugar

Pentosans

Cellulose Hemicellulose

Starch Amylose %

Amylopectin%

corn wax <1 >99sorghum 30-20 70-80tapioca 17 83rice 19 81potatoes 20 80maize 30 70

wheat 25 75Eff

ect

on

seru

m g

luco

seSorghum: an ancient, healthy and nutritious old world cereal

Naples 28 October 2011

Both genetic and environmental factors affect the amylose content of sorghum.

The digestibility of the starch, which depends on hydrolysis by pancreatic enzymes, determines the available energy content of cereal grains. Processing the grains by methods such as steaming, pressure-cooking, flaking, puffing or micronization of the starch increases the digestibility of sorghum starch.


Source: Brand JC et al., J Clin Nutr 1985

Effect of processing food


Fruit and Vegetables

Source: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl

Buckwheat

10.0 6.7

AmaranthQuinoa

7.0

Sorghum

2.7

0.5-5.05.0-18.0

4.0-12.0

Rice

2.87.3

Corn

Pulses

Nuts

(g/100g)

12.0

Coconut

(….) Dietary fibre is the edible part of plantsAmerican Association of Cereal Chemists


produces a measurable reduction in the peak level of serum glucose after eating and also helps to regulate blood sugar levels (Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load)

reduces the risk of developing and, consequently, dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD)

is helpful in preventing constipation

reduces the risk of gastrointestinal problems (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and certain types of cancer (oral cavity, lung, oesophagus, stomach and colon-rectum)

Health Benefits

Source: American Association of Cereals Chemists report, 2001


Riccardi G et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:269S-274S



Source: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

Corn

Rice11 mg Calcium

1.60 mg Iron

1.20 mg Zinc

15 mg Selenium 0.1 mg Copper

7 mg Sodium 77 mg Potassium

7 mg Calcium 2.71 mg Iron

2.21 mg Zinc

15.5 mg Selenium 0.31 mg Copper


They are important components of body tissues, fluids and work in

conjunction with enzymes, hormones and vitamins. Amaranth


1.4 mg Zinc

5.6 mcg Selenium 0.4 mg Copper

26.4 mg Sodium

3300 mg Potassium


2.87 mg Zinc

18.7 mg Selenium 0.5 mg Copper


SorghumThe bioavailability of minerals in

sorghum varies from less than 1% for some forms of iron to more

than 90% for sodium and potassium.

Minerals

Source: Charalampopoulos D et al.. Application of cereals and cereal components in functional foods: a review. Int J Food Microbiol. 2002;79(1-2):131-41

In recent years cereals and their

components have been accepted

as functional foods and because

they provide nutrients with

antioxidant activity required for

human health.

Why is it important to talk about phytochemicals?


Phytochemicals

Tannins of sorghum are almost exclusively of the condensed type.

Grains

mg/g (dry weight)

Sorghum

10.0 - 68.0

Finger millet

3.6 - 13.1

Buckwheat groats 1.7

Pinto beans

1.5 - 3.3

Fava beans

0.7

Lentils

3.2 - 10.4

Cowpeas

1.8 - 2.9


Flavonoids - Tannins

Quantification of tannins

from any source is further

complicated by a lack of - appropiate standards - the choice of organic

solvent - extraction procedure.

0.3-0.9 0.3-7.5 0.2-0.90.2-5.0

Levels of anthocyanins - water-soluble pigments that contribute to the red, blue and purple pigmentation in plant foods

(mg/100g or 100ml)

Sample Amount (mg/100g)

Corn

Pink Red Purple Blue

0.090.561.6

0.23

Black Rice 0-4.9

Black sorghum 4.0-9.8

Brown sorghum 1.6-3.9

Red sorghum 3.3Source: L.Dykes et al.. Phenolic compounds in cereal grains and their health benefits. Cereal Foods World, vol. 52, 2007. JM Awika et al.. Sorghum phytochemicals and their potential impact on human health. Phytochemistry, 65:1199-1221, 2004


Flavonoids - Anthocyanins

MoreoverPhenolic acids reported in cereals occur in both free and bound forms. Sorghum and

millet contain the widest variety of them.


Phenolic Acids – benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives

Health Benefits

a protective role against the cell-damaging effects of free

radicals and they lower the risk of chronic degenerative diseases and the risk of the other age-related diseases.

reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, ischemic stroke,

type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome and gastrointestinal cancers.

Source: L.Dykes et al.. Phenolic compounds in cereal grains and their health benefits. Cereal Foods World, vol. 52, 2007; 105-111

Levels of phenolic acids in foods and beverages

0.2-3.0 3.0-5.0 4.0-8.0 6.0-9.0 5.0-10

Phenolic acids

Source: L.Dykes et al.. Phenolic compounds in cereal grains and their health benefits. Cereal Foods World, vol. 52, 2007; 105-111 Marja P. Kahkonen et al. Antioxidant Activity of Plant Extracts Containing Phenolic Compounds. J. Agric. Food Chem. 1999, 47, 3954-396

Sample Amount (mg/100g)

Finger millet 0.61

Pearl millet 1.48

Corn 0.60

Oats 0.47

Rice 0.20-0.38

Sorghum 0.38-0.74(mg/100g or 100ml)


Grain Phytosterols

(mg/100g)

Sorghum 46-51

Corn 70-88

Barley 55-76

Wheat 40-74

Oats 35-60

Rye

96

Brown rice 72

Buckwheat 96


Phytosterols

Sorghum has some limitations, due to the presence of some factors such as

Trypsin

Amylasae inhibitors

Phytic acid

Tannins

These compounds are known to interfere

with protein, carbohydrates, mineral and

other phytochemicals metabolism.


Fermentation makes the foods easier to digest and the nutrients easier to assimilate and also it

retains enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients that are usually destroyed by food processing.

Moreover, fermentation has been used for hundreds of years as an effective and low cost means to

preserve the quality and safety of food.

…. but

Fermentation was observed to

reduce the negative effects of

some nutrients (write in red) improve mineral extractability improve protein digestibility improve the amino acid

availability

Sorghum flour

Injera Fermented

Energy (kcal/100g) 385.88 388.48 379.67

Protein 12.25 11.55 10.70

Carbohydrate 74.68 80.16 75.36

Lipid 4.24 2.40 3.93

Fibre 1.71 1.95 1.82

Ca 3.75 4.75 4.99

Fe 2.24 3.95 3.64

Cu 0.61 0.71 0.32

Polyphenols 8.10 3.69 6.64

Phytate 317.65 286.70 247.92

Tannins 0.18 0.16 0.18

The scientific community is not in complete agreement on the use of sorghum as a food for human nutrition

but…….


Thank you for your attention!


Dottoressa Letizia SATURNIDottore in Ricerca e Specialista in Scienze dell’AlimentazioneTutor Master Internazionale di Dietetica e Nutrizione Foodblogger – http://notonlyglutenfree.orgE-mail: [email protected]

Date post:	08-May-2015
Category:	Health & Medicine
Upload:	letizia-saturni
View:	2,744 times
Download:	0 times

Sorghum:an ancient, nutritious and healthly old world cereal

Health & Medicine