Sorghum cleared as gluten free
New research confirms the gluten protein is absent in different varieties of sorghum.
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Sorghum, an ancient cereal grain that is a staple crop in India and throughout Africa, has long been considered a safe grain alternative for people with celiac disease and gluten insensitivity.
New molecular evidence confirms that sorghum is completely gluten-free, and reports that the grain provides health benefits that make it a worthy addition to any diet.
Gluten is the flexible protein in common grains such as wheat, barley and rye that give them a chewy, springy quality when baked into breads or pastas.
It triggers inflammatory reactions in people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity that can cause abdominal pain and digestive issues, and eventually lead to joint pain and intestinal damage.
For now, the only way to avoid such intolerance is to stick to a strict gluten-free diet.
Paola Pontieri of the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics in Naples, Italy, led a team of researchers in analysing the recently published sorghum genome in order to confirm that the grain contains no gluten proteins.
Their results confirm that the gluten protein is absent in different varieties of sorghum.
They also find a variety of other sorghum health benefits, even for people without gluten intolerance. Sorghum has high nutritional value, with high levels of unsaturated fats, protein, fibre and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium and iron.
It also has more antioxidants than blueberries and pomegranates, the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry reports.
NBR staff
Fri, 12 Apr 2013
Fri, 12 Apr 2013
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Sorghum cleared as gluten free
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