In English it is called sorghum and globally it is better known as Jowar and some call it “new quinoa” because it is a gluten-free food. This time we will explain the health benefits of jowar or sorghum. So, read on this article until it’s finished.
If you go to India, they call Jowar by the name “Cholam”, especially among the Tamils. Meanwhile, among Telugu people, this is known as “jonna”. In western and southern India it is used as a material for making staple foods, namely bread, bhakri, dosa and cheela. Ok, then what are the health benefits of Jowar, let’s just look at it below, hopefully it’s useful!
Table of Contents
12 Health Benefits of Jowar
Jowar is rich in nutrients, so it is included in the kind of grain that is good for consumption because it is rich in benefits. Here we take a look at what are the health benefits of jowar or sorghum.
1. Gluten-free
Gluten is a type of protein or part of the protein found in wheat, but the effects of gluten can be harmful to the digestion of some people so they should stay away from gluten or foods that contain gluten. Among the problems that can occur for those who are sensitive to gluten are bloating, pain, or cramps in the stomach.
While jowar is a healthy, gluten-free grain, so those who are gluten intolerant don’t have to worry about consuming jowar or sorghum. Apart from being gluten-free, jowar is also rich in nutrients, making it the best food for some people.
2. Jowar is rich in fiber
The health benefits of jowar also lie in its high fiber content, even when compared to rice, barley, jowar has much more fiber content. For one serving of jowar food contains 12 grams of fiber.
In addition, consuming high-fiber foods or getting used to a high-fiber diet is good for reducing the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, obesity and various digestive disorders such as constipation.
3. Jowar is good for blood sugar
Jowar contains complex carbohydrates so that the digestion process is slow, so the increase in blood sugar occurs slowly and this does not harm those of you who have diabetes.
So, jowar is a good grain for consumption by those who want to maintain their health, especially maintaining blood sugar levels.
4. High in protein
The health benefits of jowar are also inseparable from the high protein content.
Just one cup of jowa contains 22 grams of protein, this protein will keep the body healthier and get adequate nutrition and regenerate cells.
More: 13 Health Benefits of Custard Apple; Fantastic
More: 9 Amazing Health Benefits of Datura
5. Rich in iron
Furthermore, the benefits of jowar are good for preventing anemia. Iron-rich foods are great for increasing the production of red blood cells and thus preventing anemia.
In each cup of jowar contains 8.45 grams of iron. The iron in these foods is difficult to absorb or is non-heme in nature. If consumed with meat and vitamin C, jowar will provide maximum benefits for health.
6. Jowar is Good for Bone Health
The health benefits of jowar are maintaining calcium levels in the body. It contains high amounts of magnesium and is great for calcium absorption.
So, by including jowar in our daily diet, our food can function in maximizing the nutrition of various other foods.
7. Full of protein, minerals and micro-nutrients
Sorghum or jowar contains B vitamins which are good for the growth of body tissues. Sorghum also contains phosphorus, potassium, and contains various other minerals such as zinc, copper, and more than 20 types of micro-nutrients and antioxidants.
This nutritional content shows that sorghum is very good as a health food that will increase the maximum organ function.
8. Sorghum for weight loss
Sorghum or jowar contains high amounts of fiber when compared with other grains. One serving contains more than 12 grams of fiber, and this provides as much as 48% of the recommended daily intake.
In addition, fiber also provides a feeling of fullness quickly and keeps the stomach full for a long duration. It also has an effect on reducing daily food intake.
9. Good for digestion
Still related to fiber, fiber-rich foods such as sorghum are good for digestion, help with bowel movements and encourage the easy disposal of waste so that toxins that have accumulated in the body are easily excreted.
Whole grains like jowar are great for maintaining a healthy digestive system, treating problems such as diarrhea, bloating, stomach aches and constipation.
10. Good for heart health
We know that jowar is a food that is rich in fiber, this is useful for lowering bad cholesterol or LDL. So, automatically it can reduce the risk of heart attack.
By decreasing bad cholesterol, the risk of plaque formation, obstruction of blood flow and arteriosclerosis will also decrease. Sorghum also contains antioxidants, magnesium, iron, vitamin E and B. This is great for preventing cardiovascular disease.
The health benefits of jowar also appear in regulating the concentration of plasma cholesterol and increasing the production of good cholesterol or HDL.
More: Triphala Facts and Health Benefits
11. Improves Energy Levels
Sorghum contains high amounts of niacin (or Vitamin B3). The B vitamin is integral in transforming food into energy usable by the body. Niacin ensures that the energy levels in the body are consistent through the day rather than observing sudden spikes of energy. A rich source of niacin, a single serving of jowar accounts for 28% of the recommended daily intake.
12. Jowar to improve circulation
In jowar there are two essential minerals for blood, both iron and copper. The two of them work together in increasing blood flow.
That is why, the role of iron is very important in increasing the production of red blood cells. While copper is useful for maximizing iron absorption.
So, consuming jowar regularly is good for increasing blood flow throughout the body and this will meet the needs of cells for food essence and oxygen. Consuming one serving of jowar per day provides a copper supply of 58% of the recommended daily requirement. This means that this will be very good for the absorption of iron which is useful for the production of red blood cells.
How to Make Jowar as Our Daily Menu
To get healthy carbohydrate intake every day, we can try to include jowar in your daily diet. A balanced diet is a diet consisting of 55-60% carbohydrates. To achieve this amount, you can consume jowar as much as one portion or one and a half portions for two times a day. You can consume jowar for breakfast, as a meal during the day, or at dinner.
There are other easy ways you can try, you can make this jowar as bread, and it is great when paired with cereal or nuts. You can make foods like multigrain atta with a mixture of 50% whole wheat and 50% jowar, but there are also other cereal mixes, including bajra, yeast, soy and others.
Apart from such foods, flour from jowar is also good for making porridge for children. Try roasting multigrains such as jowar, whole wheat, bajra, and yeast with green mung, sago (sabudana), chana (Bengal gram) dal, etc. to the multigrain atta, and cook until it becomes a puree. Use one part flour and three parts water. But if you want something more savory, jeera (cumin) and salt. For a sweeter taste (usually for children) add gud (jaggery) and milk instead. Also add the crushed almonds, this will add more nutritional value.
