Sorghum
Sorghum bicolor
Also known as: Jowar · Jonna · Cholam · Jola
The only grain with 3-deoxyanthocyanidins — unique anti-cancer pigments found nowhere else in the plant kingdom.
Unique Antioxidants
3-deoxyanthocyanidins
Protein
10.4 g/100g
Shelf Life (unpolished)
2+ years
Cholesterol benefit
Policosanols
About
What is Sorghum?
Sorghum (Jowar) is one of India's most underrated supergrains. It is the only known plant source of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins — a class of antioxidant pigments with demonstrated antifungal and cytotoxic (anti-cancer) activity not found in any other food. It also contains policosanols — long-chain alcohols with a statin-like mechanism that reduce LDL cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Its waxy grain surface allows it to be stored for 2+ years without pesticides. These properties, combined with its drought-tolerance and gluten-free nature, make it one of the most promising traditional grains for both health and food security.
Key Compound
3-Deoxyanthocyanidins
Apigeninidin and luteolinidin — found only in Sorghum. Potent antifungal agents and cytotoxic to cancer cell lines including colorectal and oesophageal cancer.
Nutritional Profile
What’s inside?
Health Applications
Why it matters
Heart health
Policosanols inhibit HMG-CoA reductase (same target as statins) — reduces LDL cholesterol without reducing HDL.
Cancer prevention
3-deoxyanthocyanidins show selective cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines in in-vitro studies.
Celiac disease / gluten sensitivity
Completely gluten-free — one of the best substitutes for wheat in traditional Indian breads.
Ancient Wisdom
In Ayurveda
Dosha Effect
Pitta-pacifying (white sorghum)
Guna (Quality)
Ruksha (dry), Shita (cool)
Best Season
Grishma (summer) — the classic summer grain of the Deccan
Classical Note
White (Safed) Jowar is cooling. Red/brown Jowar is more astringent. Bhakri (thick Jowar flatbread) is the traditional year-round staple of Maharashtra's farming communities.
Origin Story
From the field
Maharashtra / Telangana · Deccan Plateau, South & West India
Jowar Bhakri with Zunka (spiced chickpea flour preparation) and raw onion is the quintessential farming meal of Marathwada — eaten twice a day by generations of dryland farmers. In Telangana, Jonna Roti with Gongura (sorrel leaves) pickle is equally iconic. Sorghum cultivation in the Deccan Plateau is deeply seasonal — planted as a Kharif crop with the June monsoon, harvested in October, and then the harvested stalks feed livestock through the dry season. Nothing is wasted. ICRISAT's Patancheru campus (near Hyderabad) houses the world's largest sorghum germplasm collection — over 42,000 accessions.
— Health Applications —
What Sorghum is good for.
There are 23 ingredients in the Field Guide.