The Complete Guide to Jowar (Sorghum): Nutrition, Benefits, and Health Advantages
“Life tastes like Jowar roti. It seems hard to chew but it’s healthy.” – Arpita.
Do you know that jowar is counted among the top five healthy grains across the world? Not to be surprised, as it has already got a new title ‘new quinoa’ because of its integrated health benefits. Once an animal feed, jowar benefits have spread influence across the world to bring it as a staple food. Although native to Ethiopia or east Central Africa, Jowar has been one of the main staple foods in India for years ago. In India, Jowar is also known as Jwaari, cholam, Jondhala, and Jonna. People living in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and others are using jowar flour dishes in the main course to gain a strength and feeling of fullness. If you are still lagging behind the race, explore the incredible health benefits of this magical millet:
What is Jowar?
Jowar or sorghum is a cereal mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions and belongs to the grass family. The grain is completely gluten-free and protein-rich millet which is now gaining popularity as a healthy substitute for all-purpose flour. Jowar seeds are yellow or white with different glycaemic indexes. Here are some interesting facts about this pearly millet:
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Jowar is a gluten-free millet which makes it an ideal grain for gluten-intolerant people.
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The crop grows mostly in arid and dry areas, so it is a drought-tolerant crop.
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Jowar flour is enriched with natural fibre so can keep your metabolism on track.
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Alkaline nature of sorghum flour combats acidity.
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White jowar has a 49.85 glycaemic index which raises up to 52.56 for yellow jowar.
What are the Nutritional Facts of Jowar Flour?
Jowar flour is enriched with several nutritional ingredients which levels up its standards on a health scale. Diet regimes like keto, where low carbs are recommended, jowar makes a perfect fit. One jowar roti gives you 10.2 gm of carbs. One jowar roti calories can scale up to 49 calories. Here is the complete nutritional profile of jowar flour weighing 1 cup of 100 gms:
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Calories: 342 cal
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Proteins: 10.19 gm
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Carbohydrates: 71.1 gm
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Fat: 1.86 gm
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Fibres: 9.7 gm
12 Reasons that illustrate why Jowar is Good for your Health
After learning the nutritional facts, let us move towards how the addition of jowar can offer you health benefits and what are they. Here are the top 12 jowar benefits for overall health:
1. Good option for Diabetic People
Excess intake of carbohydrates may result in an increase in sugar levels. In the long term, it can lead to diabetes. The outer layer of jowar is rich in tannin, which secretes enzymes to reduce the absorption of sugar and starch in the body. Dishes made with jowar flour may help in regulating glucose and insulin levels in the body.
2. Contribute to Weight Management
Many of us fight with obese weight and want to reduce the excess weight. The higher concentration of dietary fibre of jowar as compared to other cereals keeps the satiety levels high. Eating dishes with sorghum flour may lower hunger cravings and eventually may result in weight loss in the long run.
3. Improves the Strengths of Bones
Bone strength can be enhanced with vitals like magnesium, calcium, and others. Higher ingredients of magnesium in jowar flour may help in absorbing calcium in the body which may contribute to stronger bones. Copper and other ingredients may help in making tissues strong and iron increases the red blood cells.
4. Fight against Free Radicals
Jowar bran contains anti-cancer properties which may also contribute to fighting against free radicals and premature ageing.
5. Fibre-rich Features Improve Digestion
You will be surprised to know that nearly 48% of fibre need is fulfilled by jowar roti. Fibre ingredients add bulk to the stool and may help to clear the digestive tract. Eating jowar flour roti may also help in fighting other digestive problems like gas, constipation, diarrhoea, and bloating.
6. Better Heart Health
Jowar contains a high amount of fibre that lowers the levels of bad cholesterol and reduces the chances of a heart attack. Jowar features properties that may improve blood flow and prevent arteriosclerosis. Antioxidants present in the jowar may hinder plaque development and regulate the plasma LDL concentration.
7. Good for Hair & Skin Health
If you want to improve hair quality, the easiest way is to add jowar flour to your daily diet. It also helps in reducing hair fall and assists in hair growth by offering 58% copper. Regular consumption of jowar flour also brings nourishment to the scalp and speeds up hair growth. Not only skin but jowar benefits also cover skin health. Jowar is enriched with several essentials like thiamine, riboflavin, folate, niacin, calcium, iron, and others which keep your skin healthy and radiant.
8. Packed with Essentials Nutrients
Jowar is one of the core millets that is enriched in vitamins like Vitamin B, zinc, copper, and other micronutrients. All these vitals are required for building new tissues and cells. Jowar also includes low traces of potassium and phosphorous which also works in overall building health.
9. Anticancer Agent
Jowar benefits also include its use in cancer treatment. It is because of the rare antioxidants present in the bran layer of jowar seeds. These antioxidants may help in reducing the chances of developing various types of cancers. Along with reducing the risk of cancer, it also helps in fighting the free radicals which may be causing premature ageing.
10. Higher Energy Levels
Different constituents like niacin, and fibre, make dishes made up of jowar flour healthy and offer a fuller feeling for a longer time. Jowar makes sure that approximately 28% of daily intake is from one serving, ensuring consistent energy levels throughout the day.
11. Improves Circulation
Sorghum flour is loaded with copper and iron, which play a significant role in blood circulation in the body. Iron plays a major role in cell development where copper works jointly to absorb iron better. So, sorghum flour with these two ingredients stimulates cellular growth and improves the development of red cells and overall blood circulation.
12. Reduces Body Inflammation
Loaded with phytochemical antioxidants, jowar flour works best in reducing the probabilities of various diseases like cancer, heart ailments, etc. Phytochemical antioxidants are normally found in legumes, fruits, nuts, and veggies. So, the addition of jowar to your daily diet can reap anti-inflammatory benefits.
Jowar roti with chilli chutney (called as Mirchi cha Thecha) was once called a farmer’s food in Maharashtra. The cuisine itinerary of Maharashtra is incomplete without mention of Jowar flour roti and Pithla. With the low glycaemic index and a healthy substitute for all-purpose flour with gluten-free ingredients, Jowar is gaining its lost fame again with various diet regimes. Jowar benefits are equally contributing to enriching its reach to millennials also. No wonder, you will get shelves of supermarkets loaded with jowar in different innovative forms like puffs, jowar flour flakes, sorghum daliya and others and your kids become addicted to them. Find organically grown sorghum flour at our website or in stores to have a healthy edition of yourself!
