Sorghum Flour
What is Sorghum Flour
A lot of people ask what is sorghum flour? Put simply, it is an ancient cereal grain that is native to parts of Africa and Australia. The plant that sorghum flour is extracted from is a member of the plant family known as Panicoideae. It is considered a versatile food source but is most commonly grown in commercial quantities for use as a gluten-free flour alternative. Either beige or white in colour, sorghum flour is considered mild-tasting and sweet in flavour.
The benefits of sorghum flour
If you have been wondering what are the health benefits of sorghum, there are some tremendous health benefits that come with using sorghum flour. These benefits include:
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It is a gluten-free flour alternative. It is an excellent substitute for wheat flour and the ideal baking ingredient for those who cannot tolerate gluten such as those with celiac disease.
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It contains no genetically modified ingredients. Foods that contain genetically modified ingredients, such as wheat flour, have been linked to learning disabilities, digestive issues and inflammation.
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It is high in fibre. Because of this, sorghum flour is great for overall digestive and cardiovascular health.
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It is a solid source of antioxidants. Where foods have a high source of antioxidants there can be tremendous benefits in relating to reducing the risks of diabetes, heart disease and some neurological diseases.
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Sorghum has high nutritional value and is a wonderful source of vitamins, minerals and protein as well as being rich in fiber.
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It can help provide balance to blood sugar levels. Sorghum flour is low in GI which means that it slows the level of which sugar is absorbed into the blood stream. This is extremely helpful for anyone who suffers from diabetes.
So, is sorghum flour safe for celiacs.
Sorghum flour is gluten free and therefore should be safe for celiacs. However, it is important to check the labelling on sorghum products to ensure that the labelling states that the flour is gluten free. If this label is not present, it may indicate that some cross contamination has occurred either in the harvesting or packaging process.
Can I use sorghum flour instead of flour
Sorghum flour makes an excellent baking substitute for flour, there are, however, several things to keep in mind when using sorghum flour instead of traditional flours. As sorghum is gluten free, you will need to use a binding agent when baking with it. Binding agents that work include egg whites, xanthan gum, gelatin or cornstarch. Alternately you can mix sorghum flour with sa starch flour such as arrowroot or sweet rice flour to attain similar results.
As a broad rule of thumb you can substitute sorghum flour for flour on a cup or cup basis. When adding binder to sorghum, half a teaspoon per cup will suffice for sweet recipes, while a full teaspoon per cup will be required for savoury and bread baking.
Is Sorghum flour high in carbs?
Sorghum flour is not considered to be a low carb flour, however, it isn’t at the high ed of the scale either. A quarter cup of sorghum flour contains approximately twenty five grams of carbohydrates.
Sorghum Flour Australia
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