Sorghum: An Ancient Grain with Present-Day Benefits

Grain sorghum is a dietary staple for more than 500 million people in more than 30 countries of the semi-arid tropics, and is thus one of the most familiar foods in the world (Board on Science and Technology for International Development, 1996). Sorghum remains were found in the Nabta Playa archaeological site in southern Egypt dating back to 8000 B.C.E., making sorghum one of the most ancient of grains (Dahlberg and Wasylikowa, 1996). U.S. consumer interest in ancient grains has stirred interes…