Sorghum: Biology, Functional Potential and Sustainable Utilization

Sorghum is a versatile grain due to its excellent nutrient potential, climate competency, agronomic benefits and sustainable applications in various industrial areas. Sorghum contains good amount of essential nutrients particularly proteins, minerals and dietary fiber. Despite of being low in fats, it contains essential fatty acids like linoleic, oleic, palmitic, stearic, myristic, and hexadecenoic. Apart from this, sorghum possess various health promoting properties as it is a good source of antioxidants phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids and phytosterols. These bioactive compounds are known to play a curative and preventive role against various lifestyle disorders and that is why sorghum is regarded as a superfood. This chapter delves into sorghum’s structural and functional properties, focusing primarily on its botanical characteristics, nutritive values, and bioactive composition. It also addresses the challenges and opportunities of utilizing sorghum grain as different food products, emphasizing therapeutic benefits and economic sustainability.