Sorghum Syrup

Introduction *Sorghum syrup is a natural sweetener produced from the juice extracted from the stalks of sweet sorghum plants, Sorghum bicolor. *Sweet sorghum is mostly grown for forage to produce ‘sorghum syrup’ unlike most other sorghum varieties that are grown for grains. *It is a sweet sticky syrup, dark amber in color with thick consistency. It does not have any unpleasant after taste. *It can be used as a table sweetener or exchanged for other sweeteners in baking one cup to one cup. It tastes delicious spread on hot toasts or crisp biscuits. *Sorghum syrup may crystallize like honey, but liquefies when gently reheated. *Sorghum syrup is produced by extracting the juice from the sorghum stalks, and then boiling it down to the desired consistency. *Buying and storage: Buy good quality sorghum syrup and store in a cool, dry, dark place in the cup board at room temperature. It is stable, has a good shelf life and keeps well for up to a year at room temperature. Is it raw? Yes, pure sorghum syrup is unprocessed and raw. Make sure you read the label. Health Benefits 1. Sorghum syrup has mostly sucrose and trace amounts of glucose and fructose. 2. It may cause sudden spike of blood sugar levels, so diabetics have to be cautious and use this in moderation. 3. Good source of magnesium. It helps in relieving fatigue, relaxing the muscles, nerves and blood vessels, thus relieving the symptoms of asthma, migraine headaches, tension and soreness in muscles etc. 4. Good source of iron that in respiration at the cellular level by synthesizing hemoglobin that helps to carry oxygen to cells. 5. Good source of potassium; this along with low amounts of sodium helps to maintain blood pressure and reduces water retention. 6. Very good source of manganese, which is an essential cofactor in many enzymatic reactions in the body, especially in the production of energy and antioxidants defenses. 7. Moderate sources of other minerals like calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and selenium, which are essential to maintain the metabolic activities of the body. 8. Moderate source of riboflavin and Vitamin B6, which are essential cofactors in enzymatic reactions of the body.

Nutritional Information per Serving:   Serving Size 100 g of Sorghum syrup   % Daily Requirements   Total Calories 290 14% Calories from carbohydrates 290     Total fat 0 g 0% Trans fat 0 g 0% Cholesterol 0 g 0%   Total carbohydrate 75 g 25% Dietary fiber 0 g 0% Sugars 75 g   Sucrose Glucose Fructose   Protein 0 g 0%   Minerals   Calcium 150 mg 15% Iron 3.8 mg 21% Magnesium 100 mg 25% Phosphorus 56 mg 6% Potassium 1000 mg 29% Sodium 8 mg 0% Zinc 0.4 mg 3% Copper 0.1 mg 6% Manganese 1.5 mg 77% Selenium 1.7 mg 2%   Vitamins   Thiamine 0.1 mg 4% Riboflavin 0.2 mg 10% Niacin 0.1 mg 1% Vitamin B6 0.7 mg 34%

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Barley Malt Syrup: *Barley malt syrup is a natural sweetener produced from the sprouted barley.

Brown Rice Syrup: *Brown rice syrup is a natural sweetener produced from fermented cooked rice by treating it naturally with enzymes from sprouted barley.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock.

Light Corn Syrup: *Corn syrup is a syrupy sweetener made using cornstarch as a feedstock.

Date Sugar: *Date sugar is a natural sweetener produced by powdering or grinding the chopped and dried dates. It is not processed.

Dried Cane Juice: *Dried cane juice is a natural sweetener produced by sugar cane juice. It is unprocessed or very minimally processed.

Grenadine Syrup: *Grenadine syrup is a strong red syrup traditionally prepared from pomegranate seeds and honey (or sugar). The word ‘Grenadine' is derived from the French word ‘grenade' meaning pomegranate.

Honey: *Honey is a sweet, viscous, amber colored, natural liquid sweetener produced by the honey bees from the nectar of the flowers.

Jaggery: *Jaggery is a wholesome natural sweetener produced from the sugarcanes, most common in Southeast Asia.

Maple Sugar: *Maple sugar is a natural sweetener made from the sap of maple trees, mainly Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Acer nigrum (black maple), mostly produced in northeastern North America and Canada.

Maple Syrup: *Maple syrup is amber colored, and is available in different grades – Extra light (AA), Light (A), Medium (B), Amber (C), and Dark (D).

Molasses: *There are three grades of molasses –

(1) Mild – Also called first molasses. It is light amber colored, very sweet, as not much sugar is removed.

(2) Dark – Also called second molasses. It is dark amber colored, sweet with a slightly bitter streak to it.

(3) Black strap – This is the left over liquid after most of the sugar has been extracted. It is dark colored, has a bittersweet taste, and a good amount minerals in it.