Sorghum: USDA Grain Nutrition, Gluten-Free Status, Flour and Syrup

Sorghum is a drought-tolerant cereal grain that is naturally gluten-free and can be cooked whole like rice, ground into flour or popped like a tiny popcorn. A quarter cup of uncooked sorghum grain provides about 158 calories, 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, a third of the Daily Value for manganese and about a fifth for magnesium, according to USDA data. Below are the USDA sorghum nutrition facts, what celiac groups say about gluten, a catch about sorghum protein, how sorghum flour and sorghum syrup differ from the grain, and simple ways to use it.

Peptide Labs does not sell sorghum or sorghum products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

Sorghum nutrition per quarter cup

The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry for sorghum grain (FDC 169716), converted to a quarter cup of uncooked grain weighing 48 grams. The percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels.

Nutrient (sorghum grain, uncooked)	Per 1/4 cup (48 g)	% Daily Value
Calories	158	Not applicable
Protein	5.1 g	10%
Carbohydrate	34.6 g	13%
Fiber	3.2 g	11%
Total fat	1.7 g	2%
Manganese	0.77 milligrams	33%
Magnesium	79 milligrams	19%
Copper	0.14 milligrams	15%
Thiamin (vitamin B1)	0.16 milligrams	13%
Vitamin B6	0.21 milligrams	13%
Phosphorus	139 milligrams	11%
Niacin (vitamin B3)	1.8 milligrams	11%
Selenium	5.9 micrograms	11%
Iron	1.6 milligrams	9%
Zinc	0.8 milligrams	7%

Sorghum is low in fat and sodium and brings a useful mix of B vitamins and minerals. It belongs on the same shelf as other whole grains that show up on our lists of fiber-rich foods, magnesium sources and plant iron sources. Like other plant iron, the iron in sorghum is the non-heme kind, which the body absorbs less readily than iron from meat and fish.

Why these numbers are for uncooked grain

The USDA SR Legacy database lists sorghum grain only in its uncooked form. Cooking adds water, so a cup of cooked sorghum weighs more and shows fewer calories per cup than the same cup of dry grain, even though nothing is lost. When you compare sorghum with cooked rice or quinoa numbers, make sure both figures describe the same state, cooked or uncooked.

What sorghum grain is

Sorghum grain comes from a grass that was domesticated in Ethiopia and Sudan and spread across Africa, where it is still an important staple, according to the Smart Food initiative and the Whole Grains Council. Its global importance comes largely from its tolerance of drought. In Africa and parts of Asia it is grown mainly as human food, while in the United States most sorghum goes to livestock feed and ethanol production. US food use has been growing, partly because people who avoid gluten need grains other than wheat, barley and rye.

In kitchens around the world, sorghum is boiled like rice, cooked into porridge, ground into flour and popped. Popped sorghum looks like miniature popcorn. The Whole Grains Council features sorghum in its grain-of-the-month series, and the table above describes the whole grain.

Is sorghum gluten free?

Yes. The Celiac Disease Foundation lists sorghum among naturally gluten-free grains. Gluten is the name for proteins in wheat, rye, barley and triticale, and the authors of a 2007 study note that sorghum is considered safe for celiac patients mainly because it is related to corn. Research supports the label: in that study (Ciacci and colleagues, Clinical Nutrition), sorghum protein did not damage intestinal tissue samples from people with celiac disease in the lab, and celiac patients who ate a sorghum food every day for five days had no symptoms and no rise in celiac antibodies. That was a short, small test, but it matched what celiac groups expected.

Two practical cautions apply for anyone with celiac disease:

• Cross-contact: the Celiac Disease Foundation notes that naturally gluten-free grains can pick up gluten during harvesting and processing. It advises against bulk bins and suggests products tested to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
• Label rules: under FDA rules (21 CFR 101.91), a food labeled gluten-free must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, so a gluten-free label on sorghum or sorghum flour is the simplest check.

If you have celiac disease and still react to foods you believe are gluten-free, talk to your gastroenterologist or a dietitian rather than guessing at the cause.

Sorghum protein: the digestibility catch

Sorghum has about as much protein per gram as many other grains, but laboratory studies show it behaves differently in the pot. In a 2002 study (Duodu and colleagues, Journal of Cereal Science), cooking reduced the digestibility of sorghum protein but not of corn protein, apparently because sorghum’s storage proteins, called kafirins, link together into tighter structures when heated with water. A 2023 methods paper notes that this lower digestibility after wet cooking contributes to undernutrition in regions where sorghum is the main staple.

These are test-tube measurements, not feeding trials, and they matter most when one grain supplies most of a diet. In a mixed diet, sorghum works as a fiber and mineral source rather than a main protein food; our guide to high-protein options shows foods that do that job.

Sorghum flour vs whole grain, and sorghum syrup

Sorghum flour comes in whole-grain and refined versions, and the difference is large. The table compares USDA values per 100 grams for the grain, both flours and sorghum syrup.

Form (USDA entry), per 100 g	Calories	Protein	Fiber	Magnesium	Iron
Sorghum grain, uncooked (169716)	329	10.6 g	6.7 g	165 milligrams	3.4 milligrams
Sorghum flour, whole-grain (168943)	359	8.4 g	6.6 g	123 milligrams	3.1 milligrams
Sorghum flour, refined (173262)	357	9.5 g	1.9 g	31 milligrams	1.0 milligrams
Sorghum syrup (169662)	290	0 g	0 g	100 milligrams	3.8 milligrams

Refined sorghum flour keeps the calories but loses most of the fiber and about three quarters of the magnesium, so look for whole-grain sorghum flour if you want the grain’s nutrition in baking. Because sorghum flour has no gluten, it is often combined with other gluten-free flours and starches; USDA even lists a gluten-free roll made with brown rice flour, tapioca starch and sorghum flour.

Sorghum syrup is a sweetener

Sorghum syrup is made from a different kind of sorghum. University extension services describe how the stalks of sweet sorghum are crushed and the juice is cooked down into a thick syrup. In USDA data a tablespoon has about 61 calories and 16 grams of sugar, with no protein or fiber, plus some potassium and manganese. The FDA counts sugars from syrups and honey as added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label, with a Daily Value of 50 grams, so sorghum syrup belongs with other sweeteners, not with the whole grain. Our guide to refined carbohydrates covers how added sugars fit into the bigger picture.

How to use sorghum grain

White sorghum flour has a bland, neutral taste, according to the 2007 study authors, which makes it easy to blend into recipes. Common uses include:

• Cooked whole and used in place of rice, pasta or other grains in salads, pilafs and grain bowls, or added to soups and stews. Follow the package for water and cooking time.
• Popped in a dry pan or popper as a smaller alternative to popcorn.
• Whole-grain sorghum flour in gluten-free baking blends.
• Porridge, which the Smart Food initiative notes is found across Africa.

Sorghum can also stand in for brown rice or oats for variety. If you are adding more whole grains, our guide to daily fiber explains reference amounts, and our sibling guide to rye bread covers a grain that, unlike sorghum, contains gluten.

Who should be careful with sorghum

• Celiac disease: choose sorghum labeled or tested gluten-free because of cross-contact, and avoid bulk bins.
• Sorghum syrup: it counts as added sugar, so count it with honey and other sweeteners rather than as a health food.
• Allergies: sorghum is not one of the nine major food allergens the FDA lists, but any food can cause a reaction in some people; follow your allergist’s advice.

Sorghum is a starchy grain at about 35 grams of carbohydrate per uncooked quarter cup in USDA data, so it is not a low-carb food. People eating smaller portions on GLP-1 medicines may still find whole grains like sorghum useful for fiber and minerals; see our GLP-1 diet guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have celiac disease or a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Millet: USDA Nutrition, Gluten Facts and What Studies Show, Rye Bread: USDA Nutrition per Slice, Research and How It Compares, High Fiber Foods: USDA List of Fruits, Vegetables, Beans and Grains.