Q. I’ve been seeing ads for Onyx Sorghum, specifically its use in certain cereals. This supposed “miracle” grain apparently contains a lot of antioxidants. However it looks like the high tannin content might affect iron absorption. Could this whole grain fit into a healthy and balanced diet or might it do more harm than good?
A. Sorghum is a whole grain that we’ve hearing more about lately. Onyx (or black) sorghum is a special type of sorghum that is a dark red or black color intead of the usual pale beige. It was created by plant geneticists at Texas A&M, who used traditional cross-breeding techniques and not genetic modification to create the richly hued grain.
As with berries and other plants, the pigment that gives onyx sorghum its distinctive color also happens to be rich in antioxidants. However, some of those antioxidants are in the form of tannins, bitter compounds that are also found in tea, coffee, wine, and other plants. Tannins, in addition to acting as antioxidants can interfere with the absorption of iron and other minerals. Do the benefits outweigh the potential downsides?
A company called Grain Berry currently has an exclusive license to use this special grain in their line of breakfast cereals. The cereals are promoted as being super high in antioxidants–mostly due to the onyx sorghum.
We’ve all been trained to believe that the more antioxidants something contains, the better it is for you. But the truth is that there’s a point at which more antioxidants don’t actually provide any additional benefit–and that point is lower than most people think! In fact, the high ORAC value that this cereal touts has pretty much been abandoned by nutrition scientists as being largely irrelevant to human health.
On the other hand, I don’t think we need to worry about this grain (or this cereal) causing iron or other mineral deficiencies. It’s true that tannins can interfere with mineral absorption. But this is only a concern for those who are subsisting almost entirely on diets made up high tannin grains. That’s probably not going to apply to anyone buying Grain Berry cereal!
As is often the case, both the benefits and the potential dangers of this new “miracle” food have been over-hyped. As a whole grain, onyx sorghum certainly fits into a healthy and balanced diet. But in this cereal, I think it offers more of a marketing hook than a novel health benefit.
Can you buy it in Canada ?
Where can I buy this in Canada?
Where can this be purchased in Iowa ?
The company has a “where to buy” button on their website. http://grainberry.com/where-to-buy/
At present, it does not appear to be available in Canada.
Do they offer gluten free items?
Why, here’s their website right here: http://grainberry.com
Do you have celiac disease?
I don’t know if I can agree with the concept that this product is overkill with regard to antioxidants. What if most people are not getting sufficient antioxidants? Wouldn’t a product such as this compensate for our poor nutrition?
Also, I’ve purchased their product and I like the taste. One tastes just like “Cheerios” and one tastes like bran flakes. They each supply 20% of your fiber needs, so, I’m looking forward to adding them to my diet.
Btw, Ms. Reinagel, is there any definitive evidence against Watson’s claim which he made I think two yrs ago, that antioxidants may be bad for cancer?
Will onyx sorghum help reduce uric acid levels?
This is an African plant..how was it created here…smh..my family have known about this plant for hundreds of years…
Any reported problem with onyx sorghum whole wheat cereal causing diarrhea or tummy problems. I have IBS and was curious since the only time I ate a bowl of the cereal, I later had terrible tummy pain with diarrhea.
I really liked the cereal. Delicious! It was filling and I felt I had extra energy.
I’m experiencing the same problem with the stomach cramps and diarrhea
It seems to loosen my bowels a bit too much. Perhaps I’ll save it for days I need extra help.
Both my daughter and I experienced severe stomach cramps and diarrhea about 5 hours after eating this cereal, loved the taste, but not worth the horrible uncomfortableness afterward.
I ate one bowl of the Onyx sorghum cereal by Grain Berry and developed fairly severe diarrhea for approximately 24 + hours. Every time I eat or drink (even water) I cramp and get very gassy. I usually eat cleanly and am not sure this reaction is a healthy one.
Yes, I ate a little bit of it and was up all night with diarrhea and vomiting.
You may contact me via email.
It tastes good
I love the cereal but every time I eat it I have major stomach cramps and diarrhea. I usually eat 2 cups. I’m wondering if I’m over doing it
It’s the fiber content. If you eat two cups, that is all ready a third of your daily recommended fiber. I think for females, it is like 25 grams or something.
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I had sorghum as in FREEDOM Cereal (gluten-free) made in Australila, with Buckwheat & rice & corn.. HAD THE BEST SLEEP EVER with that cereal since it’s high in magnesium. Since March 12, 2018, I use GRAIN BERRY Shredded wheat with ONYX SORGHUM, 0 salt & 0 sugar. It was delicious !! It filled me up fast & had lots of energy & really curb my sweet tooth. Tannins really lower cholesterol. My husband dropped 102 points in cholesterol down to normal by increasing his tannin-uptake via blueberries & tea & vegetables.
Just saw on doctor Oz. Not sure now. Seems he’s doing more promoting of product but you all ate more ore than con. I’ll try. I’m 87. Maybe I’ll live to 97 with this?
Just tried this product for the first time. Yes Fiber will cause discomfort if consumed in large amounts. Your body will also get used to more fiber as it adjusts. We are very interested in growing this product in Pureto Rico and other tropical locations. American needs to get more anti-oxidants, more fiber, less gluten and less HFCS. We have ruined an entire generation by serving soda and white bread and pizza at public schools. There can be a Turing around with one or two of these new ideas going main stream. Keep up the good work and build a better tomorrow. Please share with the USDA and Sonny Perdue he needs to know.
I bought another box of this cereal….1 st time i ate it i felt great the next day…..high fiber?
Lately i need it
This is a great tasting cereal but needs to be eaten with Caution if you have IBS – c or d. It isn’t just he high fiber but the sweeteners that cause blotting.
Thank you the info. Very glad to know that Onyx Sorghum is not a GMO.
Saw this on doctor Oz. And seems like it’s more of a paid Ad. Plus the creator of the cereal doesn’t look healthy. I might be bias but I don’t like using products from ppl whom don’t reflect the benefits of their product. I wouldn’t buy a cereal from a man that has had a stroke and probably has heart disease. Just trying to take your money like the obese girl selling weight loss products.
I agree on buying weight products from a heavy set person. However, think this guy was 94 years old. He didn’t look that bad for 94.
One of the reasons people have stopped eating cereal is because of the glyphosates that are being found in the cereals from the weed killer the farmers use, not only for the insects, but also to bring on rapid maturity of the plants. So, how do we know there are no glyphosates in the grains in this cereal?