Cereals and millets · IFCT 2017
Jowar (sorghum): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, jowar flour gives 334 kcal, 10.0 g protein, 10.2 g dietary fibre and 133 mg magnesium, according to IFCT 2017. It ranks 4th of 14 cereals and millets for magnesium and 2nd for folate, and it is gluten-free, which is why jowar bhakri remains the everyday bread of much of the Deccan.
About jowar (sorghum)
Jowar, or sorghum, is the staple grain of the Deccan plateau. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana grow most of India's crop, with more in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. IFCT 2017 records it as jolada in Kannada, jonna in Telugu, cholam in Tamil, janha in Odia and javara in Punjabi, while Hindi, Gujarati and Bengali keep the word jowar.
In rural Maharashtra and north Karnataka, jowar bhakri or jolada rotti is the bread at almost every meal: a thin round patted out by hand, cooked on a tawa and eaten with pitla, thecha, ennegai brinjal or a plain onion and curd. Telangana makes jonna rotte the same way. In winter, Maharashtrian farms roast tender green jowar ears over coals for hurda, a seasonal treat eaten with garlic chutney.
Beyond flatbreads, jowar is popped into lahi, cooked as a rice substitute, and ground into a share of the bhajani flour used for thalipeeth. Jowar rava and flakes are newer shop products, and pale-grained winter varieties such as the Maldandi jowar of Solapur are valued for soft, white bhakri.
What jowar (sorghum) brings to a meal
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Good magnesium for a grain
Jowar has 133 mg magnesium per 100 g, 4th of 14 cereals and millets and 43rd of 242 foods. 100 g of jowar flour meets about 30 per cent of a man's magnesium requirement and 36 per cent of a woman's.
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Folate ahead of most grains
At 39 micrograms per 100 g, jowar ranks 2nd of 13 grains for folate. It is not a large amount, about 13 per cent of a man's need, but it is more than wheat, rice or bajra give.
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Fibre in a gluten-free bread
Jowar carries 10.2 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 44th of 256 foods. That is several times what milled rice offers, in a grain people with coeliac disease can eat.
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Protein in the middle
With 10.0 g protein per 100 g, jowar sits 8th of 14 in its group. Eaten with dal, curd or pitla, the meal brings enough protein together.
Jowar (sorghum) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 334 kcal | 16% | 20% |
| Protein | 10 g | 19% | 22% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 67.7 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 10.2 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.3 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.7 g | ||
| Water | 9 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.16 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.31 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.52 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 17 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 28 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Iron | 3.95 mg | 21% | 14% |
| Zinc | 1.96 mg | 12% | 15% |
| Magnesium | 133 mg | 30% | 36% |
| Phosphorus | 274 mg | ||
| Potassium | 328 mg | ||
| Sodium | 5 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.45 mg | ||
| Selenium | 26.3 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 8 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.35 mg | 19% | 21% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.14 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.1 mg | 12% | 15% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.28 mg | 12% | 15% |
| Folate (B9) | 39 µg | 13% | 18% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.04 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 43.8 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Jowar (sorghum): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/cereals-and-millets/jowar/
Where jowar (sorghum) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 cereals and millets and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In cereals and millets | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folate (B9) | 39 µg | 2nd of 13 | 83rd of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 8 µg | 3rd of 9 | 106th of 160 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.35 mg | 6th of 14 | 30th of 239 |
How jowar (sorghum) is eaten
- Jowar bhakri: the dough kneaded fresh with hot water, patted thin between the palms and cooked on a tawa with a splash of water on top.
- Jolada rotti with ennegai: the north Karnataka plate of jowar flatbread and stuffed brinjal curry.
- Hurda: tender green jowar ears roasted over coals in winter, a Maharashtrian farm snack.
- Jowar lahi: popped jowar eaten plain or tossed with jaggery like a local popcorn.
- Jowar upma or khichdi: the soaked whole grain or rava cooked like broken wheat with vegetables.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Jowar has no gluten, so the dough cannot sit. It should be kneaded with hot water just before cooking, or the bhakri will crack. Like other whole grains it carries phytate, which binds part of its iron and magnesium; fermenting the batter or pairing the meal with a vitamin C food helps absorption. Jowar is still 67.7 g carbohydrate per 100 g, ranking 9th of 256 foods for carbohydrate, so swapping rice for jowar does not by itself make a meal light. Portion size and what goes alongside matter as much as the grain.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about jowar (sorghum)
Is jowar gluten-free?
Yes. Jowar contains no gluten, which is why bhakri is patted rather than rolled. It is a good everyday grain for people with coeliac disease, as long as the flour is not ground in a mill that also handles wheat.
Is jowar better than wheat?
Neither is simply better. Per 100 g in IFCT 2017, jowar has 10.0 g protein and 10.2 g fibre and contains no gluten. Wheat atta has a little more protein and fibre. Choose jowar for variety or a gluten-free diet; both fit a balanced Indian plate.
Is jowar good for people with diabetes?
Jowar's 10.2 g fibre per 100 g slows digestion compared with refined grains, but it is still 67.7 g carbohydrate per 100 g. Portion size and pairing with dal and vegetables matter. Anyone on diabetes medication should agree bhakri portions with their doctor or dietitian.
What is jowar called in other languages?
IFCT 2017 records jowar as jolada in Kannada, jonna in Telugu, cholam in Tamil, janha in Odia, javara in Punjabi and pingu in Kashmiri. In English it is sorghum, and in Marathi kitchens it is jondhala.
Related foods and tables
Bajra (pearl millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ragi (finger millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Wheat flour (atta and maida)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Maize (corn)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bengal gram (chana)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jowar vs Bajra
Side by side, per 100 g.
Jowar vs Wheat atta
Side by side, per 100 g.
Ragi vs Jowar
Side by side, per 100 g.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) per 100 g.
All cereals and millets
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.