What is fonio and what are its benefits?

Are you familiar with fonio, a small grain native to Africa with many health benefits? It's not yet widely known in the Netherlands, but its popularity is growing rapidly. Fonio is similar to quinoa and teff and is rich in minerals and amino acids. It has been cultivated in Africa for thousands of years.

This small grain is hardy and can survive in harsh conditions. Yet it doesn't even require fertilizer or pesticides. This makes it environmentally friendly to grow. Yet another reason to learn more about fonio.

Fonio is a grain (related to millet) cultivated in Africa, including Togo, Senegal, and Mali. It thrives in tropical climates with a dry season. In Africa, it is considered the oldest cultivated grain on the continent.

A fonio grain may only be 1 mm in size, but the plant itself is remarkably hardy. It thrives in poor soil and is drought-resistant. Growing this crop is even beneficial in combating desertification.

Farmers benefit greatly from growing fonio. It grows incredibly quickly: the grains can be harvested just six to eight weeks after sowing. This provides farmers with at least six harvests a year.

With a serving of fonio you get many healthy nutrients [1] .

Per 50 grams it contains:

• 170 calories
• 40 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of protein
• ½ fat

Another advantage of acha, as it's also called, is its low glycemic index. This means it doesn't cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate as quickly. So, fonio is a good source of carbohydrates, even if you have diabetes.

Fonio is gluten-free. Good news for people with celiac disease, who can now add a new grain to their diet. It does contain albumin, prolamine, gluteline, and globulin (these are protein fractions found in grains).

But if you have celiac disease, you only react to certain prolamins that are toxic. This is the case, for example, with alpha-gliadin, which is found in wheat. These toxic prolamins are not found in folio, so you can safely eat this small grain if you have celiac disease [2] .

The glycemic index of any food can be determined. The higher the glycemic index, the greater its impact on blood sugar levels. Fonio has a low GI. Eating it won't cause a significant spike in blood sugar. This can be beneficial for people with diabetes.

Another notable feature of fonio is that it contains resistant starch, also known as indigestible starch. This starch cannot be digested or absorbed in the digestive tract.

Not everything is clear yet about the health benefits of resistant starch. However, research suggests that this type of starch may help lower blood sugar levels and increase the body's sensitivity to insulin [3] .

Proteins are important building blocks for the body. The building blocks of proteins are amino acids. You can produce some of these yourself, but there are also amino acids that you can only obtain from food. These are the essential amino acids.

The composition of acha is similar to that of rice. However, when it comes to essential amino acids, the small African grain distinguishes itself. It contains the sulfur-containing amino acid methionine, which is only found in small amounts in rice, barley, wheat, or corn [4] .

Your body needs this substance for healthy skin, nails, and hair, as well as for tissue production and repair.

If you eat a portion of fonio, you immediately get about 10% of the recommended daily amount of essential amino acids.

Fonio is a whole grain because the entire kernel is eaten. When grain is processed, it loses at least a quarter of its nutrients. Eating whole grain products is therefore much healthier in general.

Eating whole grains is a great way to support your digestive health and can help you maintain a healthy weight. Other health benefits include reducing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers [5] .

So it's definitely worth giving fonio a try. It's similar in flavor to quinoa, though slightly sweeter. And, like other grains, it pairs well with vegetables and meat.

You can use acha in so many ways: cook it like rice and make a delicious stir-fry. Cook it into porridge or use it in a healthy veggie burger. You can also grind the grain and make bread, pancakes, or a cake.