Description
Meet Fonio, African Supergrain, West Africa's oldest grain. This tiny ancient grain (small granules) holds a place of honor in cultures and cuisines across West Africa. Whole grain organic fonio has been grown by smallholder farmers for thousands of years. In Africa it's served to guests of honor, placed as a good luck token in kid's backpacks. To the Dogon people of Mali, it is The Seed of the Universe, the grain at the root of all existence.brbr Yol l co-founder Chef Pierre Thiam explains, in The Fonio Cookbook, that, we consider eating together, around a communal bowl, as a sign of love and trust for the people sitting around the bowl. Whenever fonio is served, it s another sign of honoring the guest, as fonio is also nicknamed amu buur, or food for royalty. Fonio is also a good luck charm, and moms are known to put some fonio in children s backpacks before sending them off to school, especially during exam season.brbr Fonio has even been found entombed in Ancient Egyptian pyramids, so valued that people believed it should be brought with them to the afterlife. Drought-resistant, with deep roots that prevent erosion and preserve topsoil, fonio is also ready to harvest in as little as 60 days. It really is a miracle crop. Fonio grows across the Sahel, the semi-arid band between the Sahara desert and lush forests to the south. The region s hot, dry climate and poor sandy soil do not support most crops. But fonio flourishes in that setting. Its extensive roots help it draw water from deep underground and secure the topsoil from erosion, making it a climate smart grain.brbr More than half of the world s food energy comes from three mega-crops : rice, wheat, and corn. Fonio rice is a super healthy vegan protein that s a 100 gluten-free grain, the perfect low-carb rice alternative. Including whole grain fonio into your diet helps to increase our planet's biodiversity and resilience.
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