Ancient Grains as Functional Foods: Integrating Traditional Knowledge with Contemporary Nutritional Science

Ancient grains, including wild rice, millet, fonio, teff, quinoa, amaranth, and sorghum, have re-emerged as vital dietary components due to their rich nutrient profiles and broad spectrum of health-promoting bioactive compounds. This review synthesizes current evidence on the nutritional composition, phytochemical contents, and functional prop-erties of these crops, highlighting their roles in disease prevention and maintaining physiologic functions of the organs. These grains are notable sources of dietary fiber, resistant starch, high-quality plant proteins, essential vitamins and minerals, and diverse bioactives such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, phytosterols, betalains and others. Their consumption is associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cardiopro-tective, and immunomodulatory effects, hence, suitable for specialized diets, such as plant-based and low-glycemic regimens. Increasingly, ancient grains are incorporated into functional food formulations, from bakery products and beverages to fermented foods and snacks, driven by consumer demand for clean-label, sustainable, and nutrient-dense options. However, challenges in processing, scalability, and product standardization limit broader adoption. This review discusses their current applications, processing innova-tions, and market trends. It also identifies key challenges and outlines future research directions, emphasizing the need for further clinical validation, improved bioavailability assessments, and targeted promotion of underutilized indigenous grains to support sustainable food systems and equitable nutrition worldwide.