Fonio: Try This Nutrient-Packed Ancient Grain When You're Over Quinoa

It's low in calories, high in protein and healthy for the environment, too. Here's how to cook it.

 The Fonio Revival

West Africa’s indigenous superfood is coming back from obscurity and making an appearance on the world stage

 The Quest to Create the Next Quinoa

In fact, fonio, which is possibly West Africa’s oldest cereal grain, is something like the poster child of this entire movement. Since at least 2014, it’s been called the next quinoa, and it’s already available in Whole Foods and on Amazon.

That’s Not Sand, It’s Superfood

Entrepreneurs face hurdles trying to turn obscure African plants into the next breakthrough product

A Chef’s Dream to Restore an Ancient West African Grain

Pierre Thiam, an American chef from Senegal, still remembers how when he was growing up in Dakar, some families in the countryside sent their children off to school with a little fonio tucked into their bags for luck. An ancient, sandy-colored grain, fonio was cultivated for thousands of years across West Africa and still is. 

Fonio: the grain that would defeat quinoa as king among foodies

A Senegalese restaurateur and former Iron Chef contestant wants to bring the West African grain to American consumers

Fonio: The tiny grain with big benefits

Ancient grains such as quinoa, Khorasan wheat (Kamut), spelt, sorghum, amaranth, and others are increasingly popular among American consumers. Now, another ancient grain will soon appear on grocery store shelves: fonio, a versatile, nutritious, and sustainably produced grain from Africa.

How to Serve Fonio

A cookbook from the chef Pierre Thiam offers a guide to making this African grain.

I Can't Get Enough Of This Nutrient-Dense Grain — Here's How I Use It

If I were to pick one food realm that inspires me to broaden my dietary horizons the most, it would be ancient grains. From buckwheat to amaranth, these mighty plants have been a nutritious staple across the globe for millenniums, often providing a wealth of positive health benefits compared to modern grains. 

Is Fonio the Ancient Grain of the Future?

Yolélé hopes this nutritious, climate crisis-ready crop will compete with quinoa globally, while supporting smallholder farms in West Africa.

Senegal hopes it has the next quinoa

According to Mali’s Dogon people, fonio, a nutty grain cultivated in West Africa, was once “the seed of the universe.” The foremost text on Dogon philosophy, Conversations with Ogotemêlli, describes how the Dogon believed that the entire world originated from a single fonio grain.Now Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam wants this “seed of the universe” to become the next universally beloved grain.

What Is Fonio? All About the New ‘It’ Grain

Quinoa and couscous, move aside—fonio is *the* super grain to watch out for in the world of vegan cooking. While the aforementioned grains are commonly used in many plant-based recipes, fonio is one nutrient-packed grain that’s deserving of a prominent spot in any vegan dish. But what is it? And how do you cook with it?

What's the Next Quinoa? Farmers, Foodies Revive Heritage Grains

Ancient grains and "orphan crops" like fonio and amaranth have advantages for farmers and consumers.