South Korea's Rural Development Administration (RDA) has identified scientifically tested combinations of domestically grown grains that may help manage hypertension and diabetes. Researchers at the National Institute of Crop Science developed optimal grain blend ratios after conducting animal studies and have secured a patent for the findings.

The study found that a blend containing 35% sorghum, 35% red beans, and 30% finger millet helped reduce systolic blood pressure by around 20% in hypertensive rats. Researchers believe this benefit is linked to the presence of beneficial amino acids and antioxidant compounds that support healthy blood pressure regulation.

In a separate experiment, a blend made with 30% oats, 30% sorghum, 15% finger millet, 15% red beans, and 10% foxtail millet reduced fasting blood glucose levels by approximately 22%. The researchers attributed these effects to bioactive compounds such as avenanthramides in oats and taxifolin in sorghum, which help slow carbohydrate digestion and reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes.

To promote practical use of these findings, the RDA is transferring the patented grain-mixing technology to food companies. Several businesses have already introduced products including frozen rice meals, meal replacements, snacks, porridges, and rice cakes based on these functional grain blends.

The growing interest in healthier diets has also boosted domestic mixed-grain cultivation in South Korea. In 2024, the area under cultivation increased by over 27%, while total production rose by 12.5%, reflecting rising consumer demand for nutritious grain-based foods.