Pearl Millet

                                                                  Green Millets (Bajra)

Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Millets are important crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa (especially in India, Nigeria, and Niger), with 97% of millet production in developing countries.The crop is favored due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high-temperature conditions.

Green millet/Bajra is one of the most nutritious and easily digested of all grains. And it is high starch, making it a good -energy food. Millet is very rich in amino acids. It is used both as food for human and feed for animals. It is also used to make bread, soup, biscuits, flour, porridge, cakes, alcoholic beverages etc...Bajra is commonly used in various remote parts of India as a staple food. Millet is used in brewing millet in some cultures. It is used in various parts of the world as a based ingredient for distilled. Millet is also eaten in the form of porridge or savoury with meat and vegetables stew. It can be grown in extreme hot & dry places, were other crops are difficult to grow...

Green Millet is one of the oldest foods from the family of millets very well known to humans and possibly the first cereal grain to be used for domestic purposes. Green Millet is highly nutritious, non-glutinous and is easy to digest. In fact, it is considered as one of the least allergenic and digestible grains available. With its warming quality this grain also helps to heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates. This premium quality agro product is known for high nutritional value, non-sticky after cooking and delicious taste.

Pearl Millet

The most widely grown millet is pearl millet, which is an important crop in India and parts of Africa.^[2] Finger millet, proso millet, and foxtail millet are also important crop species. In the developed world, millets are less important. For example, in the United States, only proso millet is significant, and it is mostly grown for bird seed.^[1]

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the most widely grown type of millet. Grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times, it is generally accepted that pearl millet originated in Africa and was subsequently introduced into India. The earliest archaeological records in India date to 2000 BC, so domestication in Africa must have taken place earlier. Its origin has been traced to tropical Africa. The center of diversity for the crop is in the Sahel zone of West Africa. Cultivation subsequently spread to east and southern Africa, and southern Asia. Records exist for cultivation of pearl millet in the United States in the 1850s, and the crop was introduced into Brazil in the 1960s.

India is the largest producer of pearl millet. It is known as bajra, and is primarily consumed in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Rotla (made from pearl millet) has been the primary food of farmers in Gujarat. It is also used to make other Gujarati Dishes like Dhebra or Thepla, Vada etc…

While millets are indigenous to many parts of the world, it is believed that they had an evolutionary origin in tropical western Africa, as that is where the greatest number of both wild and cultivated

forms exist.^[3] Millets have been important food staples in human history, particularly in Asia and Africa. They have been in cultivation in East Asia for the last 10,000 years. 

 Foxtail Millet

Millets are highly nutritious and non-glutinous.They are considered to be the least allergenic and most easily digestible grains available. Since millet does not contain gluten, it is a wonderful grain alternative for people who are gluten-sensitive. Millets are particularly high in minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Foxtail millet is rich in dietary fibre, protein and low in fat  Unlike rice, foxtail millet releases glucose steadily without affecting the metabolism of the body. The incidence of diabetes is rare among the population which consumes foxtail millet diet. Millet is a grain that should also be included on your list of heart-healthy choices because of its status as a good source of magnesium. A cup of cooked millet provides 19% of the daily value for magnesium (source-whfood, Hindu). Foxtail millet is know as kangni in Hindi, tinai in tamil, Korra in Telugu and Navane in Kannada and thina in malayalam. Many people think that healthy food is boring and not delicious, but that is not true.Today we are going to learn how to make nutritious and delicious khichdi with foxtail millet following our easy recipe.

Foxtail or Italian millet (setaria italica) is one of those forgotten grains that were a part of ancient Tamil culture. Foxtail millet, called ‘Thinai’ in Tamil, is offered to Lord Muruga, the patron deity of Tamil Nadu. In China, foxtail millet is the most common millet and one of the main food crops, especially among the poor in the dry northern part of that country.

Foxtail Millet or  Thinai Arisi (setaria italica) is one of those forgotten grains that were a part of ancient Tamil culture.

Foxtail millet, called ‘Thinai’ in Tamil, is offered to Lord Muruga, the patron deity of Tamil Nadu.

In China, foxtail millet is the most common millet and one of the main food crops, especially among the poor in the dry northern part of that country.

Helps control Blood sugar levels when consumed on regular basis. It showed lowered triglyceride levels, LDL/VLDL Cholestrol and increase in HDL Cholestrol.

Its known for its Low Glycemic index- gradual increase in blood sugar after food intake when compared to rice

Millets are a natural source of protein and iron.

Millet is very easy to digest; it contains a high amount of lecithin and is excellent for strengthening the nervous system.

Millets are rich in B vitamins, especially niacin, B6 and folic acid, as well as the minerals calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Millets contain no gluten.

So they are not suitable for raised bread, but they are good for people who are gluten-intolerant.