5Positive Millet

What are millets?

Millets are coarse grains which have been traditionally grown and eaten in the Indian subcontinent for the last 5000 years. They contain high nutritional value and are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibres. Unlike other cereals, millets require little water and ground fertility. They have long enjoyed the tag of “poor man’s food grain” due to its sheer affordability. However, of late, it has come into the notice of fitness-centric youngsters who are learning the wellness potential of this humble food.

Millets are generally divided into two broad categories –

1. Naked grains

Naked grains refer to the three popular millet types which are devoid of the hard, indigestible husk that some millets have. Namely, Ragi, Jowar and Bajra. These millets don’t require processing after harvest; they can simply be used after being cleaned. These are the major millet types which are largely cultivated and quite popular because of this ease of use.

2. Husked grains

Foxtail millets, Little millets and Kodo millets belong to this second type. These millet types consist of an indigestible seed coat. The husk on them needs to be removed before they are fit for human consumption. Once done by hand, these millets soon fell out of favour since the processing of these grains was never mechanised the way it was done for rice and other types of cereals.

Millets contain a host of micronutrients such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. Also, they take time to digest, which don’t cause the blood sugar spike associated with easily digestible food. Introducing millet into your diet can help you control diabetes for the same reason.

Millets are not only good for us but the environment too, as they are largely rain-fed crops and do not put pressure on our already diminishing water resources. Additionally, these grain crops do not attract pests and so, can grow perfectly well without the use of pesticides.

Types of Millets

1. Foxtail millet

2. Kodo millet

3. Little Millet

4. Barnyard millets

5. Browntop millet

Foxtail millet

Shave a sweet, bitter taste. This is a balanced food apart from having 8% of fiber. It has 12% of protein. It is a good food for diabetic patients. It reduces the cholesterol content in the body. It is rich in antioxidants. There is a lot of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins and therefore they are good for children and pregnant women. This is right grain to get rid of the constipation that appears in women during pregnancy. When children suffer from high fever, sometimes they have seizures, which are permanent, sometimes. However, foxtail millet has the capacity to drive away these seizures, weakness of the nerves. It acts like medicine for those who suffer from stomachache and burning sensation while urinating, diarrhea and lack of hunger. As it is rich in proteins and iron it is a good medicine for anemia. As there is a lot of fiber, it gets rid of constipation. Back in the villages, elders used to say from their experience that if you take foxtail millet gruel and take rest then we get rid of fever. Eating foxtail millet is good for girls who suffer from heart ailments, anemia, obesity, arthritis, bleeding and burns. Lung tissues are especially cleaned up hence Foxtail millet is base food for cancer of lungs. This is good food for getting rid of convulsions. Foxtail millet all is also useful to get rid of some kinds of skin diseases, mouth cancer, abdominal cancer, Parkinson’s disease and asthma (along with Kodo millet).

Kodo millet

It is sweet, bitter and acrid in taste. It helps in purifying blood, improving resistance power and overcoming anemia and diabetes, constipation and good for sound sleep. Also, efficient functioning of bone marrow and to get rid of asthma and kidney problems and problems related to prostate, blood cancer and cancers of intestine, thyroid, throat, pancreas or liver. They have high nutritious value and therefore a good food for the children. There are plenty of vitamins and minerals in it. This is good for digestion. It has high antioxidant activity. It keeps sugar and cholesterol levels in blood in check. They provide good energy to those who participate in sprint. If you take these along with other lentils like Bengal gram or cow-pea then we get sufficient nutrients that are required for our body. As there is high fiber content, it is good for weight reduction. This is a good food to get relief from the pains caused by long-term diseases and to reduce swelling. Kodo millet is good food for the swelling of joints and for women, who suffer from irregular periods, diabetic patients and those who have weak eye nerves. The flour of Kodo millet is used to smear on swellings. It is also helpful for those diabetic patients who develop gangrene after being injured on legs. They are also helpful for the recovery of patients who have suffered from dengue, typhoid or viral fevers and became weak.

Little Millet

It are sweet in taste. It helps in overcoming the problems of ovaries, sperm, PCOD and infertility. They help in curing the diseases of the reproductive systems in both males and females. This acts as medicine, if one gets burning sensation in the chest after taking food or gets sour belching or feels tightening of the stomach due to gastric problem etc. This is good for those suffering from sexually transmitted diseases, diarrhea and indigestion and to improve the sperm count in men and to solve the problems of periods in women. Because of the high fiber content, it is also good for those who suffer from constipation. This provides relief to those who suffer from migraine. This is a nutritious food for those who suffer from heart problems obesity and joint pains. They also aid in cleaning up lymph nodal system and in the control of the cancer of brain, throat, blood, thyroid and pancreas.

Barnyard millets

It are sweet in taste. This is good for thyroid and pancreas. They help in getting rid of diabetes and constipation as there is lot of fiber in this millet and in cleaning up liver, kidney, gallbladder and good for endocrinal glands. They also help in reducing jaundice and help in strengthening liver. After getting rid of cancer, jaundice they are also helpful in reducing the cancer of ovaries, uterus. The food prepared with this millet gives strength and is easily digestible. Therefore, in North India this is used during religious fasting. In Uttarakhand and Nepal pregnant women and neonatal women are given food made of barnyard millet as this is rich in iron. They believe that anemia is reduced in neonatal women and they will have plenty of breast milk. This food maintains body temperature. It improves the resistance capacity of the body. This is very good food for those who work for long hours in stationary position without much physical labor. The food made of this millet protects us from ulcer-formation in small intestine and the cancer of large intestine liver and spleen

Browntop millet

It is one of the traditional crops. These grains have to be soaked in water for 6 to 8 hours before cooking. These are useful for the solving problems of ovaries, stomach, arthritis, B.P, thyroid, eye problems and obesity. Likewise, they are also useful to treat Fissures, ulcers, piles, fistula and the cancer of brain, blood, breast, bones, stomach, intestine and skin.