One thing that has gained on popularity in the past couple of years other than climate change, is – Millets, a staple crop of hot, arid, semi-arid, sub-humid areas for humans and animals as well. It is the 5th most produced cereal in the world. Millet is the name given to a group of cereals other than wheat, rice, maize & barley.
Millet, the wonder grain: They are said to be anti-acidic and gluten-free and fibre-rich, help prevent type-2 diabetes, breast cancer, aids in weight loss, reducing blood pressure and risk of gastro-intestinal problems like gastric ulcers/colon cancer, celiac disease, aids sleep y reducing stress, slows muscle degeneration, protects the heart, detoxify body, eliminates problems like constipation, excess gas, bloating and cramping, its antioxidants are anti-ageing, aids breast-milk production, improves skin elasticity – The Wonder Grain
There are six Indian native varieties – Sorghum, Pearl, Finger, Foxtail; in fact, they find mention in the Yajurveda: foxtail millet (priyangava), Barnyard millet (aanava) and black finger millet (shyaamaka) – written in ~4,500 BC!! Below are common Indian names:
| English | Hindi | Kannada | Tamil | Telugu | Bengali |
| Sorghum | Jowari | Jola | Cholam | Jonna | Jowar |
| Pearl Millet | Bajra | Sajje | Kambu | Sajja | Bajra |
| Finger Millet | Ragi, Mandika | Nagli, Nachni | Ragi, Kelvaragu | Ragi, Chodi | Marwa |
| Foxtail millet | Kakum | Navane | Tenai | Korra | Kaon |
| Barnyard Millet | Sanwa | Oodalu | Kuthirai volly | Udalu, Kodi sama | Shyama |
| Kodo Millet | Kodon | Harka | Varagu | Arika, Arikelu | Kodo |
| Little Millet | Kutki, Shavan | Same, Save | Samai | Samalu | Sama |
| Proso millet | Chena, Barri | Baragu | Pani varagu | Variga | Cheena |
In India, cultivation is in low-fertile land, mountainous, tribal and also some rain-fed areas. These areas include Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. In the pre-Green Revolution era, in 1965-66, millets were cultivated in 36.90 million hectares. In 2016-17, the area under millet cultivation declined to 14.72 million hectares (60% less) due to change in consumption pattern, dietary habits, unavailability of millets, low yield, less demand and conversion of irrigated area for cultivation of cash crops like rice and wheat. The crops are tolerant to drought, photo insensitive and resistant to climate change. The cultivation of millets requires less water than that of paddy or wheat. To promote this miracle coarse cereal, Govt of India declared 2018 as The Year of Millets!
Caution on Nutrition – As in all things good, anything in excess is bad. While there are a million websites listing the benefits, nutritional qualities of millets, a few of them also list the side-effects:
- delays assimilation of iodine, leading to deficiency
- goitrogen suppresses thyroid stimulating hormone, leads to goitre, especially women with hypothyroidism should avoid or take millets in little quantities. cooking longer increases goitrogens!
- Pearl millets among others, are rich in oxalates, which could lead to kidney stones
- Enzyme inhibitors bind minerals from easy absorption by the body
- Phytic acid leads to bad bone health, and tooth decay, and also block absorption of iron and magnesium. lemon juice and soaking in water arrests effects of this acid.
- by nature, millets have heating properties. mixing with other cereal like moong dal / green-gram will balance the effects.
There is no need to switch completely to millets; add a lot of vegetables, mix with other pulses in your food, continue to use red/ unpolished rice, whole wheat, and regular exercise to keep fit. Moderation is the key, even with a miracle grain.
– info collated from various sources, incl. Indian Institute of Millets Research
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