Introducing The Small ‘Big’ Grain

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Millets are the ancient grains of India. They are small seeded nutrient-rich cereals cultivated and consumed for centuries in Asia and Africa. Millets were a part of our staple diet until the 1960s. However, after the Green Revolution, which emphasized wheat and rice, millets were dismissed as ‘coarse grains.

Millets are back in demand because of their high nutritional value, environmentally friendly crops, and food security.

As millets were the first crops known to humans, they are known by different names in different parts of the country. But unfortunately, most of us are not aware of the common names of millets.

Let’s familiarise ourselves with the different types and distinct names of millets.

Types of Millets:

Millets are a species of coarse cereal grasses belonging to the Poaceae family. They were mainly cultivated for their tiny edible seeds. Millets are broadly classified into two main categories– Major millets and minor millets based on their grain size.

Major millets comprises of 

• Pearl millet (bajra) 
• Sorghum (jowar) 
• Finger millet (ragi) 

The minor millets include:

• Foxtail millet
• Barnyard millet
• Kodo millet
• Little millet
• Proso millet

There is also a 3rd category of millets called pseudo millets. Pseudo millets are so called as they do not belong to the Poaceae botanical family to which the ‘true grains belong; however, they have similar nutritional value and are used in the same way as the ‘true’ grains.

The Pseudo grains are:

• Buckwheat
• Amaranth

Now that we know the different millets grown in India let us understand each one in more detail.

Major Millets:

Pearl Millet:

It is one of the oldest cultivated grains and is widely consumed in rural India. It is commonly known as bajra and is the sixth major cereal in area and production. Bajra is resistant to drought, heat, and some forms of contamination that affect other grains. It has the highest drought tolerance potential of all millets.

Pearl Millet is rich in essential compounds like protein, fibre, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron. It has been used for years as a cover crop and animal feed, but its low cost and high nutrient content make it a great source of food for people as well. It is conducive in areas with food insecurity.

Sorghum:

Sorghum, or Jowar, is a lesser-known grain in the world food market. It is a distant fifth for most produced grains—behind barley, rice, wheat, and corn.

The grains can vary in colour, from white or red to golden-brown or purple. Sorghum seeds have an edible hull. The whole grain is a good source of protein and an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Other micronutrients found in sorghum include:

• Iron
• Potassium
• Niacin
• Thiamine
• Vitamin B6
• Phosphorous
• Manganese
• Magnesium

Finger Millet

Finger Millet, also known as Ragi, is an important millet grown extensively in various regions of India and Africa. Its scientific name is Eleusine coracana. It ranks sixth in production after wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, and bajra in India. In India, ragi is mainly grown and consumed in Karnataka and, to a limited extent, in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Goa.

Finger millet is considered one of the most nutritious cereals owing to its high protein, calcium, and iron content.

Minor Millets

Foxtail millet 

Foxtail millet is the third largest crop among the millets, cultivated for food in the semi-arid tropics of Asia, Europe, North America, Australia, and North Africa. The grains of foxtail or Italian millet are very similar to the grains of paddy rice in structure. However, they contain an outer husk, which needs to be removed to be used. 

It has a sweet, nutty flavour and is one of the most digestible and non-allergic grains. It is rich in dietary fibre and protein and is low in fat.

Barnyard millet:

Barnyard millet is predominantly cultivated in India, China, Japan, and Korea. It has the highest fibre and iron content among other millets. It is low in carbohydrates and is slow in digestibility. This makes it an ideal food for people with diabetes.

It is a fair source of proteins and consists of functional constituents such as Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and Beta-glucan, which are used as antioxidants in reducing blood lipid levels.

Kodo Millet:

Kodo millet was domesticated in India 3,000 years ago, and even today, it is extensively grown on the poorest of soils throughout India. It is reputed to be extremely hardy and drought resistant and grows on stony or gravelly soils which would not support other crops.

Kodo millets are rich in B vitamins, especially niacin, B6, and folic acid, as well as the minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. The phosphorus content in Kodo millet is lower than any other millet, and its antioxidant potential is much higher than any other millet and major cereals. In addition, it contains a high amount of lecithin, which helps strengthen the nervous system.

Little Millet:

Little millet was domesticated in the Eastern Ghats of India, occupying a significant portion of the diet amongst the tribal people. Therefore, this millet is grown exclusively in India.

The smallest of the millet family, little millet is yet another reliable catch crop grown across India. It is often used as a substitute for rice.

It is rich in protein, iron, magnesium, and niacin.

Proso Millet:

Proso millet is a short-season crop cultivated in drier regions of Asia, Africa,

Europe, Australia, and North America.

Though its protein content is similar to that of wheat, it is considered a far higher quality protein source because it is not only rich in essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and methionine), and it is also gluten-free. About as old as Foxtail, Proso is one of the more delicious and temperate millet varieties. It is also a cheaper manganese source than other conventional sources like spices and nuts.

Pseudo Millets

Amaranth:

Amaranth is not a cereal grain by definition. It belongs to another plant family entirely. But, because its nutritional composition is so similar, it is often included with cereal grains. The name comes from the Greek word ‘Amarantos’ meaning “the never-fading” or “one that does not wither.”

The plant species Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) is best-known in north India as ramdana — loosely translated as ‘the lord’s grain’ or ‘the grain gifted by god.’ It grows in abundance between the altitudes of 1,000-3,000 metres in the Himalayan region, stretching from Kashmir to Bhutan.

This nutrient-rich superfood is easy to digest and used during fasting and festival times in Indian homes. It is a rich source of protein, iron, calcium, and carotenoids.

Buckwheat:

Buckwheat is an important, underutilized crop grown in many countries worldwide, such as Japan, China, South Korea, Finland, Russia, Slovenia, Poland, the United States, Canada, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. China has a rich diversity of buckwheat and is regarded as the center of the origin of buckwheat. In India, it is grown along the Himalayan region from the western Himalayas (Jammu and Kashmir) to the eastern Himalayas (Northeast).

Buckwheat has gained global attention because of its economic, nutritional, and nutraceutical properties.

It is a rich source of protein, and vitamins B1, C, and E. In addition, it is high in soluble fibre. Buckwheat contains higher levels of zinc, copper, and manganese than other cereal grains, and the bioavailability of these minerals is also relatively high. It is also rich in polyunsaturated essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid.

Millets are often called forgotten foods because these ancient grains, once a human staple, have now been disregarded as coarse grains. Yet, being staples until a few decades earlier, these grains are remembered and consumed by a few community elders. Our grandparents are carriers of these culinary traditions, and it is worth investing time and bringing forth these forgotten anecdotes and cultural references for the younger generation.