Millets benefits and nutritional information

Millets are not very popular other than Bajra, Jowar and Ragi and in all the millets Bajra (Pearl Millet) is most popular. Now a days millets are again gaining it's movement and people bringing more aware of it and today we going to learn about few millets which we can include in our diet, there are plenty of other millets too which hopefully we can cover some time soon.

Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops/ grains. They are tiny in size, round in shape and can be white, gray, yellow or red. Millets are

• Highly nutritious and rich in Vitamin B, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc etc.
• Gluten-free and have low Glycemic index (GI), making them suitable for diabetics, weight-watchers, people intolerant to wheat.
• Helps lower type 2 diabetes and reduces the risk of heart disease.
• Three to five times nutritionally superior to rice and wheat in terms of proteins, minerals and vitamins.
• Great source of starch, making it a high-energy food.
• Excellent source of protein and fiber. 
• Need very little water for production
• Grow in arid and semi-arid regions
• Pest-resistant
• Short growing period under dry, high temperate conditions. (That's why they are very popular in Africa and Asia.)

Millets such as Pearl millet, Barnyard millet, Sorghum, Foxtail millet, Little millet, Kodo millet, Proso millet have been grown for thousands of years.

Millets other than Bajra, Jowar and Ragi are not very popular in the present day. Millet Network of India (MINI) promotes millets as nutri-cereals instead of Coarse Cereals.

Source from google, wiki, whfoods

Millet Types and Name In Different Languages

English	Pearl Millet	Finger Millet	Foxtail Millet	Kodo Millet	Little Millet	Barnyard Millet	Sorghum
Scientific	Pennisetum glaucum	Eleusine coracana	Setaria italica	Paspalum scrobiculatum	Panicum sumatrense	Echinochloa spp.	Sorghum bicolor
Oriya	Bajra(??????)	Mandia(???????)	Kanghu(?????)/Kangam(?????)/Kora(????)	Kodua??? (?????)	Suan Gurji (???? ??????)	Khira(???)	Juara(????)
Hindi	Bajra	Nachani/Mundua/Mandika/Marwah	Kangni/Kakum/Rala	Koden/Kodra	Kutki/Shavan	Jhangora/Sanwa	Jowar
Tamil	Kambu	Kezhvaragu/Kelvaragu/Keppai/Ragi	Thinai	Varagu	Saamai	Kuthiravali (Kuthiraivolly)	Cholam
Telugu	Sajjalu	Ragula/Ragi Chodi	Korra	Arikelu/Arika	Sama/Samalu	Udalu, Kodisama	Jonna
Kannada	Sajje	Ragi	Navane	Harka	Saame/Save	Oodalu	Jola
Malayalam	Kambam	Panji Pullu	Thina	Koovaragu	Chama	Kavadapullu	Cholam
Marathi	Bajri	Nagli/Nachni	Kang/Rala	Kodra	Sava/Halvi/Vari	-	Jowari/Jondhala
Punjabi	Bajra	Mandhuka/Mandhal	Kangni	Kodra	Swank	Swank	Jowar
Gujarati	Bajri	Nagli/Bavto	Kang	Kodra	Gajro/Kuri	-	Jowari/Juar
Bengali	Bajra	Marwa	Kaon	Kodo	Sama	Shyama	Jowar

Where to buy and store

Millets are now readily available in most super markets and organic stores in India. Store millets in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place, to increase shelf life to several months.

Millet Recipes

Millets can be cooked similar to rice and used as a substitute to rice, with dal, sambar, rasam or any curry of our choice. They can also be used to make dosa, idli, upma, pongal, pulao, sweets, in fact any recipe where rice is used. They can also be used in baking. Some millet recipes that you can try out are listed for you. Click here >>

Millets Nutritional Facts

Crop / Nutrient	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)	Minerals (g)	Iron (mg)	Calcium (mg)	Calories (kcal)
Pearl Millet Pennisetum glaucum	10.6	4.8	1.3	2.3	16.9	38	378
Finger Millet Eleusine coracana	7.3	1.5	3.6	2.7	3.9	344	336
Foxtail Millet Setaria italica	12.3	4	8	3.3	2.8	31	473
Kodo Millet Paspalum scrobiculatum	8.3	3.6	9	2.6	0.5	27	309
Little Millet Panicum sumatrense	7.7	5.2	7.6	1.5	9.3	17	207
Barnyard Millet Echinochloa spp.	11.2	3.9	10.1	4.4	15.2	11	342
Sorghum Sorghum bicolor	10.4	3.1	2	1.6	5.4	25	329
Proso Millet Panicum miliaceum	12.5	2.9	2.2	1.9	0.8	14	356
Rice Oryza sativa	6.8	2.7	0.2	0.6	0.7	10	362
Wheat Triticum	11.8	2	1.2	1.5	5.3	41	348