What Is Millet|Health Benefits Of Millets

    This post is going to be a informative post rather than recipe post .This new year i am trying to include some millets in our diet.I usually add ragi/finger millet regularly not any other millets.Before posting other millet recipes i want to give some introduction about the millets and its benefits for your knowledge.

What is Millet:
   

       Millets are fast growing grains(in cooking terms) otherwise its small seeded grasses which are grown in dry areas.Millets are referred as siruthanyam in tamil(its def the small grains available).In olden days rice is the costliest food compared to millets .Rice requires more time to grow and it requires much water than millets.While Millets can be grown in short as 60 days and it requires less water and much poorer soil.Poor people can't afford rice and can eat only millets.Now a days with awarness of health benefits of millets its a costliest grain compared to rice and wheat.Here in US a 9 kg of rice cost 18 dollars while 700 grams of millets cost 3-4 dollars.see How Millets got its place in the modern world ?

Countries Millets are grown:
     India is one of the largest producers of Millet varieties.Bajra or pearl millet is the grain that is grown widely in India.Nigeria seconds India in millet production.

Why eat Millets:
    I know what is a millet and its history why should i eat it ?
 Millets are considered to be miracle grain which is non-glutinous.Here is US many people are allergic to glutenous grains like wheat.Millets are completely non-glutinous and easily digestible food which are non-allergenic too.Millets are generally organic.

Health Benefits of Millets:
    Millets releases lesser percentage of glucose for longer period of time, the body can produce its own glucose by that time so its considered to be best food for diabetic people.Millets are high in Iron,calcium(finger millet has highest calcium content),fibre,phosphorous,manganese,vitamin B6,folate.People say it cures cancer but its not proven yet.

How to consume or cook Millets:
       Millets are very good for health ?but how can i consume it?You can replace rice based recipe with Millet's- like dosa,idly,upma,pongal,roti,adai,porridge etc.Millets can be consumed hulled or non-hulled.If you buy in organic shops it will mostly be hulled type.Millets will be cooked early than rice and it requires lesser water to cook compared to rice.Usually a cup of millet when needed fluffy requires 2 cups of water when cooked in an open pan.In pressure cooker, may be with less water(haven't done that before).

Beware of Large consumption of Millets
          Being read all of the benefits of eating Millet's can i eat them daily ?No obviously not.Everything in moderation in considered to be good ,right ?because huge eating of Millet's increases the gaitrogen level and may cause serious goiter which is a thyroid based issue.So be aware and eat wisely.

Where can i buy Millets:
      In US:
          Indian stores,amazon,whole foods and some online shops.
      In India:
           Most organic shops carry Millet's.Some particular vendors sell online too.

Millet names in various Indian languages for your reference:

           English         Tamil          Malayalam          Kannada      Telugu        Hindi

1. Finger Millet      Kepai                Muuthari               Ragi               Ragulu            Madua
2. Foxtail Millet    Thinai                  Thina                    Navane           Korra             Kangni
3. Kodo Millet       Varagu             Koovaragu              Harka             Arikelu           Kodra
4. Little Millet       Samai                 Chama                    Samee             Sama               Mutki
5. Barnyard Millet Kuthiraivali  Kavadapullu            Oodalu           Odalu              Jhogora
6. Sorghum           Makka Cholam   Cholam                   Jola                Jonna               Juwar
7. Pearl Millet       Kambu               Chambu                   Sajje             Sazzalu              Bajra

Millet Recipes:

• Ragi dosa/Kepa Dosai
• Bajra roti/Kambu Roti
• Ragi Idly/Kepai Idli
• Ragi Idiyappam/Kepa Idiyappam
• Saamai Dosa/Little Millet dosa

Will update this section whenever i add a millet recipe like ragi puttu,ragi mudde,ragi kool,ragi roti,sammai dosa etc.