Millet is a hardy, gluten-free grain that grows in poor soil and intense heat. It is a staple crop in Africa and India, with high concentrations of protein and vitamins. Millet is used for food, animal bedding, and building materials, and is starting to gain popularity in the West.
Millet is a collective term for a variety of herbs that produce small, rounded seeds that are harvested for food. These grasses are also called millets and there are five varieties in commercial production: browntop, foxtail, pearl, proso and barnyard. It originated in Africa, where it still forms a pivotal point today, over 4,000 years ago. Millet is also grown extensively throughout much of South Asia and is a major grain crop in the world.
A hardy annual millet is capable of growing in conditions that would kill other crops. It thrives in intense heat and poor soil, making it a natural choice for areas of the world that are turning into deserts. Millet can be grown relatively easily and is harvested like other cereals, with the stalks used for fuel, forage and bedding, while the grains are threshed. The grain can be made into flour, as in India where it is used to make chapatis, or steamed and eaten whole.
Millet has high concentrations of several vitamins, as well as a high volume of protein: just over 1/10 of the grain is protein. Plus, it’s gluten-free. Millet also grows quickly and can be harvested as soon as three months after planting, providing the opportunity to get two or even three crops in one year. It is less susceptible to pests than other cereals and as a result can be grown without the use of expensive pesticides. There is some concern about mushroom sensitivity in nations that have developed genetically uniform strains aimed at increasing yields.
In developing nations, millet is used for food, animal bedding, building materials, and forage fodder for animals. Wheat, especially pearl millet, is fully integrated into the lives of people living in Africa and India and is considered one of the four most important staple crops in these regions. In the first world, it has fallen out of favor for human consumption and is used primarily in commercial birdseed and other animal foods.
Millet has a fairly mild flavor, which can be enhanced by lightly toasting the seeds before cooking. The faint nutty flavor is relatively understated, and the grain is often seasoned with spices and herbs to make it less bland. However, the sweetness also makes it suitable as a food for people who are sick and have trouble retaining food. While still unpopular in most of the West, millet is starting to enter the public imagination with the proliferation of ethnic restaurants with dishes incorporating it into the menu.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
