An overview of millet processing

A brief overview of millet processing. These were prepared for and presented at the Orientation meeting of the Special Program on Millets for Tribal Areas of Odisha a few days ago. Please share widely. These are being released under the Creative Commons Attribute-Share Alike license.

Immature millet grains – why remove when processing?

Immature grains spoil the look, taste, cooking quality ... it needs to go out and not stick around in the millet rices ! First in a series of posts on why we need to change the way we process millets.

How does eating millets help those with diabetes?

Total sugar added to blood is lesser and happens slower with a millet based diet than one based on polished paddy rice.

Will there be enough millets to feed the world?

finding twice the area under paddy cultivation to cultivate millets on, is very much achievable.

Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and the changes in blood sugar levels

Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and C/F - a better handle to decide whats good to moderate changes in blood sugar levels

Which millet should I eat?

This is probably one of the most common Qs I've come across when talking about millets - which millet should I eat? One particular millet, however nutritious, should not replace the single cereal that polished paddy rice has become in the case of many people's diet today. A single super grain cannot provide all the … Continue reading Which millet should I eat?

Should we stop eating paddy rice and wheat?

Should we stop eating paddy rice and wheat? Nutritionally whole grain paddy rice (not the polished ones), or whole wheat (not the refined/all purpose) have something to offer. So do oats, barley, the many millets and many other cereal grains and pseudo cereals. The polished white paddy or the refined/all purpose flour have very little … Continue reading Should we stop eating paddy rice and wheat?

Why eat millets?

Why eat millets? It is a very simple question. The world we live in and are leaving our children cannot sustain the food systems that we grew up with and have practiced so far. Climate change, water demand, nutrient shortfalls, there are many reasons for us to start rethinking our food critically. Paddy requires about … Continue reading Why eat millets?

Were millets really the staple grains of our ancestors?

This question comes up very often when taking about millets - were millets really staple grains in our ancestors' diets? For the sake of being informed about our history, let us dive into the Q of whether our ancestors ate millets as a staple. That paddy needs more water, fertile soil and protection from pests … Continue reading Were millets really the staple grains of our ancestors?