Millets: Forgotten Ancient Grains That Still Proves Its Power Of Nutrition.

Without giving millets their due, the heritage of food, particularly in the Indian setting, will be incomplete. As you investigate the slower and healthier way of life of people, you will notice that some of the most attractive behaviours have been abandoned. And, in order to work toward a positive tomorrow, you would need to rediscover some of these ideals.

Why Was It Forgotten?

Following the Western growth paradigm, India and other emerging nations have lost a great deal of helpful and meaningful things. One of the most significant adjustments has been in eating habits. We are losing touch with our indigenous foods as we strive for uniformity. Millets, too, have been abandoned as being too rudimentary to be used, with the roots forgotten. These changes, combined with state policies favouring rice and wheat, have resulted in a significant decrease in millet consumption and production.

Prior to the Green Revolution, millets accounted for roughly 40% of all farmed cereals (contributing more than wheat and rice). Nevertheless, after the revolution, rice production has doubled and wheat production has increased.

There is a theory that a bias in govt effective policies against millets, that also grow very well in diversified, small-scale, low-input agricultural system and are excellent for small farmers' living standards, is due to the fact that they do not provide any revenue to agro-chemical corporate entities, large food companies, and so on. Therefore the development of rice and wheat, which require large expenditures in technology, hybrid seeds, fertilizers, insecticides, and so on, was a far more profitable economic approach.

How Has The Taste Of People Changed?

Millets provide a variety of health benefits to customers. They are nutrient-dense, high in fibre, and have a low glycemic index, making them great for battling obesity and diabetes. These are also gluten-free, making them totally safe foods for persons infected with the Celiac disease, an ailment characterized by a severe allergic reaction to wheat that affects millions of people worldwide. With so many benefits, it's surprising that millets aren't more famous in India, particularly given they've been grown there for millennia. So, why are millets not a regular component of our diets?

It is clear that exercise and wellness are now becoming increasingly vital for today's urban Indians. The cosmopolitan population is flocking to gymnasium and crossfit centres in droves, rejecting junk and processed food in favour of healthier choices. However, when it comes to eating, the overwhelming majority of these wellness individuals prefer quinoa and oats over millets, although the latter being the healthiest option. The lack of demand, however, derives from a shortage of knowledge about the "miracle crop." There is a plethora of data online about how healthy oats and quinoa are, but relatively little about millets.