what is the millets

1. MILLET–TYPES OF MILLET,HEALTH BENEFITS,GLOSSARY
(KAMBU,THINAI,SAAMAI,VARAGU,KUTHIRAVALI,RAGI)
Different types of millets in India
Hi friends,
Today's post is all about different types of millet/Siruthaniyam varieties which are available in India.I
must thank my in-laws for giving me knowledge about these millets.Nowadays people are becoming
more n more health conscious & started looking for some better alternatives for rice and wheat to
reduce its daily consumption.For those people,millets are really wonder grains or miracle grains i
should say.Millets are the power house of fiber,calcium,minerals & iron.When my in-laws told me about
these millets i had no idea of how it looks,where to buy & how to cook them too.So my FIL bought me
1/2 kg in each variety from Lee bazaar,Salem–Tamil nadu.I tried some recipes with it and everything
came out very well.Then i started buying some varieties like kambu,thinai & varagu from a shop nearby
my house in Bangalore.Before sharing all those recipes,i wanted to make a post mentioning about the
different types of millets,How to identify them,How to name it in different languages,where to buy &
its health benefits.I will make a separate post on “How to cook Millets”.This post would be more of
essays/stories with pictures.This is just an introductory post for millets.I will share some interesting
recipes from next week. Thanks for visiting this page.Hope it would be useful for beginners. Start
including millets in ur daily cooking.Have a happy and healthy life !
U can find these topics below
What is millet
Names of millets in different languages
Where to buy millets in Bangalore
Health benefits of millets
Foxtail millet
Pearl millet
Barnyard millet
Little millet
Finger millet
Kodo millet

2. Millet varieties in India
WHAT ARE MILLETS
Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the
world ascereal crops or grains for both human food and fodder.Its not just a type of
bird seed.It can be consumed by humans in the form of pilafs,snacks and
cookies too.It has a sweet nutty flavor.Millets are widely grown in Africa
and northen china.It is gluten free & rich in calcium,fiber,protein and
minerals.It has high nutritional values when compared with rice and
wheat.Millets are called as miracle grains or wonder grains.It is a great food
for people looking for weight loss,diabetic and cardiac patients.
GLOSSARY- NAMES OF MILLETS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Source:Google & Wikipedia
ENGLISH HINDI TAMIL KANNADA TELUGU MALAYALAM
Finger millet Nachani
/mundua
Kezhvaragu Ragi Ragula Panji pullu
Kodo millet Koden/Kodra Varagu Harka Arikelu Koovaragu
Foxtail millet Kangni/Rala Thinai Navane Korra Thina
Little millet Kutki Saamai Saame Sama Chama
Barnyard millet Jhangora Kuthiravali Oodalu Odalu Kavadapullu
Pearl millet Bajra Kambu Sajje Sajjalu Kambam
Sorghum Jowar Cholam Jola Jonna Cholam
WHERE TO BUY MILLETS IN BANGALORE
U can find millets in most of the organic stores in Bangalore.There are some organisations who help to
supply millets from farmers to the end users.Here is the list
Source: http://www.thealternative.in/lifestyle/eating-right-7-millets-that-grow-in-your-backyard-and-
what-you-can-do-with-them/

3. For more details on organic stores in Bangalore,visit this link
Earth360 – www.earth360.in, order@360.in +919440870875
Sahaja Organics – New No. 19, Old No. 665, 1st floor, Opp:
Times of India, Sajjanrao road, VV Puram 080 26612315/
26661420
Timbuktu Organics – You can buy their products across
outlets in Bangalore.
Era Organics – No. 348, Dollars Colony, RMV Club Double
Road, RMV Second Stage Ph: 80- 41606003/41606004
Navadarshanam, stocked in Mother Earth, Namdhari and
other retail stores across the city.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILLETS
These are some of the general health benefits of millets when consumed everyday!
Source: Whfoods.com
 Millets are generally rich in Protein,fibre,calcium,Iron & Minerals especially
Magnesium,copper & phosphorous.
 It helps to reduce cholesterol,lowers blood pressure & It helps in the development &
repair of body cells & tissues.
 It helps to lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes especially for women.
 Its high insoluble fibre helps to prevent Gallstones formation.
 Pre-menopausal women eating millets have a reduced breast cancer risk.
How to select and buy
Millet is generally available in its hulled and whole-grain form. It is available pre-packaged
as well as in bulk containers. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk
section, make sure that the bins containing the millet are covered to ensure its maximal
freshness. Whether purchasing millet in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure that there
is no evidence of moisture.
Store millet in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place, where it will keep for
several months.
Millet is not a commonly allergenic food and is not known to contain measurable amounts of
oxalates or purines.
KAMBU/PEARL MILLET

4. Kambu/Pearl millet
Pearl millet known as Kambu in Tamil,Bajra in Hindi,Sajje in Kannada,Sajjalu in Telugu & Kambam in
Malayalam is a miracle millet which has iron that is 8 times of rice.It is very rich in
Calcium,Protein,Iron & Magnesium.It helps to reduce the bad cholestral level in our body. Its a great
body coolant.Its consumed as porridge during summer.It helps to improve the digestion power & heals
stomach ulcers too.It helps to improve bowel movements & prevents constipation.It makes our body
strong.It helps to increase the secretion of milk for lactating mothers !
Nutrition Information Per 100gm
Serving Size
The serving size, in terms of the number of
volume or mass
Calories 328kcal
Iron 2.8
Mineral (grams) 2.3
Iron(grams) 16.9
Calcium (grams) 38
Protein (grams) 10.6
Fiber (grams) 1.3
FINGER MILLET/RAGI
Finger millet popularly known as Ragi in Kannada,Keppai in tamil,Ragula in Telugu &
panji pullu in Malayalam,Nachani/mandua in Hindi is a well known millet & consumed
widely by the people all over the world.Ragi has the highest mineral & calcium
content when compared to all whole grains & minerals.It is called as wonder grain.It
is a powerhouse of protein & amino acids.It helps to reduce the heat of the body.It
also helps to heal ulcers & anemia.Its a great replacement for rice & wheat especially
for diabetic patients.

5. Nutrition Information Per 100g
Serving Size
The serving size, in terms of the number of
volume or mass
Calories 336kcal
Iron (grams) 3.9
Calcium(mg) 344mg
Fat (grams) 1.3
Carbohydrate (grams) 72
Protein (grams) 7.3
Fiber (grams) 1.3
Minerals (grams) 3.9
FOXTAIL MILLET/THINAI
Foxtail millet/ thinai
Foxtail millet known as thinai in Tamil,Kangni/Rala in Hindi,Navane in Kannada,Korra in telugu & thina
in Malayalam is first of millet varities that was used in ancient days.Foxtail millet is high in
carbohydrates.It is rich in dietry fiber and minerals such as copper & iron.It helps us to keep our body
strong & immune.It helps to control blood sugar & cholesteral levels.
Nutrition Information Per 100gm
Serving Size
The serving size, in terms of the number of
volume or mass
Calories 473cal
Minerals(grams) 3.3

6. Iron(grams) 2.8
Calcium (grams) 31
Fat (grams) 3.51
Carbohydrate (grams) 95
Protein (grams) 12.3
Fiber (grams) 8
Sodium (milligrams) 0.13g
KODO MILLET/VARAGU
Kodo millet/ Varagu
Kodo millet known as varagu in Tamil,Harka in Kannada,Koovaragu in Malayalam,Kodra in Hindi &
Arikelu in Telugu.Its basically a digestion friendly millet.It is rich in phytochemicals,Phytate that helps
in reduction of cancer risks.It helps to reduce the body weight which is most needed for obese
people.It helps to overcome irregular period problems in women.It helps to reduce knee & joint
pains.Also it is good for diabetic people .It reduces nervous disorders especially in eyes.
Nutrition Information Per 100gms
Serving Size
The serving size, in terms of the number of
volume or mass
Calories 309
Fat (grams) 9
Iron (grams) 0.5
Calcium (milligrams) 27
Minerals(grams) 2.6
Carbohydrate (grams) 108
Protein (grams) 8.3
Fiber (grams) 8

7. BARNYARD MILLET/KUTHIRAVALI
Barnyard millet - Kuthiravali
Barnyard millet known as kuthiravali in Tamil,Oodalu in Kannada,odalu in Telugu,Jhangora in Hindi and
Kavadapullu in Malayalam which has 6 times high fiber content when compared with wheat.Its a gluten
free millet with high calcium,phosporous & fiber.It is high in carbohydates & fat too.It helps to
maintain the body temperature.It acts as a good anti oxidant too.
Nutrition Information Per 100gms
Serving Size
The serving size, in terms of the number of
volume or mass
Calories 342
Iron(grams) 15.2
Fat (grams) 4
Calcium(grams) 11
Carbohydrate (grams) 108
Protein (grams) 11.2
Fiber (grams) 10.1
Minerals(grams) 4.4
LITTLE MILLET/SAAMAI

8. Little millet - Saamai
Little millet known as saamai in Tamil,Kutki in Hindi,saame in Kannada,Sama in Telugu & chama in
Malayalam is a wonderful millet which is suitable for people of all age groups.It helps to prevent
constipation & heals all the problems related to stomach.It improves the semen counts of men.It also
helps for women with irregular periods problems.Its high fiber helps to reduce the fat depositions in
the body.
Nutrition Information Per 100gms
Serving Size
The serving size, in terms of the number of
volume or mass
Calories 207

9. Minerals(grams) 1.5
Carbohydrate (grams) 169
Protein (grams) 7.7
Fiber (grams) 7.6
Iron(grams) 9.3