Millet- The lesser known affordable super grain
I’m always interested in discovering new tasty nutritious plant foods, and millet is one of those I’ve recently discovered and am becoming increasingly fond of.
Although Millet has excellent nutritious value and many health benefits, it is overshadowed by trendy popular grains such as Quinoa and Amaranth. The fact that it is lesser known and hasn’t become a trendy grain yet has it’s benefits- Millet is very affordable compared to other grains.
Millet is one of the oldest grains and has been used as far back as 8000 years ago, however as the potato arrived in Europe sometime before the end of the 16th century and gained popularity throughout Europe millet declined in popularity.
Millet is rich in Iron, Potassium, vitamin A, fibre, calcium, protein and vitamin B. It is gluten free as well as having pro-biotic properties due to it’s insoluble fibre content which supports good bacteria in your digestive system.
Nutritional Profile of Millet
One cup (174 grams) of cooked millet:
Calories: 207
Carbs: 41 grams
Fiber: 2.2 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Fat: 1.7 grams
Phosphorus: 25% of the Daily Value (DV)
Magnesium: 19% of the DV
Folate: 8% of the DV
Iron: 6% of the DV
Millet is easy and fast to cook and can easily be used as a substitute for rice, quinoa or couscous.
Millet flour can even be used to make baked goods and bread, providing a great gluten free flour alternative.
I like using millet in porridges, as a rice substitute or in bowls.
Here I have added some millet to a Veggie Bowl.
I highly recommend trying out this ancient, lesser known grain.
It is versatile, tasty, affordable and super healthy, what more is there to wish for?
