John Myers
It provides important nutrients and can be combined in many ways. Even if you are gluten intolerant, you can enjoy millet with a clear conscience. Find out everything you need to know about the nutritious grain.
Millet is rich in dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble. The insoluble fiber in millet is known as a “prebiotic,” which means it supports good bacteria in your digestive system. This type of fiber is also important for adding bulk to stools, which helps keep you regular and reduces your risk of colon cancer.
Interesting facts about millet
Millet, which belongs to the sweet grass family, is particularly interesting because of its richness in nutrients. It contains minerals and trace elements and is rich in magnesium, iron, vitamin B6 and vitamin B1. Millet is also gluten-free and is therefore a suitable substitute for wheat or spelled flour if you suffer from gluten intolerance. In the past, millet was also used to make unleavened flatbread. Basically, it can be divided into two main groups: sorghum with its larger grains on the one hand, and finer millet on the other. Group number two includes the varieties you typically use in the kitchen, including proso, finger and foxtail millet, and teff. For use at home, you usually buy grains that have already been peeled, the golden millet. There are also unpeeled variants and brown millet.
Shopping and cooking tips for millet
Since millet is rich in iron and other minerals, it also plays an important role in vegan and vegetarian diets. Millet porridge, for example, also fills you up for a long time and can therefore also help you lose weight. However, you should not eat the grain raw. Only by heating you render some of the contained enzymes harmless. These include phytin, for example, which blocks the absorption of iron and zinc. If you soak the millet in water for an hour before processing it, you can easily remove it.
You can buy the grain either in the form of flour or whole grains, as millet flakes or semolina. The possible applications are just as varied. Thanks to its slightly nutty aroma, millet is suitable as a basis for sweet dishes such as porridge or pudding as well as for savory dishes such as millet salad, millet cookies, or millet falafel. You can also use the grain to prepare gluten-free pastries. Our millet recipes provide more ideas.
Good to know: The fatty acid composition of millet is special, making the grain very sensitive. So that it doesn’t go bad, you should always consume it promptly after shopping. A container that can be closed well and that is protected from light, dry and cool is suitable for storage.
