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Goodness of millets still unexplored by many, says expert Eshwaran Theertha

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Mangaluru: People have long forgotten their roots, specifically the gastronomical roots. Evidently, as the generations are passing by, the concept of staple food too, is getting vaguer. Our food habits are governed by our taste buds and thus unhealthy junk food have become an integral part of our diet, pushing out some very important ingredients off of our kitchen racks. Millets, the superpower food is just one of them.

When last did we eat a sumptuous meal comprising of a few millets? Well, we do not know. Millets are not just some power-packed food, but they also hold in them a viable solution for various crisis faced by the farmers.

Wholesome Millet meal

Millets have the ability to grow even in dry lands. Millets fetch good market value too and hence two of the major issues plaguing our farmers can be tackled if the farmers take to cultivating millets, it is observed.

Coming back to the nutrition value of the millets, expert Eshwaran Theertha says that the secret behind the good health of our ancestors can be traced to millets.

“Hundreds of years ago, our ancestors relished congee (ganji) made of millets because these food crops provided them with the energy supplies enough to keep them going the whole day. Rich in fibre, they supported muscle growth, helped in good metabolism, controlled diabetes and also kept obesity at bay,” he says adding that millets were once our staple food, but unfortunately, today they are forgotten.

He says that food does not mean a mere mixture of various ingredients. Food, in a real sense, means that which involves and appeals to all the five senses. “That is the mantra that I learnt from my father,” he recalls.

Eshwaran Theertha, Millet Expert and a Cook

Types of millets:

Millet family consists of nine varieties, namely:
1. Pearl Millet
2. Finger Millet
3. Little Millet
4. Common Millet
5. Fox Tail millet
6. Kodo Millet (Kodo or Araka is said to make one dizzy after consumption for a couple of hours, hence helps in refreshing the mind. It has the fastest sugar control property. It has mica-toxic, which can affect the central nervous system if not measured and consumed. It is recommended to have with sugar.)
7. Barnyard Millet

Apart from this, there is Ragi and Varagu which also come under the millet family.

Where are millets produced?

As Eshwaran Theertha has dedicated his life to organic and millet awareness and its cooking, he says in our country Assam tops the list in producing the highest amount of millets. In the state of Karnataka, Tumkur, Shira, Hosadurg and Chitradurga are the regions which cultivate millets. Hosdurg is known as the “Power House” of millet production. He says, “Although we have millets produced in several areas and regions of the country, processing is carried out in Surat. The chain of supply extends uptil Afghanistan.

Health benefits of millets

According to Eshwaran Theertha, millets take about 12 hours to digest. Though the digestion process seems slow, it flushes out all the toxins from the body and helps in rejuvenating the body. Millets are also said to be having anti-carcinogenic properties, controls the level of insulin, fat, blood pressure etc. When consuming millets one must make sure that the water consumption level is balanced, failing which it may lead to indigestion.

Delicious burfi’s made from jaggery and mixed millets 


Idli made from a millet locally called Saje

Millets and fake products

Eshwaran Theertha says that as millets are now slowly making a come back, many bakeries sell sweets and cookies claiming to have been made using millets, but unfortunately, most of them have about 70 per cent maida and 30 per cent millets in them.

“I’ve conducted several workshops in hotels (mainly star hotels) throughout the country, but the administration doesn’t accept it. They just want to know its benefits, so as to let their elite clients know that they prepare healthy food. Commoners need not be made aware of this as they read newspapers and magazines and they are well informed”, he added. Adulteration in the food industry is making harm and the millets are losing their quality and nutritional value, he says adding that in the social media era, youth must understand the value of these products and then popularise it, without waiting for the government to do the needful.

Benefits for farmers and ecology

Eshwaran Theertha says that millets can bring the farmers financial stability that they have been longing for. The cultivation of millets is said to be one of the most inexpensive one. It requires a minimum amount of water and dry condition. Earlier, millets were grown on the river banks, the backyard of houses, hills etc, which means growing millets is economical and reaps good returns as well.

Speaking on the Kodagu floods, Eshwaran Theertha said, “If the people of Kodagu had opted to grow millets on the mountain slopes and sensitive areas instead of a huge plantation, the devastation could have been avoided to a certain extent.”

He feels that millets could have saved the people from hunger too at the time of crisis.

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