Prerna Porwal
Proso Millet also known as Panicum Miliaceum is a heat-friendly summer crop grown in the Asian and African continent. It is highly nutritious ancient grain which is extensively used for several purposes like human consumption, bird seeds and ethanol production. In Indian subcontinent, millets have been mentioned in few of the oldest Yajur Veda texts.
There are around 20 different varieties of millets cultivated across the globe at different periods. One of the commonly produced millet types is proso millet. Moreover, Millet ranks 6th in the world’s cereal grains overall production, supporting over one-third of the world’s overall population. Moreover, Millets is a great source of protein and energy for lakhs of individuals residing in Africa, China, Japan and India and especially for people staying in areas having very hot and dry climatic conditions.
Proso Millet in hindi is called as “Chena” (चेना).
Some interesting facts:
- Alkaline in nature and digests smoothly and slowly
- Promotes high antioxidant activity
- Hydrates food & colon, helps to prevent constipation
- Good source of essential nutrients
- Serotonin production capacity of millet is calming and soothing to one’s moods, it also acts as a stress reliever
- High fiber content and low simple sugars
- Gluten-free and non-allergenic
Nutritional value in 200gms proso millet:
- Water – 17.34 g
- Energy – 756 kcal
- Protein – 22.04 g
- Fat – 8.44 g
- Ash – 6.5 g
- Carbohydrate – 145.7 g
- Fiber-17 g
Proso millet is commonly called as hog or white millet. It’s a peculiar crop that requires lowest water for its cultivation. It is free of gluten and has large amounts of fatty acids and carbohydrates. It contains essential minerals and vitamins like Thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pyridoxine, iron, Vitamin E, phosphorus, manganese, calcium and potassium. Also, is loaded with essential amino acids like isoleucine, leucine and methionine, which is an excellent source of protein.
I have compiled a list of 10 best brands of Proso Millet sources for your purchasing ease by my detailed analysis and research. Check out the further section to learn more.
- Free of chemicals and pesticides
- It has anti-aging properties
- Heals impotency
- Reduces risk of cancer
- Packaging size – 2kgs
- It is gluten-free
- Contains high protein and fiber
- Healthy hormone balance
- Lowers sugar levels
- Improves energy levels
- Packaging size – 1kg
- Organic certified by USDA and India organics
- Supports digestive health
- Manages blood sugar and cholesterol levels
- No gluten content
- Loaded with minerals, vitamins and fiber
- Packaging size – 500 grams
- Certified organic product by USDA, India organics, SGS and Jaivik Bharat
- It reduces cholesterol levels
- Gluten-free product
- Nutrient rich food
- Packaging size – 500 grams
- 100% Natural Proso Millets
- Consists of lecithin, anti-oxidants and calcium
- It reduces the risk of diabetes
- Helps in strengthening the bones and nervous system
- Packaging size – 1kg
- It is free from pesticides and artificial flavors
- No GMO seeds
- High antioxidant content
- Helps to lower cholesterol
- Contains a high amount of calcium
- Packaging size – 1kg
- It has a low glycemic index
- Certified organic by USDA, India organics and Jaivik Bharat
- Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity
- Benefits heart and liver health
- Packaging size – 1kg
- Natural and organic
- High in plant-based nutrients
- Rich in magnesium, iron and calcium, boost immunity levels
- High in fiber and gluten-free
- High in antioxidants
- Packaging size – 200 grams, 500 grams & 1kg
- Natural and farm-fresh product
- Free of chemicals and pesticides
- Helpful to boost immunity, heart health and liver
- Rich in essential minerals and vitamins
- Beneficial to treat hormonal issues
- Packaging size – 1kg
- High in protein and fiber content
- Low in fat
- Rich in vitamin B-complex
- Chemical-free
- Gluten free
- Unpolished and free of additives
- Packaging size – 400 grams
Friends, these are my top picks for your proso millet purchase. All these brands adhere to the principle of Environment sustainability. The players are closely associated with the farmers and women self help groups for sourcing and processing. All of these brands produce natural and chemical free products and deliver to your doorstep. You can be assured of great product quality from any of these picks for your purchasing.
Proso Millet benefits for overall health are numerous. Here are a few of them:
- Proso millet has a low glycemic index; it contains carbs which are digested slowly and essential dietary fiber which takes considerable time for glucose to go into the bloodstream and assists in controlling the level of blood sugar in your body.
- It is loaded with magnesium, which is very beneficial for a healthy heart. It also consists of Niacin or Vitamin B3, also known as a water-soluble vitamin, which is useful to lower cholesterol levels. It also consists of phosphorus that aids in weight loss management, repairing the body tissue after intense workouts and produces energy.
- It is beneficial to solve respiratory problems like asthma.
- It is beneficial for the human nervous system since it has rich lecithin content
- It is helpful in the prevention of skin disease called Pellagra: Readers, Pellagra is a skin disease resulting due to deficiency of niacin, wherein the skin becomes very dry, rough and flaky and eventually falls off. To deal with this issue of Pellagra, Proso millet is the solution.
- It has a high content of absorbable calcium, which is vital for your bone growth.
- Daily consumption of proso millet is beneficial to reduce the risk of diabetes; it also helps to maintain glucose levels and control insulin levels.
- It is rich in insoluble fiber which helps to prevent the formation of gallstones and prevent excess secretion.
- It is rich in antioxidants which help to prevent the premature aging process and also eliminates free-flowing radicals of your body.
- It benefits postmenopausal women having different heart problems like high cholesterol, blood pressure or cardiovascular illness.
Millets are usually safe when consumed in a moderate amount on a daily basis. It has been consumed as staple food by millions of individuals for the past thousands of years. However, excessive consumption of millet has some adverse effects.
Millets consist of goitrogen, a substance which interferes with the production of thyroid hormones in the body and restrain iodine uptake and utilization by the thyroid gland. Therefore, people with thyroid issues should restrict their consumption of millets and for safety must consult a nutritionist before including them in daily diet.
1. What is proso millet used for?
The Proso millet grain is useful for human consumption, livestock feeding and birdseed. The millet can also be milled into flour and used in baking and brewery.
My Indian friends, Daliya or Khicadi, prepared from millets are extremely healthy and yummy. Do give it a try!
2. What is proso millet called in Marathi?
Here are few common names of Proso millets in different languages:
- Marathi – Vari
- Hindi – Chena or barri
- Punjabi – Cheena
- Gujarati – Cheno
3. Can we eat millet every day?
Yes, of course! Millets can be consumed on a daily basis since they are highly nutritious, non-gluten, not acidic food. Proso millet is easy to digest and aids in several health benefits. So it’s easy to include in your daily diet.
4. Is millet healthier than rice?
Yes, millet is healthier as compared to white wheat and rice, since they are rich in fiber and control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol. Unpolished millets are recommended by many nutritionists in daily diets.
Let me tell you few wow facts here,
Proso millets have:
- 4.5x times more protein content than white rice
- 1.6x times more calories than white rice
- 1.5x times more dietary fiber than white rice
- 2x times more calcium content than white rice
5. Do you need to soak millet?
Depending on the end-use, I would personally recommend consuming soaked millets to attain more nutritive benefits and digestion ease. Millets can be soaked in thrice the amount of water for 8 hours or overnight.
6. Should I rinse millet before cooking?
Ideally, you can gently rinse the millet before cooking to remove any loose starch or impurity. This basically helps to avoid stickiness during the cooking process.
7. How long do I cook millet?
- Millets take 30-35 minutes to completely cook on medium flame.
- It takes 5 to 10 minutes for slight toasting
- About 15 minutes to cook
- Another 10 minutes to fluff
8. Can millet be eaten at night?
Yes, there is a myth that eating millets at night results in fat gain. However, it is not true. Millets is a digestive-friendly grain and aids in good sleep and thus safe to eat.
Proso millet is mostly grown in areas of the world having arid and semiarid climates. It does not require plenty of water or rainfall for its growth.
Proso millet contains a high level of methionine and cystine and is nutritionally equivalent or even superior to maize, rice, wheat, sorghum and rice wherein these vital amino acids are deficient or low.
It has several health benefits due to the essential vitamins and minerals; moreover they have very less side effects by daily consumption.
It can easily be added to several dishes and can be consumed in whole and even cooked form. It can be used in preparing salads, combined with vegetables and tofu; stir-fried as a snack and can be included in breakfast recipes by adding milk or honey.
