Miracle Grains: Part 5 - Millets Vs Rice Vs Wheat

Please start this article preferably by starting from Part 1 or at least the previous article for better continuity.

Kodo Millet 

(Hindi: Kodra; Tamil: Varagu; Telugu: Arikelu; Kannada: Harka)

•     Contains nearly 1.22 times proteins, 4.33 times minerals and nearly 45 times fiber than Rice. 
•    Contains nearly 1.73 times minerals and nearly 8.1 times fiber than Wheat.
•   Contains lesser amount of carbohydrates than Wheat and rice and has abundant quantities of Thiamin (Vitamin B1) which is not present in Rice and Wheat.

Little Millet 

(Hindi: Kutki; Tamil: Samai; Telugu: Sama; Kannada: Same; Malayalam: Chama)

•     Contains nearly 2.5 times minerals and nearly 38 times fiber and nearly 13 times Iron than Rice. 
•    Contains nearly 6.3 times fiber and nearly 1.8 times Iron than Wheat. 
•     Contains lesser amount of carbohydrates than Wheat and rice and has abundant quantities of Thiamin (Vitamin B1) which is not present in Rice and Wheat.

Proso Millet 

(Hindi: Barri; Tamil: Panivaragu; Telugu: Varigulu; Kannada:Baragu)

•    Contains nearly 1.85 times proteins, nearly 3.1 times minerals and nearly 36 times fiber than Rice. 
•     Contains nearly 6 times fiber than Wheat. 
•   Contains lesser amount of carbohydrates than Wheat and rice and has abundant quantities of Thiamin (second highest among millets) (Vitamin B1) which is not present in Rice and Wheat. Please note that there is no consistency in the data available on net on the fibre content for Proso millet. So, would stand corrected if the right figures are stated. 

Pearl Millet 

(Hindi: Bajra, Tamil: Kambu, Telugu: Gantilu, Kannada: Sajje)

•       Contains nearly 3.8 times minerals and nearly 6.5 times fiber and nearly 24 times Iron than Rice. 
•    Contains nearly 5.2 times fiber and nearly 3 times Iron than Wheat.
•    Contains the maximum amount of IRON content among the millets.

Sorghum 

(Hindi: Jowar; Tamil: Cholam; Telugu: Jonna; Kannada: Jola; Malayalam: Cholum)

·    Contains nearly 31 times fiber than Rice and nearly 6.2 times Iron than Rice.

·     Contains nearly 5.25 times fiber than Wheat.

Nature has not endowed all the strengths in one grain but has distributed them across. The objective of this article is not say avoid Rice or wheat but to request you to think about the nutritious alternatives that are available at a cheaper cost, that supports small farmers and can withstand climate change risks.

The objective should be eat a more balanced diet with considerable portion of millets in our daily meal.

Article by Rags Gopalan...

PS; Picture courtesy by millets.wordpress.com