At a global scale, the agricultural landscape has become increasingly homogenized. A mere handful of plant species now provide the majority of humanity's sustenance, with wheat, maize, and rice dominating our food supply. Just a century ago, India's rich culinary heritage thrived on over 7,000 plant species, including a diverse array of millet grains. Today, our diets have dwindled to encompass a mere 30 plant species. This loss of biodiversity is a direct result of hybridization and monoculture farming practices.

Millet grains, among these 'FORGOTTEN FOODS,' were once abundant in India's agricultural tapestry, as recorded and documented in history. The cultivation and inclusion of millets, locally known as 'Siridhanya,' 'Siridhanyagalu,' 'Siridhanyalu,' or 'Sirithenaigal,' into human and livestock diets hold immense potential for several crucial benefits:

1. Access to Better Nutrition: Millets offer a path to improved nutrition by reintroducing a variety of ancient forgotten foods. Millets are packed with numerous health benefits, including their ability to regulate blood sugar levels due to their low glycemic index.
2. Climate Change Mitigation: Millets provide a solution to the challenges of climate change. They are remarkably resilient, thriving in droughts and floods, and can adapt to a range of climatic conditions. As hardy grass species, millets can grow with the ease of ordinary grass.
3. Enhanced Food Security: By diversifying our food sources and reducing dependence on a few major crops, millets contribute to improved food security. Cultivating soils that may be unsuitable for major crops optimizes land resources.
4. Empowering Small-Scale Farmers: Reviving the cultivation of millets diversifies income opportunities for small-scale farmers, making agriculture more economically sustainable.

In light of these compelling reasons, the revival of these wonder millet grains is not merely a culinary choice; it's a vital step towards a healthier, more sustainable, and climate-resilient future. Will you join us in bringing these forgotten foods back into your diet and supporting a more diverse and resilient food system?"

Yes, Forgotten Millet grains have amazing health benefits if consumed regularly in your diet.

Millet whole grains are low in GI and rich in fibre content which helps in digestion and keeps the gut healthy. Millets are also naturally gluten free grains. Hence they are a boon for diabetics to help manage blood sugar levels. Millets do not spike the blood sugar levels unlike wheat and rice which are high GI foods.

Each millet is known to have a special benefit for your health.

Little millet is known for its abilities to heal PCOD, uterus, menstural disorders in women, balancing harmonal and thyroid levels.

Foxtail millet grains are known to heal gastric and intestine related issues.

Kodo millets are known to strengthen the nervous system.

Barnyard millet is very good for detox and is also known as vrat ka chawal and is used as a fasting food in many parts of India. During fasting, people survive by eating just one meal a day made from Barnyard millet grain.

Ragi or Finger millet is very good for babies since they are very easy to digest and are high in Calcium which helps babies in development of their bones. Ragi has a high GI and hence may not be suitable for diabetics.

The local names of "FORGOTTEN FOODS" millets vary across different regions in India. Here are some of the local names for each of the millet varieties:

Foxtail Millet:

• Tamil Nadu: Thenai
• Karnataka: Navane
• Andhra Pradesh: Korralu
• North India: Kangni
  

Kodo Millet:

• Tamil Nadu: Varagu
• Karnataka: Aarka
• Andhra Pradesh: Arikelu
• North India: Kodon, Kodri, Kodra
  

Little Millet:

• Tamil Nadu: Samai
• Karnataka: Saame
• Andhra Pradesh: Samalu
• North India: Kutki
  

Barnyard Millet:

• Tamil Nadu: Kuthiravalli
• Karnataka: Udhalu
• Kerala: Kavadapullu
• Garhwal: Jhangora
• Kumoan: Maadira
• Gujarat: Moraiya
• Certain regions in North India: Samo, Sanwa, Varai, Mordhan, samvat ka chawal, vrat ka chawal

These diverse names reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of India and the widespread cultivation of these millet grains in various regions.

You can make millets a delightful addition to your daily meals with these suggestions:

1. Breakfast Ideas:

• Start your day with a nutritious millet porridge or a millet-based smoothie.
• Swap out whitel rice for millet in your morning idli, dosa, or upma.
  

2. Lunch and Dinner:

• Replace rice or wheat with cooked millets for a hearty and healthy grain base.
• Prepare millet pilaf, biryani, or fried rice for a flavorful meal.
• Incorporate millet into your salads, soups, and stews for added texture and nutrition.
  

3. Snack Time:

• Create crispy millet snacks like puffed millet chivda or roasted millet mix.
• Bake millet-based cookies or energy bars for on-the-go nibbling.

4. Desserts:

• Use millet flour for baking cakes, muffins, and cookies.
• Try making millet-based kheer or pudding for a sweet treat.
• You can try our Millet Sweet Pongal Premix.
  

5. Convenience with Ready-to-Cook Mixes:

• For added convenience, explore our selection of ready-to-cook millet mixes. These premixes make it quick and easy to prepare delicious millet dishes in just 10 minutes.
  

Additionally, you can find a treasure trove of millet-based recipes and cooking tips in our blog posts. With our versatile range of millet products, introducing millets into your daily meals is both delightful and effortless."

Gluten is a complex protein made up of glutenin and gliadin molecules, which in the presence of water form an elastic bond. Gluten can be found in grains including wheat, rye, barley and oats. 

Gluten can also hide in processed foods under a variety of names, including malts, starches, hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and natural flavouring.

Gluten-containing grains have been linked to more than 200 adverse health effects, with 20 adverse modes of toxicity, including neurotoxicity.

According to Dr.Alessio Fasano, director for Celiac research and chief of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Massachusetts general hospital, gluten sensitivity may be far more prevalent than previously suspected. He estimates virtually all of us are affected to some degree, because we all create something called zonulin in the intestine in response to gluten.

Zonulin makes your gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your blood stream. This may cause inflammation.

Diarrhea or constipation, bloating, headache, anxiety and fatigue may be common symptoms of gluten intolerance.

Studies are now confirming that many people do indeed experience adverse reactions to gluten even if they test negative for celiac disease.  This suggests gluten-sensitivity is a real problem, and that gluten-free diets may benefit all — not just those with celiac.

Most of the ancient forgotten foods are gluten free except for few varieties of wheat and rice.

Take a breath.. All the millet varieties are naturally gluten free.

Wheat is one of the most widely grown crops in the world. But the wheat of today is vastly different from the wheat our ancestors grew and ate, and these differences help explain the rise in gluten intolerance:

Hybridization has increased the proportion of gluten protein in wheat. Until the 19th century, wheat was also typically mixed with other grains, beans and nuts. Pure wheat flour has been milled into refined white flour only during the last 200 years. The resulting high-gluten, refined grain diet most of you have eaten since infancy was simply not part of the diet of previous generations.

Glyphosate contamination may also play a distinct role in the development of celiac disease, wheat allergies and wheat sensitivity. The use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup, has dramatically risen over the past 20 years. Most of the modern day farmers spray the chemical Roundup to grow their wheat crops.

Wheat proteins may cause leaky gut and associated problems. Glutinous proteins called prolamines may increase the permeability of your intestinal tract, thereby sensitizing your system.

The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own.

It is a number from 0 to 100 assigned to a food, with pure glucose arbitrarily given the value of 100, which represents the relative rise in the blood glucose level two hours after consuming that food. The GI of a specific food depends primarily on the quantity and type of carbohydrate it contains; but also is affected by the amount of entrapment of the carbohydrate molecules within the food, the fat and protein content of the food, the amount of organic acids (or their salts) in the food, and whether it is cooked and, if so, how it is cooked. GI tables are available that list many types of foods with their GIs. A food is considered to have a low GI if it is 55 or less; high GI if 70 or more; and mid-range GI if 56 to 69.

High GI foods

Carbohydrate foods that are broken down quickly by your body and cause a rapid increase in blood glucose have a high GI rating. High GI foods include:

- sugar and sugary foods
- sugary soft drinks
-white bread
-potatoes
-white rice
-wheat

Low and medium GI foods

Low or medium GI foods are broken down more slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels over time. They include:

-wholegrain foods, such as millets, oats
-some fruit and vegetables 
-pulses

If you have diabetes, it's useful to understand the glycaemic index, because eating foods with low GI ratings can help control blood glucose levels.

Foods with low GI release glucose in a steady manner to the body's blood stream and do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels.