Proso Millet Sweet Pongal Recipe

Proso millet is one of the oldest human foods and believed to be the first domesticated cereal grain.

Though difficult to know exact origin, it’s widely accepted that proso millet was domesticated and cultivated simultaneously in Asia and Africa over 7000 years ago during the Neolithic Era, and then spread throughout the world as a staple food. 

PROSO MILLET IN DIFFERENT INDIAN LANGUAGES

Proso  millet is also called as Barre in hindi, China  in Sanskrit, Baragu in kannada, Panivaragu  in tamil and Malayalam, Varigulu or varagalu in telugu, Vari in Marathi, Cheno in Gujarati,  Cheena in Bengali and Punjabi.

Nutritional Profile of Proso Millet

1. The energy content in Proso Millet is calculated to be 356 Kcal per 100 gm.

2. The protein content is similar to that of wheat, but it contains no gluten. The protein content was found to be (11.6% of dry matter) and was significantly rich in essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and methionine) than wheat protein.

3. It is rich in vitamins and minerals such as copper and magnesium.

4. Proso millet is a rich source of B vitamins, especially vitamin-B6 and folic acid

5. Proso millet are a rich source of starch, trace elements and dietary fibre.

6. It also contains Phenolic compounds like antioxidants and beta glucans. However compounds decreasing the nutritional value of the foodstuff like tannins, phytates or oxalates are included. The allergenic responses to proso millet are rare but have also been established. This review focusses on the knowledge of the chemical composition and some characteristics important for processing millet and its utilization for new products. 

Health Benefits of Proso Millet

Proso millet is beneficial in preventing Pellagra condition, which is caused due to the niacin Vitamin B3. Proso millet has high content of Niacin. Pellagra is a skin disease which causes the skin to become dry, scaly and rough. Proso millet consists of protein and niacin (Vitamin B3). Traditionally it is used as recuperative food, especially post pregnancy or illness (Jana Kalinova, 2007)