Millet

If you’re a patient of mine, you may have noticed millet listed on your care plan. I usually recommend this ancient grain for patients that have digestive issues, fatigue, night sweats or symptoms of dryness. It can be useful for those experiencing indigestion, IBS, nausea and imbalances in the gut microbiome. Chances are if you saw millet, you simply skimmed past it…towards the foods that felt a bit more familiar to you…feel called out yet? Well, I’m here to try to convert you because my tummy loves millet and I find it seamless to incorporate into daily meals while being an affordable, nutritious grain.

Millet has a salty and sweet flavor and is used as a food therapy in East Asian medicine for certain conditions, especially Spleen Qi Deficiency. It is commonly enjoyed in congee or porridge and can sway sweet or savory. Millet porridge was also a custom morning dish in parts of northern Ghana. The cookbook “Black Food” discusses how modern agriculture, convenience and forced dependence on imported foods negatively impacts farmers, the climate and preservation of historic recipes and indigenous grains. Heightening consumer demand of millet is one of the many ways to support the reintroduction of cultural foods back into communities when desired.

This gluten free grain is also a great source of fiber, magnesium and calcium and is also a decent source of plant based protein. It is also low on the glycemic index which makes it a great grain choice for those monitoring blood sugar. Diversifying our food is super important. Many of my patients come to me cycling through the same 10-12 foods. This not only has consequences for our bodies but overtime for farmers, the soil and the planet as a whole. Check out some recipes here to get you started…or for the advanced cooks out there you can try Bryant Terry’s Millet Cakes (and bring me some to try)!