All You Need To Know About Browntop Millet

Browntop millet is the 5th and last millet in this 5 part series. It is greenish and is called “Hari Kagani” in Hindi, ”Andu Korralu” in Tamil, and “Korale” in Kannada. Its seeds are pretty small and a brown dot is at the top of the seed. Also, its shape is like a top, a toy played with by children. Thus, it is called Browntop.

Its characteristics are as follows:

• Its protein content is 11.5%
• Its fibre content is 12.5%
• Its Carbohydrate: fibre ratio is 5.54
• Its mineral content is 4.21, one of the highest
• Its has Thiamine content 3.2
• Its Niacin content is 18.5

It is also called American Millet. Historically, it is said that Christ and his followers used to promote this millet for regular eating as it is grown by the dew.

Dr Khadar Wali discovered this grain from Karnataka and told people about its nutritional value. In scientific terms, Thiamine has Sulphur in its composition, which helps in many metabolic activities of the body, and its thiol group removes many complicated free radicals and prevents cancer. Thiamine helps convert carbohydrates into energy in body cells, playing a crucial role in the nervous system and muscles. Niacin helps convert all nutrients into energy, helps repair DNA, and has an antioxidant effect. 

Rekha RahejaThe millet should be soaked for at least 8-10 hrs before cooking. Due to its high protein content, it is easier to make roti out of it. For roti making, we should learn to use this millet first and then other millets. As none of the millets has gluten (which is gummy, and no other binding material is required), some tuber vegetables are used to bind millet preparations viz tapioca, yam, and sweet potato. For binding purposes, these should be used in 5-10% ratio in millet flour.

Suggested Reading:

Food Choreographer Rekha Raheja On The Power Of Millets And Its Miraculous Affect In Our Lives

Its medical uses are as under:-

(i) It detoxifies the complete Digestive canal and cleans all organs connected with it, viz liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and appendix. It is beneficial in treating constipation (common in cancer and other patients). For many digestion-related problems viz heart burns, piles, fissure, haemorrhoids, Browntop millet is the go-to millet. 

(ii) It is also useful in many other diseases viz Joint pains, rheumatoid problems, nerve-related diseases, parkinsonism, paralysis, memory loss, and mentally slow developing children.

(iii) It is very good for skin diseases and cancer (it is recommended as a staple food). 

If all 5 millets are used in rotation for every two days by a normal person, it can prevent all types of diseases. This is not a diet plan but a food for the future and should be consumed daily. Many kinds of dishes can be made from this millet viz roti, puri, idli, dosa, cake, pizza, pastry etc.

Rekha Raheja is a food choreographer and culinary medicine consultant. She provides food and lifestyle-related advice based on Ayurveda and Siridhanya principles. For the last four years, she has been practicing millet therapy and has refined and curated a lot of dishes from millets to make them more popular. She has been felicitated by FDA for her valuable contribution to the Eat Right India movement, organised by FSSAI. Views expressed are the author’s own.