Mary Allen
Millet is a grain like wheat, barley, and many others. Millet, therefore, belongs to the group of sweet grasses. The name millet means “saturation” or “nourishment”. People have been using millet in Europe since the Bronze Age. Up until the Middle Ages, it was our most important grain. This is still the case in many African countries.
You can’t bake with millet. They were usually boiled into porridge and are still used today as fodder for cattle. Compared to other types of grain, millet has a significant advantage: Even in very bad weather, there is still something to harvest. This is not the case with many other types of grain.
In modern times, millet was increasingly replaced by corn and potatoes. These two plants give more yield in the same space. So they can feed more people than millet in good weather.
In its original form, millet is rich in various minerals. Today, however, it is mainly the “golden millet” that is sold, which no longer has a shell and is therefore less valuable. It is popular because it can be used to make gluten-free baked goods. Some people are allergic to this.