Millet: health benefits and harms

Millet is a cereal that many people love and often use in their diet. This porridge is not only tasty, but also very healthy. It can be used not only in the menu of a healthy person, but also serve as an auxiliary component of the diet for various diseases. To use this product correctly, you need to know its composition, useful properties and calorie content.

What kind of cereal is millet made of?

Millet is the name of a ready-made cereal, not the plant itself from which it is obtained. It appears as a result of the processing of millet seeds - an annual cereal crop that is grown on an industrial scale for food production. The technology of creation is quite simple:

1. With the help of combines harvesting is carried out when millet grains ripen.
2. In a second step, they are sieved to remove fine organic debris.
3. After that, the seeds are poured into a special thresher, where they are cleaned by mechanical action.

The resulting cereals are packed in bags and bags or sent further to food factories for the production of finished products. Flakes are also made from this plant, which are distinguished by a higher cooking speed.

What is the difference between millet and wheat groats

Due to the consonance of the names, millet is often confused with wheat groats, but these are two completely different products. They have something in common - both species belong to the genus Zlaki, the Myatlikov family. But, in fact, these are two completely different products. Millet is made from peeled kernels of millet seeds. Wheat groats are crushed wheat grains that are pre-treated.

The main difference between wheat groats is a high starch content, it is less in millet. But the calorie content is lower - 320 kcal per 100 g. Wheat contains less potassium, fatty acids, more “fast” carbohydrates, which give a feeling of satiety and energy. Therefore, the product is great for breakfast or a snack. Millet contains complex carbohydrates, which are absorbed more slowly by the body, but serve as a source of energy longer.

What is more useful: rice or millet

Of all cereal crops, rice is one of the most popular in the world. But there are different varieties and types of this cereal. If we compare rice with millet, then the first option clearly wins, as it is easier to absorb by the body. This cereal has a number of advantages - low calorie content, taste, content in a high concentration of choline and B vitamins. The product is especially useful in the presence of gastrointestinal diseases, as it contains starch, gluten, dietary fiber that maintain microflora balance and intestinal health.

But millet also has advantages - this cereal gives a long-lasting feeling of satiety due to the content of fiber. It contains a record concentration of potassium, magnesium, iron and copper. With problems with immunity and blood formation, diseases of the reproductive system, this porridge is most useful. It is also the best remedy for impaired functioning of the intestines and gastrointestinal tract in general.

Composition and calorie content

Millet contains several tens of useful substances, which in combination have a beneficial effect on health. This is not just a nutritious product, but a source of minerals, vitamins and organic active substances that can restore the body and contribute to recovery from various diseases.

Nutritional value of 100 g of dry product:

• calorie content - 340 kcal;
• proteins - 12 g;
• fats - 3.5 g;
• dietary fiber - 3.5 g;
• carbohydrates - 67 g;
• water - 14 g.

To prepare one serving of porridge, approximately 70 g of dry cereal is used, therefore, in the finished product without additives (oil, sauces) contains about 230–250 kcal. The composition of millet includes vitamins, minerals and other active substances that are beneficial for the body:

1. Vitamins: A, E, group B, C, PP, K.
2. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
3. Essential amino acids: arginine, methionine, lysine, valine, tryptophan, leucine, tyrosine, cysteine.
4. Essential amino acids: proline, serine, glutamine, cysteine, alanine, asparagine.
5. Mineral compounds: chlorine, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, magnesium, silicon, calcium, potassium.
6. Trace elements: aluminum, boron, iron, iodine, copper, zinc, vanadium, cobalt.
7. Polysaccharides and monosaccharides, glucose, fructose.

As you can see, the composition of this porridge is rich and diverse, it has a lot of useful components that affect various organs and systems, support the body and help fight diseases.

Useful properties of millet

The composition of millet includes essential trace elements, fatty acids and vitamins, therefore, the product in question benefits the body. It can be consumed on an ongoing basis at least every day. For those who still hesitate and do not know whether to include this product in the diet, below are described all the beneficial properties and the effect of this porridge on the body.

For women

Millet is not in vain considered a “female porridge”. This product has a beneficial effect on the health of the fair half of humanity. It contains minerals that are necessary for the normal functioning of the reproductive system and the production of hormones in the right concentration.

Porridge is rich in magnesium, and this component has a beneficial effect on the health of the nervous system and hormonal levels. It helps to cope with stress, emotional and psychological stress, easily survive the menopause, eliminates PMS.

For men

More than anything, men can appreciate the benefits of millet porridge. This product is a source of energy, strength and active components that support the male body. Mineral compounds and organic acids take care of reproductive health. They increase sexual desire, stimulate cell regeneration, due to which they protect the body from pathological processes and premature wilting.

Glutamic acid, which is found in high concentrations in millet seeds, is especially valuable for men who have an active lifestyle. This natural ingredient is often used in sports pharmacology to create dietary supplements to maintain good shape and quick recovery after intense training. Antioxidants help to cope with oxidative stress, protect the stronger sex from cancer and benign tumors, and support protective mechanisms.

During pregnancy

Gynecologists from different countries recommend that women include cereals, especially millet, in their diet, because it has a beneficial effect on the health of mothers and children. This product is preferably used on an ongoing basis. You can do with it without vitamin supplements, if there are no threats and pathologies. That's why it is so important to eat millet during pregnancy:

1. Antioxidants protect the embryo from intrauterine pathologies, and a woman from diseases and inflammations.
2. B vitamins and minerals contribute to the healthy development of the nervous system.
3. Plant protein is used by the body for the growth and development of the child.
4. Potassium and sodium in the composition of porridge can maintain a healthy water-salt balance.
5. Trace elements support the health of the cardiovascular system.
6. Tocopherol provides support to the female body and is involved in the development of the internal organs of the fetus.
7. The presence of fiber allows you to maintain the balance of microflora, due to which the woman normalizes digestion and strengthens the immune system.

During pregnancy, it is necessary to carefully select products, study their composition and nutritional value. Millet can be a component of the diet, but it is important not to abuse it, since porridge from this cereal is quite high-calorie and can provoke a set of excess weight. Also, an excess of this product in the diet can lead to constipation, which is also extremely undesirable for a pregnant woman.

When breastfeeding

Millet during breastfeeding is a source of minerals, vitamins, healthy fats and other components that the body of the mother and child urgently needs. This cereal contains substances that in combination provide a number of advantages:

• eliminate the deficiency of minerals and vitamins;
• normalize digestion;
• strengthen the immune system;
• stimulate the development of the brain and nervous system as a whole;
• beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and blood formation.

Millet helps to cope with diarrhea. It must be included in the diet after taking antibiotics, and also used as a source of minerals and vitamins to maintain the health of the child and his mother.

For kids

Children just need to give millet, because it is an indispensable product for their growth and healthy development. So that the child does not get sick too often, you can even use this cereal every other day, especially in the season of colds and viral infections. Porridge can be present in the diet of children from a very young age, from about 8-10 months. But it is worth introducing it gradually. First, give the baby to try 1 teaspoon, diluting it with fruit puree, observe the reaction for a day. If the body does not respond to the product, you can gradually increase the portion of porridge and come to a full volume.

Children can be given porridge from millet. This will not be a problem, because even the most fastidious kids often like its taste. For those who do not really like porridge, you can cook it in milk with sugar and fruits, supplement with nuts. This is why millet is so beneficial for children:

• gives energy;
• promotes fast and intensive growth;
• supports digestive health;
• normalizes microflora;
• provides a normal metabolism;
• prevents anemia;
• saturates the body with vitamins and minerals.

Millet is the perfect breakfast for the student. This product is slowly digested and therefore provides energy for 3-4 hours. Porridge contains a whole mineral and vitamin complex that stimulates the brain, protects eyesight, helps children concentrate, improves memory and attentiveness.

When losing weight

Millet helps to cope with excess weight, and without grueling diets and hunger strikes. If you use this cereal in the diet correctly, you can quickly cleanse the intestines, remove toxins from the body, and establish a healthy metabolism. There are at least 5 reasons why losing weight should eat millet at least 2 times a week:

1. Millet is rich in fiber and plant fibers, so the body spends a lot of energy on its digestion.
2. The product is rich in vitamins that boost the metabolic process.
3. Porridge contains substances that help liver cells process large amounts of fat, which is important to fight excess weight.
4. Croup enriches the body with fatty acids, which take part in biochemical reactions of the breakdown of fats.
5. The product gives a long feeling of satiety, helps to get rid of the habit of overeating and not feel hunger.

There are even millet diets designed for those who want to lose extra pounds. Reviews about such power systems are contradictory.In any case, using an unbalanced diet for weight loss is not recommended. It is better to make a complete diet, taking into account the balance of BZHU and supplement it with physical activity.

Millet in medicine

Nutritionists recommend that all healthy people diversify their diet with cereals made from millet. The product has a powerful preventive and therapeutic potential, therefore, it can be used as a component of the diet for various diseases.

With diabetes

Millet can be one of the products that are used in the diet for type II diabetes. This cereal normalizes metabolic processes, removes toxic substances from the body, prevents the development of ketosis and an increase in blood sugar. Millet minimizes the negative effects of diabetes, improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition, and prevents obesity and the development of atherosclerosis.

This product is rich in proteins - the main source of energy that the body uses for diabetes. The problem is that with this diagnosis, carbohydrates are poorly absorbed, and animal protein leads to a strong oxidation of the body and poor health. Vegetable protein is not harmful to health.

With pancreatitis

Millet is able to activate organ regeneration even with a long, sluggish inflammatory process. This is exactly what you need with chronic pancreatitis. In the acute stage, this cereal is completely excluded from the diet, prescribing diet food. In chronic pancreatitis, millet should be eaten at least 2-3 times a week. You can cook it in low-fat milk or in water. But there is a particularly useful recipe.

Pour ½ cup of cereal into a pot with thick walls and add 2 cups of cold water. Bring the porridge to a boil over low heat, then boil for 30 minutes. You can add salt and a small amount of vegetable oil, but it is best to supplement the porridge with mashed baked pumpkin and a small amount of honey. In this combination, the products effectively cope with the inflammatory process, relieve spasms, and normalize the production of enzymes.

With gastritis

Millet with gastritis can be used like other types of cereals, but you can not eat it too often and in large quantities. To eliminate inflammation, you can even use medicines prepared on the basis of this cereal crop. There are three recipes.

1. Pour 2 liters of boiling water ½ cup cereal and keep under the lid in a saucepan for 2-3 hours. Strain, drink 150 ml in case of pain and heartburn.
2. Mix rye, oat and millet flakes taken in equal parts, steam a handful with a glass of boiled goat milk and eat such breakfast for 14 days. This will help relieve inflammation and restore the lining of the stomach.
3. Pour a tablespoon of cereal with 250 ml of purified or cold boiled water, stand for an hour, then grind the grains in a blender and mortar and drink milk on an empty stomach. Repeat the procedure for 20 days.

With gastritis, it is desirable to combine millet with vegetable fats. Hemp, linseed, sesame, olive oil can be added to porridge. These supplements will make the main product even more beneficial and speed up the restoration of the stomach.

For the intestines

The benefits of millet for the health and normal functioning of the intestine are invaluable. This is one of the cereals that can produce the following healing effects:

• improve digestion;
• normalize microflora;
• cleanse the body of toxins and toxins;
• eliminate inflammation in the intestines and remove mucus;
• restore the mucous membrane with peptic ulcer;
• protect from harmful substances and free radicals.

Millet must be eaten after taking antibiotics, which kill the beneficial microflora. This porridge is rich in dietary fiber, which helps restore colonies of beneficial bacteria that produce B vitamins for the body that are responsible for the immune response. Millet for intestinal health as a preventive measure should be consumed at least 2 times a week.

For constipation

If there is constipation, you can cope with them using ordinary millet, without using medication. If porridge is cooked correctly, it can quickly restore intestinal motility. In order for the product to benefit with constipation, it is necessary to use it taking into account the following recommendations.

1. It is necessary to make slightly undercooked, crumbly porridge, it has a laxative effect.
2. Be sure to season the finished product with vegetable oil and not use animal fats.
3. It is worth cooking millet with vegetables that are rich in plant fiber. This component promotes more efficient digestion, and also has a pronounced laxative effect and enhances the action of the main product.
4. In order to cure constipation, millet milk can be used. To do this, rinse it thoroughly, pour 2 tablespoons of a cup of boiling water, stand for 30 minutes and knead. Drink on an empty stomach in 100 ml for 3 days, store in the refrigerator.

The advantage of millet in the treatment of constipation is that it eliminates directly the cause of the intestinal dysfunction and practically has no side effects. If there is a tendency to this problem, you can permanently use this product in the diet.

With gout

Millet contains active alkaline components that react with salts of uric acid, that is, eliminate the main cause of gout. In addition, cereal has a hepatoprotective effect and stimulates the kidneys to eliminate toxic substances. Therefore, the product comprehensively affects the body and normalizes metabolism. Due to this, it is possible to quickly solve the problem and restore normal health.

With gout, you can use unpeeled millet, that is, millet. It must be insisted in a thermos. If it is difficult to get seeds, you can use ready-made cereals. It is necessary to pour in a liter thermos a tablespoon of the product, pour boiling water and let stand for 2 hours, and then drink in warm form 4-5 times a day, 100 ml. With the help of millet, recovery can be accelerated, but it is impossible to refuse the main therapy.

For the liver

Millet is a powerful natural antioxidant and hepatoprotector. The same properties are inherent in refined grains, that is, millet groats. It can be used on the menu for liver diseases. This product restores the functioning of the liver, accelerates the regeneration of cells of this organ, removes toxins, which facilitates the task of the main filter of the body. For treatment, it is necessary to prepare millet in water, take it in small portions every day, preferably for breakfast. To enhance the effect, you need to supplement the porridge with such products:

• pumpkin;
• beet;
• citrus;
• vegetable oil;
• garlic.

You can prepare a powerful medicine for the liver. Take a tablespoon of cereal, pour a cup of milk and add a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Divide by 2 times and drink in the morning and evening. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.

With hemorrhoids

As an additional component to the main diet in the treatment of hemorrhoids, millet must be added. This is not just porridge, it is a medicine that copes with the disease many times faster. This product has a mild laxative effect, therefore, it helps to get rid of cracks in the anus and stop the increase in hemorrhoidal nodes. It also contains substances that stabilize the walls of blood vessels, normalize blood viscosity. Due to this, porridge helps to reduce the size of the cones over time or eliminate them completely if the main treatment is correctly selected.

With cholecystitis

Millet porridge can be used in a therapeutic diet for cholecystitis. If this product is properly prepared, it will become a valuable medicine for the gallbladder. Croup acts directly on the affected organ and produces such healing effects:

1. Helps prevent stone formation.
2. Tones up the walls of the gallbladder, restores its motor function.
3. It stimulates the production of bile and makes it more concentrated, due to which the enzyme fluid performs its function in digestion better.
4. Eliminates inflammatory processes, prevents the formation of adhesions.
5. It normalizes appetite, eliminates bitterness in the mouth and a feeling of nausea.

For the treatment of acute cholecystitis, small portions of millet boiled in water can be used. It should be well-boiled, so you can even take cereal or add 2 times more liquid. With cholecystitis, it is also forbidden to use animal fats as seasoning. It is best to add vegetable sunflower or olive oil to the porridge, which will further enhance the therapeutic effect of the product.

With hypothyroidism

Thyroid diseases require long-term treatment using a specific diet. Without a proper diet, you will not be able to get a quick result even with the right therapy. With hypothyroidism, you need to diversify the menu with foods that are rich in fiber, contain vegetable protein and contribute to the absorption of iodine. Millet is exactly the type of cereal that is needed for this disease.

This cereal can be used in the diet often, it is advisable to cook food from it 2-3 times a week. With regular use, you can normalize the functioning of the endocrine system, improve well-being and increase the effectiveness of basic therapy. The main thing is to make sure that there are no contraindications, so as not to worsen the condition of the body, trying to help the thyroid gland.

With cystitis

With inflammation of the bladder, it is worth revising your diet and enriching it with safe products that contribute to the rapid recovery of the body. Millet can be used not only as a component of a therapeutic diet, but also as a herbal medicine. From it, you can prepare an infusion, decoction or suspension and take it as an addition to the main course of treatment. This product is used to improve well-being and speed recovery. There are three popular recipes.

1. To prepare the infusion, take a three-liter jar and pour millet on a third, which is pre-washed. Top up with cold boiled or purified water. Close and leave the can overnight in a dark place, and in the morning strain and take the liquid 100 ml 3-4 times a day.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of washed cereal in a saucepan, pour a liter of cold water and bring to a boil. Turn off the stove, cover the broth and wait until it cools down a little (to such a temperature that you can drink it). Strain, squeeze out the raw materials and take 100 ml 4 times a day. The course lasts 5-7 days.
3. For suspension, prepare 100 g of cereal and 300 ml of water. Pour boiling water over the product, grind until a homogeneous mass is obtained (milk of a light cream color), drink 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

For those who often suffer from cystitis, this porridge can be a real salvation. It can be used for chronic diseases of the genitourinary sphere as an adjuvant. The components that make up the product prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria and support the functioning of the urinary system.

Millet in cosmetology

Millet and even unpeeled millet seeds are widely used in cosmetology as a means for skin and hair care. The rich composition of the product makes it effective in skin care. Of course, it is best to use unrefined grains, it is healthier, but you can prepare caring products from cereals.

1. Grind millet into flour, brew a tablespoon of 30 ml of boiled hot milk and stir.Apply the gruel to the cleansed skin when it cools down a little and rinse off after 15 minutes. Repeat 2 times a week. This mask stimulates cell regeneration, improves complexion, nourishes and moisturizes the skin.
2. Prepare a tablespoon of cereal flour, brew it with 100 ml of strong black tea, add a pinch of red pepper and stir. Rub into the scalp and leave for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse. This mask powerfully stimulates hair growth, improves their nutrition and appearance.
3. Take a teaspoon of millet flour, a tablespoon of cream. Also add a pinch of grated ginger root and a teaspoon of ground coffee to the mixture. Mix and use everything for exfoliating procedures in the shower as a body scrub.

Millet increases the firmness and elasticity of the skin, makes it smooth and velvety. For hair, you can also use a decoction of unpeeled millet. It is necessary to boil 2 tablespoons of seeds in 2 liters of water, insist until cool and use to rinse the hair.

Harm and contraindications

In some cases, millet can be harmful to the human body. This porridge can cause damage to health with food allergies to this product. Even if a person is completely healthy and does not have hypersensitivity, do not abuse the product. In the case of excessive consumption of millet, the following undesirable effects may appear:

• bloating, flatulence;
• digestion disorder;
• pains and cramps;
• nausea;
• constipation.

The optimal amount of millet in the human diet is 1-3 servings per week, do not abuse the product. Nutrition should be not only balanced, but also diverse, so that all the needs of the body are covered. Millet will not replace other cereals. Also, this product may be harmful in case of such problems:

• acute thyroid disease;
• exacerbations of pancreatitis;
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and intestines.

In chronic constipation, it is not recommended to use this product in the diet too often. Also, do not abuse millet in acute diseases of the liver and kidneys.

Can there be an allergy to millet

Like any other product, millet can cause allergic reactions in people with hypersensitivity to the organic components that make up its composition. Hypersensitivity may occur with the following symptoms:

• discomfort in the abdomen;
• nausea;
• diarrhea;
• rash;
• itching
• poor appetite;
• intoxication.

An allergic reaction to this product develops rather rarely, but the risk still exists. Therefore, if the following symptoms were noticed after eating porridge, you should abandon it and consult a doctor. The most effective way to find out if a person is allergic to millet is to take tests.

How to choose and store

When shopping, you need to know how to choose the right wheat to make a tasty and healthy porridge. The recommendations for this cereal are slightly different from the rules for selecting other cereals. To millet was fresh and healthy, you must adhere to the following recommendations.

1. The first thing to pay attention to the time of manufacture and storage. 1.5-2 years are usually written on cereals, but it is better to buy a product from the last harvest. A stale product will be bitter and have an unpleasant smell.
2. It is better to take millet, which is sold in individual packaging. It contains more valuable substances. Weighted groats quickly lose valuable properties; some of the substances are oxidized in air.
3. It is important to pay attention to what color the product is. Bright yellow porridge will be sweet, it boils faster and turns soft. Dark yellow shade in varieties that are crumbly. Light cereal is good for making salted cereals.
4. You need to look at the grains themselves, they should be the same size, whole, with a matte surface.
5. It is worth inspecting the package, it should be without damage. The fact is that in millet moth and other insects that like to eat cereals are very quickly planted. Even in the whole package, animals can be acquired, the larvae of which got there at the production stage.

It is also worth buying before deciding for what purposes millet is needed. Depending on what dishes it will be used in, you can choose the appropriate variety. Today, grocery stores have three types of cereals.

1. Dranets - whole millet, which is suitable for cooking delicious side dishes and crumbly porridge. All grains are perfectly round in shape, do not boil and maintain integrity.
2. Crushed millet - for those who do not have time to cook porridge for an hour. This type is suitable for quick breakfasts, boiled and has a more delicate taste.
3. Flakes are flattened grains that cook very quickly, some types can be simply brewed with boiling water or hot milk. An excellent product for a quick snack, you can take it with you to work, so that at lunchtime you eat healthy food, not sandwiches.

It is better to store millet in a closed container so that midges and bugs are not wound in it. Immediately it is worth pouring the groats into a glass or tin can, you can take fabric bags, but this is the most unreliable option (moth can also penetrate into them). The shelf life of the product depends on the production date. If the package was sent to the bin, it is better to look ahead at the time indicated on it and sign the container in which the millet was poured.

How to cook millet: recipes

Millet is very easy to cook. With this cereal there will be no problems if you adhere to cooking technology and observe proportions. The product is suitable as a base for side dishes, sweet cereals and other dishes. There are several basic recipes for preparing millet, which can be used as a base.

In milk

Before cooking it is important to wash the prepared cereals. This is a prerequisite, because it is not known how it was stored before packing. In grain warehouses, it is often quite dusty, therefore unhealthy impurities are necessarily present in the finished product. First, pour the washed cereal with cold water in a ratio of 1: 2, that is, 2 cups of liquid per glass of grain. When the porridge boils, reduce the heat and boil for 15 minutes, then add milk and cook until the grains are soft.

Before completing cooking, you can add such products to milk millet to make it tastier:

• dried apricots;
• candied fruit;
• prunes
• diced apples (not sour, otherwise milk will curl);
• raisins;
• vanillin;
• ground cinnamon;
• ginger powder.

Before serving, be sure to put a piece of butter in a plate. You can supplement this recipe with any other ingredients. For example, put fresh berries or slices of fruit marmalade on the finished porridge, season it with honey, pour it with chocolate topping or caramel syrup.

On the water

Millet is most often boiled in water, since this method of preparation is the simplest and fastest. In addition, cooked porridge can be made both sweet and salty. It all depends on tastes and personal preferences. To cook millet on the water, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations on the packaging, they may differ for each type of cereal.

In order to cook whole grains, it is necessary to use water in a ratio of 1: 3. That is, for 1 cup of cereal, take 3 cups of water. First, millet should be washed under cold water, it can be soaked for 15–20 minutes, then it will boil faster, and the shorter the heat treatment time, the more nutrients are stored in the product.Therefore, this method of preparation is considered most suitable if porridge is used for medicinal purposes as a component of the diet.

You can throw the washed cereal in boiling water, and then reduce the heat and cook until cooked. Salt is best added immediately if you plan to use porridge as a side dish. If millet is a sweet dish, sugar must be thrown at the very end of cooking. The average cooking time is 40 minutes, but for different grades and varieties of cereals it may differ.

In a slow cooker

It’s easiest to cook millet porridge in a slow cooker. This is convenient, you can turn on the device in the morning, put all the ingredients in the bowl and go about your business, and when everyone wakes up for breakfast, the millet will be ready. Of course, there are many ways to prepare this product in a slow cooker, but there is also a basic recipe that can be taken as a basis. Millet with the addition of milk and cream has a beneficial effect on the body, this is an excellent charge of energy for the first half of the day. If the porridge is supplemented with useful additives - nuts, candied fruits, dried fruits or fresh berries, you can increase its nutritional value and make up the body's need for vitamins and minerals.

For cooking you need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup of millet;
• 3 cups of milk;
• 1.5 cups of water;
• 100 ml cream;
• a pinch of salt, only to reveal the taste of the product;
• sugar to your liking;
• vanillin;
• 50 g butter or margarine.

Before you start cooking, you need to prepare the products. Rinse groats with cold water. Then put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them (except for butter, it is better to add it to the thicket or on a plate to the finished dish). After that, select the appropriate mode (in many models of multicookers there is a function "Cooking porridge"), set the timer for an hour. After the signal about the completion of cooking, add butter, and also turn on the “Maintain temperature” mode, so that the millet is finally boiled.

How to cook millet in the oven

From millet you can prepare a delicious side dish or breakfast in the oven. This porridge turns out to be especially tasty if it is languished for a long time at a minimum temperature. You can cook millet with vegetables, meat, make a sweet option with dried fruits and raisins.

Meat porridge recipe

It is necessary to prepare a special container that is not afraid of high temperature. Standard clay pots for baking, heat-resistant glass molds are suitable. If the container that is available does not have a lid, you can use foil.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cereal;
• 3 cups meat broth;
• 500 g of pork or beef;
• 1 teaspoon of salt;
• 1 onion;
• 1 carrot;
• bay leaves;
• allspice;
• vegetable little.

First you need to fry in oil in a pan meat cut into small pieces, with onions and carrots. Then shift it into a mold or in a baking pot. Add washed cereal, spices and salt there, mix and pour the broth. Put the pot in the oven preheated to 160 degrees and cook for 1 hour.

Sweet milk porridge

This dish is sure to appeal to children, moreover, it will be very useful for them. In the process of cooking in the oven, it is possible to maintain the maximum of useful substances in the products, which means that porridge will be a source of valuable vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup cereals;
• 2.5 cups of milk;
• 50 ml cream;
• vanillin;
• 2 tablespoons of sugar;
• 1 tablespoon butter.

Rinse millet and drain the water. Pour melted butter into the bottom of the pot, add cream with sugar. Pour the cereals and mix, add milk and vanilla. Cook in the oven at a temperature of 160 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Garnish with dried fruits or fresh berries before serving. You can add candied fruit, dried apricots, prunes or raisins in the cooking process.

Is it possible to give millet to animals

Millet porridge is often used by pet owners as a component of the diet. It is mixed with liquid feed or cooked in meat broth and served to animals. But this is not always correct. For cats, this product can be dangerous. The digestive system of these animals is not adapted to digest such food. Due to the fastening effect of regular consumption of millet porridge, cats can develop constipation, and the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract is disrupted. Instead of millet for cats, it is better to use buckwheat and rice - these types of cereals are easily absorbed by the digestive system of animals and do no harm.

Millet can be given to dogs, but only after a year, preferably from a year and a half. You can use this product for cooking cereals with meat or fish products that are allowed in the diet of pets. It is important to look at the recommendations for creating a menu for a particular breed and make sure that the animal normally tolerates such food. In any case, this product is not suitable for daily nutrition, but can be used periodically in order to diversify the menu.

Interesting facts about millet

Millet has always been highly regarded as a raw material for the production of nutritious cereals. But despite the fact that this product has been used by people from ancient times, there are many facts that are little known to mankind.

1. Millet is used to produce alcohol in Nepal. From it make a fragrant alcohol-containing drink Tongba.
2. This cereal is the best antidepressant. It contains a full complex of vitamins and minerals that contribute to the production of serotonin and dopamine, hormones responsible for the sensation of joy and happiness, life satisfaction.
3. Millet is one of the few plant foods rich in alkaline proteins. It does not oxidize body cells; on the contrary, it restores Ph to a normal level.
4. For a long time, millet was called rice, not millet groats. When Peter I brought it to Russia, many perceived it only as one of the varieties of grain.
5. Millet is very often used in sports nutrition as a source of plant proteins, valuable amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Millet is not just cereals, it is a natural remedy, the basis for caring cosmetics, as well as good animal feed. If you use this product correctly, it will bring great benefits to the body!

Millet photo