The Whole Grains Council has declared millet and teff to be the grains of the month of November. Although these ancient grains are
not as well known as wheat, barley or corn, they are important gluten-free sources of nutrition.
Millet was the earliest dry-land crop in east Asia. It is very drought resistant and was cultivated in China as long as 10,000 years
ago. Its spread can be traced to Korea around 5500 years ago and then to India.
Millet is a fast-maturing crop
that grows well in the semiarid poor soils of Africa as well as
southeast Asia. Fertilizing and irrigating
the soil can double production or more, as can introduction of
disease-resistant varieties. India is the world’s leading producer,
followed by Niger, China, and eight other African nations.
Because
it is gluten-free, millet is a good food for people with celiac
disease, gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy. In addition to use as
human food, millet is sometimes used as a grazing
or forage crop to feed animals.
Teff
is an annual grass native to Ethiopia, where it is one of the most
important crops, despite its low yield and susceptibility
to pests and other issues. Teff is highly nutritious and gluten-free, a
good source of protein, calcium and manganese and higher in fiber than
most other cereal grains. In Ethiopia, it is the main ingredient in injera flatbread, which is served at most meals. Teff is also used as animal food and the straw is mixed with mud to plaster walls.
Teff
has been involved in an intriguing international scandal! In 2003, a
Dutch company worked with an Ethiopian organization to introduce teff to
European markets. The CEO of the Dutch
company took out patents on processing methods for teff. The government
of Ethiopia, noting the domestic shortage of quinoa in South America
after that grain became popular in the US and Europe, outlawed export of raw teff in 2006. The Dutch patents were declared invalid by a Dutch court in 2019, ending what was being called a biopiracy conspiracy.
Have you tried cooking and eating these two historic whole grains?
