Think millet’s “for the birds?”

HA! Perish the thought.

Millet is a superstar ancient grain! Rich in protein, fiber, mild in flavor, filled with B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium, millet truly gives the other grains a run for their money. (FYI: Millet is also one of the bible’s fave grains, which can only be a good thing.)

Now, since millet is a whole grain – technically a seed, actually – it has all the lovely benefits of a complex carbohydrate, e.g.:

• It’s a slow release carb, so it gives you sustained energy.
• It’s essential for brain function.
• It helps with digestion and regularity. (Yippee! Fiber!)

Now, you may be noticing a theme here on Veggie Magnifique. (You’re so clever.) Gut health. It’s all about the fiber, kids.

But wait, let’s back up for a second. See, we tend to group together rice, pasta, barley, potatoes all into the “carb” category. And the truth is, they’re not all created equal. To make a long story short, whole grains are unprocessed, so for example, brown rice is the whole grain compared with brown rice pasta, which has been slightly processed. Do you see the distinction? Of course you do.

Why am I boring you with this esoteric nutrition stuff? (Could be because I studied holistic nutrition…)

No! It’s because whole, unfettered grain consumption is one of our secrets to happiness! A happy gut is a happy life, so we should always strive to eat the purest whole foods for optimal nutrition and gut health.

Without further ado, in today’s video we give you the skinny on this super-duper seed – how to cook it, eat it, say it… you name it.

Chances are… if you’ve read this far on a post about a grain, you’re a true blue fan – thanks for that – so are you up for the challenge? Can you add millet into your meal plan? Report back to us! (We’ve got gold stars at the ready.)

Need some inspiration? Here’s a bunch of recipes including millet. (Most are vegan, but if ever you want to veganize a recipe, here are our tips.)

So if you’ve been stuck in a quinoa rut, try millet. (It’s waaaaaaay cheaper too, y’all.)