Millet – cooked grains
Millet’s main function is drying. It is drier than other grains. Clinically, millet has a central role in the treatment of chronic diseases due to the accumulation of dampness and phlegm, which are a result of poor eating habits or food quality. Millet helps to dry “swamps” in the body, namely accumulations of fat, sugar, acids or water.
The classic candidate for millet is a person suffering from excess dampness and phlegm.
For cold phlegm conditions, it is advised to roast the millet before cooking it.
For hot phlegm conditions, it is advised to soak the millet in water for 3-4 hours prior to cooking it.
Millet is not recommended for regular use by children, as it is contractive and inhibits growth. Nonetheless, millet can be used to treat children in times of acute phlegm inflammations.
For the same reasons, millet is not recommended for the lean and dry types.Due to astringency and fiber, millet may feel like sandpaper if the tissues of the digestive tract are irritated or sensitive.
Millet contains small amounts of goitrogenic substances which limit the utilization of iodine by the thyroid gland. In large quantities, these substances might cause goiter (inflamed neck swelling due to an enlarged thyroid gland). Opinions are divided whether or not cooking reduces goitrogens.
Cooking millet requires a certain amount of skill and attention. It can be cooked to an airy texture, like that of couscous. But it can also be cooked into a smooth, porridge-like texture. For a detailed explanation of millet cooking styles and a basic millet preparation recipe click here.
Properties
Taste: Sweet, Astringent, Bitter
Natural Attributes: Dry, Heavy, contractive
Tissue impact (Vipak): Pungent, reducing
Thermal impact (Virya): Neutral
Dosha impact: Decreases Kapha greatly, increases Vata
Digestive impact (Agni): hard for digestion
Channels (Srotas): opens the channels
Feces: constipating
Urine: diuretic
Strength (Bala): clears obstructed strength
Mind (Manas): slightly Rajasic
Effect: Expectorant, scarificant, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial,anti-viral ,alkalizing
Chinese five element impact: Balances the Earth and Metal elements
Chinese medicine syndromes:Spleen Qi deficiency and Phlegm, Lung Phlegm, kidney Phlegm.
Medicinal properties
- Blood-circulation-liver: cholesterol, triglycerides, edema, hypoglycemia
- Fat: diabetes type 2, fat scraping, obesity
- Bones-joints-tendon-ligaments: heals fractures (sandhaniya), swollen joints,
- Muscles: organ prolapse
- Reproductive and hormonal systems: helps preventing miscarriage caused by dampness, excess amniotic fluid, uterine bleeding,
- Respiratory system: treats respiratory phlegm conditions, pneumonia, common cold, mucous membrane infections,
- Digestive system: nausea, diarrhea (roasted before cooking), vomiting (millet soup or congee), candida, morning sickness
- Cleansing: treats halitosis, tumors
Harmful: hypothyroidism, decreases lactation, the dry and emaciated persons, yang deficiency, kidney deficiency, spleen deficiency, weak digestion, chronic watery diarrhea.
Therapeutic dishes with Millet
Millet-Quaker porridge: This porridge treats conditions of phlegm and dryness that occur simultaneously in the body. For example, dryness of the intestines and constipation, and at the same time, various accumulations in the body (cysts, lipomas, edema, moles).
Millet patties: Suitable also as snacks, especially for diabetics and for weight loss.
Coco-Millet: The original macrobiotic Coco porridge consists of whole rice, sweet rice, oats and sesame, which undergo roasting and grinding to powder. The powder is used as raw material for cooking the porridge. In the millet recipe, substitute the oatmeal with millet, for a more drying porridge. For diabetic conditions, the rice can be replaced with quinoa and buckwheat, in order to obtain a low glycemic index.
Sweet millet porridge with vegetables: This porridge is used to treat gastric cancer, pancreatic diseases and to strengthen the body’s immunity, which is inhibited by phlegm stagnation.