Ragi, Navne, Save, Haraka, Udalu and Baragu, which are popular as grains, are called small grains because of their small grain size. The history of these is very long. These are rainfed crops and farmers grow pulses for food and fodder.
In India, millet is grown mostly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Navne crop has increased in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. A drought-resistant and early-harvesting small grain, "Save" is grown in many parts of Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Haraka, a very rare short grain. It is grown in Rajasthan, northern Uttar Pradesh, southern Tamil Nadu, eastern West Bengal and some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In India Udalu is an important crop found in Uttar Pradesh and the Himalayan hill ranges. The dryland crop is found in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and some parts of Karnataka.
Cereals are short-duration crops that are disease and pest resistant and can be grown easily even in infertile soils. Cereals are grains that keep hunger at bay even in severe droughts.
Nutritious cereals in diet
It is customary to call sattvapurna sridhanas as small grains and whole grains. Ragi, Savi, Navne, Udalu, Haraka and Baragu are included in the group of small grains.
Cereals, like other cereal grains, are rich in energy for the body. 70 to 80 percent of the energy required by the body in the daily diet of the average person comes from cereal grains and cereals. Due to the high consumption of these in the daily diet, 50 percent of the protein required by the body is supplied. That means getting protein from grains at a low cost.
As the digestible fiber content in cereals is higher than that of rice and wheat, cereals are helpful in increasing work capacity as the energy needed for body activities is released slowly. These have high fat content and are useful for the body. They are rich in 'B' vitamins and minerals which are required for adequate energy supply for various activities of the body. When these types of light nutrients are not available from processed foods, the body does not get enough energy. This reduces the working capacity.
The mineral content of cereals is higher than that of rice and wheat. Calcium is thirty times more in ragi than in other cereals, at least twice as much calcium. Iron content is high in Sava and Navane rice. All grains are more nutrient dense when compared to rice and wheat for any nutrient.
In India, the solution to the problems of a large population suffering from malnutrition lies in cereals.
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