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Buckwheat, Millet
and Singoda Flour
Taoshobuddha Health and Healing Series
Taoshobuddha
Buckwheat, Millet and Singoda Flour
© 2011, Taoshobuddha
TAOSHOBUDDHA
The word Taoshobuddha comes from three words, ‘tao,’ ‘sho,’ and
‘Buddha’. The word Tao was coined by the Chinese master, Lau Tzu.
It means that which is and cannot be put into words. It is unknown
and unknowable. It can only be experienced and not expressed in
words. Its magnanimity cannot be condensed into finiteness. The
word Sho implies, that which is vast like the sky and deep like an
ocean and carries within its womb a treasure as ‘Bliss’. It also
means one on whom the existence showers its blessings. And lastly
the word Buddha implies the Enlightened One; one who has arrived
home and whose consciousness that is not clouded by thoughts,
emotions, and sentiments together or individual!
Buckwheat Flour
Or Kuttu Flour
Buckwheat is a part of many weight loss diets in the West. The fact that it
has high nutritional value makes it an ideal food for dieters.
In India this flour is used during fasting periods. In such preparations a lot of
ghee and oil is used in making kuttu preparations like poories and pakodas
which makes it a high fat food. This is the reason many tend to put on
weight during the navratras instead of losing it.
There is not much difference in the calories of the either. 100gm of each,
Kuttu Atta and wheat atta contain around 330 calories. The difference is in
terms of the higher amount of protein you get along with a double dose of
vitamins. The protein makes you feel full for longer and keeps those hunger
pangs at bay. It is best eaten in grain form like porridge or if added to your
regular wheat flour.
Buckwheat is also ground into flour, available in either light or dark forms,
with the darker variety being more nutritious. Since buckwheat does not
contain gluten, it is often mixed with some type of gluten-containing flour
(such as wheat) for baking. In the United States, buckwheat flour is often
used to make buckwheat pancakes, a real delight, especially for those
allergic to wheat.
Fagopyrum
Buckwheat plants are fast growers, producing seed in about 6 weeks and
growing about 30 inches (75 cm) tall.
Recipes
History
Historical data
Health Benefits
1. Cardiovascular System
Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing
high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The Yi people of China consume a
diet high in buckwheat (100 grams per day, about 3.5 ounces). When
researchers tested blood lipids of 805 Yi Chinese, they found that buckwheat
intake was associated with lower total serum cholesterol, lower low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-the form linked to cardiovascular disease), and a
high ratio of HDL (health-promoting cholesterol) to total cholesterol.
Buckwheat’s beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids,
particularly rutin. Flavonoids are phytonutrients that protect against disease
by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Buckwheat’s
lipid-lowering activity is largely due to rutin and other flavonoid compounds.
These compounds help maintain blood flow, keep platelets from clotting
excessively (platelets are compounds in blood that, when triggered, clump
together, thus preventing excessive blood loss, and protect LDL from free
radical oxidation into potentially harmful cholesterol oxides. All these actions
help to protect against heart disease.
These Results of the Canadian study were so promising that one of the lead
investigators, Roman Przbylski, is currently collaborating with Canadian-
based Kade Research to develop new buckwheat varieties with much higher
amounts of chiro-inositol. Although the animals used in this study had the
equivalent of Type 1 diabetes in humans, the researchers are confident that
buckwheat will exert similar glucose-lowering effects when given to animals
with Type 2 diabetes, which is the next study on their agenda. Type 2 or
non-insulin dependent diabetes, which is by far the most common form in
humans (90% of diabetes in humans is Type 2), is characterized by an
inability of cells to respond properly to insulin.
Buckwheat and other whole grains are also a rich source of magnesium, a
mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including
enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion.
The FDA permits foods that contain at least 51% whole grains by weight
(and are also low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol) to display a health
claim stating consumption is linked to lower risk of heart disease and certain
cancers. Now, research suggests regular consumption of whole grains also
reduces risk of type 2 diabetes. (van Dam RM, Hu FB, Diabetes Care).
Risk of type 2 diabetes was 31% lower in black women who frequently ate
whole grains compared to those eating the least of these magnesium-rich
foods. When the women's dietary intake of magnesium intake was
considered by itself, a beneficial, but lesser-19%- reduction in risk of ‘Type
2’ diabetes was found, indicating that whole grains offer special benefits in
promoting healthy blood sugar control. Daily consumption of low-fat dairy
foods was also helpful, lowering risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%. Get the
benefits of both buckwheat and dairy by enjoying a hearty breakfast of hot
buckwheat topped with low-fat milk and a spoonful of maple syrup.
Eating foods high in Insoluble Fiber, such as Buckwheat, can help women
avoid gallstones, shows a study published in the American Journal of
Gastroenterology.
Studying the overall fiber intake and types of fiber consumed over a 16 year
period by over 69,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers
found that those consuming the most fiber overall (both soluble and
insoluble) had a 13% lower risk of developing gallstones compared to
women consuming the fewest fiber-rich foods.
Those eating the most foods rich in insoluble fiber gained even more
protection against gallstones: a 17% lower risk compared to women eating
the least. And the protection was dose-related; a 5-gram increase in
insoluble fiber intake dropped risk dropped 10%.
Despite the fact that for years researchers have been measuring the
antioxidant power of a wide array of phytonutrients, they have typically
measured only the ‘free’ forms of these substances, which dissolve quickly
and are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. They have not looked
at the "bound" forms, which are attached to the walls of plant cells and must
be released by intestinal bacteria during digestion before they can be
absorbed.
When Dr. Liu and his colleagues measured the relative amounts of phenolics,
and whether they were present in bound or free form, in common fruits and
vegetables like apples, red grapes, broccoli and spinach; they found that
phenolics in the ‘free’ form averaged 76% of the total number of phenolics in
these foods. In whole grains, however, ‘free’ phenolics accounted for less
than 1% of the total, while the remaining 99% were in ‘bound’ form.
Dr. Liu’s findings may help explain why studies have shown that populations
eating diets high in fiber-rich whole grains consistently have lower risk for
colon cancer, yet short-term clinical trials that have focused on fiber alone in
lowering colon cancer risk, often to the point of giving subjects isolated fiber
supplements, yield inconsistent results. The explanation is most likely that
these studies have not taken into account the interactive effects of all the
nutrients in whole grains-not just their fiber, but also their many
phytonutrients. As far as whole grains are concerned, Dr. Liu believes that
the key to their powerful cancer-fighting potential is precisely their
wholeness. A grain of whole wheat consists of three parts-its endosperm
(starch), bran and germ. When wheat-or any whole grain-is refined, its bran
and germ are removed. Although these two parts make up only 15-17% of
the grain's weight, they contain 83% of its phenolics. Dr. Liu says his recent
findings on the antioxidant content of whole grains reinforce the message
that a variety of foods should be eaten good health. "Different plant foods
have different phytochemicals, he said. ‘These substances go to different
organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your
body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect - this teamwork -
that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods, including whole
grains.’
lignan. Women who ate more cabbage and leafy vegetables also had higher
enterolactone levels.
The women's intake of fiber from fruits, vegetables and refined grains was
not associated with a lessening in CVD progression.
Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization among the elderly in the
United States. Success of drug treatment is only partial (ACE inhibitors and
beta-blockers are typically used; no evidence has found statins safe or
effective for heart failure), and its prognosis remains poor. Follow up of 2445
discharged hospital patients with heart failure revealed that 37.3% died
during the first year, and 78.5% died within 5 years. Arch Intern Med. 2007
Mar 12;167 (5):490-6.;Eur Heart J. 2006 Mar;27(6):641-3.
Since consumption of whole grain products and dietary fiber has been shown
to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart attack, Harvard
researchers decided to look at the effects of cereal consumption on heart
failure risk and followed 21,376 participants in the Physicians Health
Study over a period of 19.6 years. After adjusting for confounding factors
(age, smoking, alcohol consumption, vegetable consumption, use of
vitamins, exercise, and history of heart disease), they found that men who
simply enjoyed a daily morning bowl of whole grain (but not refined) cereal
Taoshobuddha Health and Healing Series Page 13
Buckwheat, Millet and Singoda Flour
had a 29% lower risk of heart failure. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Oct 22;
167(19):2080-5. Isn't your heart worth protecting, especially when the
prescription-a morning bowl of hearty whole grains-is so delicious? For
quick, easy, heart-healthy, whole grain recipes, click The World's Healthiest
Foods, and look at the ‘How to Enjoy’ section in any of our grain profile.
Pre-menopausal women eating the most fiber (>30 grams daily) more than
halved their risk of developing breast cancer, enjoying a 52% lower risk of
breast cancer compared to women whose diets supplied the least fiber (<20
grams/day).
Fiber from fruit was also protective. Pre-menopausal women whose diets
supplied the most fiber from fruit (at least 6 g/day) had a 29% reduced risk
of breast cancer, compared to those with the lowest fruit fiber intake (2 g or
less per day).
*Fiber content can vary between brands. Source: Esha Research, Food Processor
for Windows, Version 7.8
Fruits richest in fiber include apples, dates, figs, pears and prunes. When
choosing a high fiber cereal, look for whole grain cereals as they supply the
most bran (a mere 1/3rd cup of bran contains about 14 grams of fiber). With
its rich, nutty flavor, buckwheat makes a great breakfast alternative to a
bowl of hot oatmeal. A cup of buckwheat delivers 20% of the RDI for fiber
for just 154 calories!
Increasing consumption of whole grains and fish could reduce the risk of
childhood asthma by about 50%, suggests the International Study on Allergy
and Asthma in Childhood (Tabak C, Wijga AH, Thorax).
The researchers, from the Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the
Environment, Utrecht University, University Medical Center Groningen, used
food frequency questionnaires completed by the parents of 598 Dutch
children aged 8-13 years. They assessed the children's consumption of a
range of foods including fish, fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grain
products. Data on asthma and wheezing were also assessed using medical
tests as well as questionnaires.
In children with a low intake of fish and whole grains, the prevalence of
wheezing was almost 20%, but was only 4.2% in children with a high intake
of both foods. Low intake of fish and whole grains also correlated with a
much higher incidence of current asthma (16.7%). compared to only a 2.8%
incidence of current asthma among children with a high intake of both foods.
In many studies, eating whole grains, such as buckwheat, has been linked to
protection against atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, diabetes, insulin
resistance, obesity, and premature death. A new study and accompanying
editorial, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains the
likely reasons behind these findings and recommends at least 3 servings of
whole grains should be eaten daily.
But it's not just fiber's ability to serve as a bulking agent that is responsible
for its beneficial effects as a component of whole grains. Wheat bran, for
example, which constitutes 15% of most whole-grain wheat kernels but is
virtually non-existent in refined wheat flour, is rich in minerals, antioxidants,
lignans, and other phytonutrients-as well as in fiber.
release forms and thus are available throughout the gastrointestinal tract
over a long period after being consumed.
The high antioxidant capacity of wheat bran, for example, is 20-fold that of
refined wheat flour (endosperm). Although the role of antioxidant
supplements in protecting against cardiovascular disease has been
questioned, prospective population studies consistently suggest that when
consumed in whole foods, antioxidants are associated with significant
protection against cardiovascular disease. Because free radical damage to
cholesterol appears to contribute significantly to the development of
atherosclerosis, the broad range of antioxidant activities from the
phytonutrients abundant in whole-grains is thought to play a strong role in
their cardio-protective effects.
Whole grains are rich sources of lignans that are converted by the human
gut to enterolactone and enterodiole. In studies of Finnish men, blood levels
of enterolactone have been found to have an inverse relation not just to
cardiovascular-related death, but to all causes of death, which suggests that
the plant lignans in whole grains may play an important role in their
protective effects.
Lower insulin levels may also contribute to the protective effects of whole
grains. In many persons, the risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, and obesity are linked to insulin resistance. Higher intakes of
whole grains are associated with increased sensitivity to insulin in population
studies and clinical trials. Why? Because whole grains improve insulin
sensitivity by lowering the glycemic index of the diet while increasing its
content of fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E.
The whole kernel of truth: as part of your healthy way of eating, whole
grains, such as buckwheat, can significantly lower your risk of cardiovascular
disease, obesity and ‘Type 2’ diabetes.
grains? Just look at the ‘How to Enjoy’ section in our profiles of the whole
grains, or for quick, easy, delicious recipes, click on this link to our Recipe
Assistant and select the whole grain you would like to prepare.
Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make
sure that the bins containing the buckwheat are covered and that the store
has a good product turnover to ensure its maximal freshness. Whether
purchasing buckwheat in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure there is
no evidence of moisture.
How to Enjoy
Like all grains, buckwheat should be rinsed thoroughly under running water
before cooking, and any dirt or debris should be removed. After rinsing, add
one part buckwheat to two parts boiling water or broth. After the liquid has
returned to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 30
minutes.
Combine buckwheat flour with whole wheat flour to make delicious breads,
muffins, pancakes, Chapattis and many other items .
Add cooked buckwheat to soups or stews to give them a hardier flavor and
deeper texture.
Add chopped chicken, garden peas, pumpkin seeds and scallions to cooked
and cooled buckwheat for a delightful lunch or dinner salad.
Individual Concerns
Buckwheat can be safely eaten by people who have celiac disease as it does
not contain gluten. Buckwheat can be a good substitute for wheat, oats, rye
and barley in a gluten-free diet.
Nutritional Profile
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of
nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System.
This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in
particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this
food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you
will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed
in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food does not contain it.
Buckwheat, cooked
1.00 cup
168.00 grams
154.56 calories
DV Nutrient World's Healthiest
Nutrient Amount (%) Density Foods Rating
manganese 0.68 mg 34.0 4.0 very good
tryptophan 0.08 g 25.0 2.9 good
magnesium 85.68 mg 21.4 2.5 good
dietary fiber 4.54 g 18.2 2.1 good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule
excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
References
In preparing this document the assistance has been taken from various
sources. These are listed below:
SINGOUDA FLOUR
S ingoda flour is made from dried water chestnuts, and is also called Water
Chestnut Flour. It is generally used during fasting since certain
grains/flours are not allowed to be eaten during fasting periods. You can
make a nice creamy kheer dessert or fried poori breads or chapattis.
Description
Water chest nut flour is made from dried, ground water chestnuts. The nuts
are boiled, peeled and then ground into the flour. The flour, which is actually
a starch rather than flour is a white cream in color. Its primary use is as a
thickening agent and to make batters for deep frying in Indian and Asian
cooking. When used as a thickener, water chestnut flour is usually stirred
into water first before it is added to hot liquids and sauces. This technique
reduces the formation of lumps that may otherwise occur (similar to
cornstarch). Foods that are to be fried can be dredged in water chestnut
flour to create a coating on the food. Water chestnut flour is available in
some large food stores, natural and health food stores, and in Asian
markets.
Culinary uses
Singoda flour
Water chestnut flour can be used to make pancakes, Indian fried bread
(poories) and even flat breads( chapattis). Their main culinary usage is as a
thickener and they are used to batter fry chicken, paneer and vegetables.
Chestnuts are usually roasted, boiled, or ground into flour that is used to
make bread, cakes, and cookies.
How to store
Water chestnut flour keeps well in a sealed container in a cool, dry, and dark
location.
Health benefits
Nutrient Amount
Water 48.2 g
Protein 3.4 g
Fat 0.2 g
Carbohydrates 32.1 g
Sugars 3.3 g
Energy 730
Dietary Fiber 14.9 g
Calcium 17.6 mg
Zinc 0.4 mg
Iron 0.7 mg
Sodium 0.8 mg
Potassium 468 mg
1. Water chestnuts are just the perfect food for those who want to lead a
healthy life. They are almost fatless and are therefore, a healthy food
option. Half a cup of water chestnuts contains only 0.1 g fat.
4. Drinking water chestnut juice can help alleviate the problem of nausea
and bad appetite in kids.
Millet flour
Introduction
M illet is one of the oldest foods known to humans and possibly the first
cereal grain to be used for domestic purposes. It is mentioned in the
Bible, and was used during those times to make bread. Millet has been used
in Africa and India as a staple food for thousands of years and it was grown
as early as 2700 BC in China where it was the prevalent grain before rice
became the dominant staple. It is documented that the plant was also grown
by the lake dwellers of Switzerland during the Stone Age.
Today millet ranks as the sixth most important grain in the world. Millet
sustains 1/3 of the world’s population and is a significant part of the diet in
northern China, Japan, Manchuria and various areas of the former Soviet
Union, Africa, India, and Egypt.
Millet is a major crop in many of these countries, particularly Africa and the
Indian subcontinent where the crop covers almost 100 million acres, and
thrives in the hot dry climates that are not conducive to growing other grains
such as wheat and rice.
The Hunzas, who live in a remote area of the Himalayan foothills and are
known for their excellent health and longevity used millet as a staple in
their diet.
Millet is used in various cultures in many diverse ways: The Hunzas use
millet as a cereal, in soups, and for making dense, whole grain bread called
chapatti.
Millet Flour
In India flat thin bread called roti are often made from millet flour and used
as the basis for meals.
Millet was introduced to the U.S. in 1875. It was was grown and consumed
by the early colonists like corn, then fell into obscurity. At the present time
the grain is widely known in the U.S. and other Western countries mainly as
bird and cattle feed. Only in recent years it begun to make a comeback
and is now becoming a more commonly consumed grain in the Western part
of the world.
The plant is now grown in the U.S. on 200,000 acres in Colorado, North
Dakota, and Nebraska, but much of the crop is still used for livestock,
poultry, and bird feed. It is remarkable that despite the grain being an
ancient food, research on millet and its food value is in its infancy and
its potential vastly untapped.
Research results so far are promising, showing the grain to have great
aptitude and versatility and more and more uses for millet are being
discovered every year, including its potential benefits in the American diet.
Millet is superior feed for poultry, swine, fish, and livestock and, as it is
being proven, for humans as well.
Millet is related to sorghum, which is used to make the thick dark sweetener,
Sorghum Syrup. Discrepancies exist concerning exactly what family millet
actually belongs to, with some references giving the family name as
Gramineae, and others claiming it in the family Poaceae.
There are many varieties of millet, but the four major types are Pearl, which
comprises 40% of the world production, Foxtail, Proso, and Finger Millet.
Pearl Millet produces the largest seeds and is the variety most commonly
used for human consumption.
The seeds are enclosed in colored hulls, with color depending on variety, and
the seed heads themselves are held above the grassy plant on a spike like
panicle 6 to 14 inches long and are extremely attractive. Because of a
remarkably hard, indigestible hull, this grain must be hulled before it can
be used for human consumption. Hulling does not affect the nutrient value,
as the germ stays intact through this process.
Once out of the hull, millet grains look like tiny yellow spheres with a dot on
one side where it was attached to the stem. This gives the seeds an
appearance similar to tiny, pale yellow beads. Millet is unique due to its
short growing season. It can develop from a planted seed to a mature, ready
Taoshobuddha Health and Healing Series Page 30
Buckwheat, Millet and Singoda Flour
Millet grows well on poorly fertilized and dry soils and fits well in hot
climates with short rainfall periods and cool climates with brief warm
summers. The plants need good drainage, have a low moisture requirement
and do not do well in waterlogged soils.
Nutritional Values
Millet is tasty, with a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor and contains a myriad of
beneficial nutrients. It is nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber,
B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential
amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It is particularly high in
the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.
Millet has an interesting characteristic in that the hulls and seeds contain
small amounts of goiterogenic substances that limit uptake of iodine to
the thyroid. In large amounts these ‘Thyroid Function Inhibitors’ can cause
goiter and some researchers feel this may explain, at least in part, the
perplexing correlation between millet consumption and goiter incidence in
some of the developing countries where millet constitutes a significant part
of the diet. In many of these countries another contributing factor may be a
lack of sufficient dietary iodine.
Obviously these substances are diminished during the hulling process but
there is definitely controversy concerning the idea that the process of
cooking largely destroys those that are left in the seed itself. Some
researchers including Dr. Jeffrey Bland believe that cooking greatly
diminishes these substances; others claim that it does not and that in fact if
millet is cooked and stored in the refrigerator for a week, a practice common
in many cultures, these substances will actually increase as much as six fold.
Millet is not the only one that possess this characteristic. Commonly eaten
foods that also contain these goiterogenic substances include brussel
sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, spinach,
turnips, rutabagas, cassava, soy beans, peanuts, peaches, and pears.
All of these foods are nutritionally valuable as is millet and this generally
does not cause for alarm. A healthy, whole foods based diet containing an
abundant variety of foods will ensure that an excess of these goiterogenic
compounds is not consumed. It is important to note that Jeanne
Wallace, PhD, CNC, states that for those with hypothyroidism a
significant guideline would be to consume three servings a day or
less of the foods containing goiterogenic compounds.
There are two general categories of foods that have been associated with
disrupted thyroid hormone production in humans: soybean-related foods and
cruciferous vegetables. In addition, there are a few other foods not included
in these categories - such as peaches, strawberries and millet - that also
contain goitrogens. The table below shows a list of some foods that contain
goitrogens.
Soybean-related foods
The link between isoflavones and decreased thyroid function is, in fact, one
of the few areas in which flavonoid intake has called into question as
problematic. Isoflavones like genistein appear to reduce thyroid hormone
output by blocking activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. This
enzyme is responsible for adding iodine onto the thyroid hormones. (Thyroid
hormones must typically have three or four iodine atoms added on to their
structure in order to function properly.)
Cruciferous vegetables
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
Kohlrabi
Mustard
Rutabaga
Turnips
Millet
Peaches
Peanuts
Radishes
Spinach
Strawberries
Because carefully controlled research studies have yet to take place on the
relationship between goitrogenic foods and thyroid hormone deficiency,
healthcare practitioners differ greatly on their perspectives as to whether a
person who has thyroid problems, and notably a thyroid hormone deficiency,
should limit their intake of goitrogenic foods. Most practitioners use words
like ‘overconsumption’ or ‘excessive’ to describe the kind of goitrogen intake
that would be a problem for individuals with thyroid hormone deficiency.
Here the goal is not to eliminate goitrogenic foods from the meal plan, but to
limit intake so that it falls into a reasonable range.
Limiting goitrogenic intake is often much more problematic with soy foods
than with cruciferous vegetables, since soy appears in so many combination
and packaged food products in hidden form. Ingredients like textured
vegetable protein (TVP) and isolated soy concentrate may appear in foods
that would rarely be expected to contain soy. A standard, one cup serving of
cruciferous vegetables 2-3 times per week, and a standard, 4-ounce serving
of tofu twice a week is likely to be tolerated by many individuals with thyroid
hormone deficiency. It is worth to try and include these foods in a meal plan
because of their strong nutritional value and great track record in preventing
many kinds of health problems.
Although research studies are limited in this area, cooking does appear to
help inactivate the goitrogenic compounds found in food. Both isoflavones
(found in soy foods) and isothiocyanates (found in cruciferous vegetables)
appear to be heat-sensitive, and cooking appears to lower the availability of
these substances. In the case of isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables
like broccoli, as much as one third of this goitrogenic substance may be
deactivated when broccoli is boiled in water.
Practical tips
Although for many people goitrogens do not seem to pose a health concern,
certain individuals who have thyroid problems may be advised by their
healthcare practitioner to limit excessive consumption of foods that contain
these compounds. As cooking seems to help to inactivate the goitrogenic
compounds found in food, it seems reasonable to conclude that for
individuals with deficient thyroid hormone production, steaming of
cruciferous vegetables like broccoli makes good sense, as does consumption
of tofu in cooked versus raw form.
There are many cooking variations to be found for millet. A good general
guideline is to use 3 parts water or stock and 1 part grain, add grain to
boiling water, and simmer covered for approximately 30 minutes or until
water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered for
ten minutes more.
The grain has a fluffier texture when less water is used and is very moist and
dense when cooked with extra water.
The flavor of millet is enhanced by lightly roasting the grains in a dry pan
before cooking; stir constantly for approximately three minutes or until a
mild, nutty aroma is detected.
Millet flour produces light, dry, delicate baked goods and a crust that is thin
and buttery smooth. For yeast breads up to 30% millet flour may utilize, but
it must be combined with glutinous flours to enable the bread to rise. For a
delightful ‘crunch’ in baked goods, the millet seeds may be added whole and
raw before baking.
Properly stored, whole millet can be kept safely for up to two years. The
grain should be stored in tightly closed containers, preferably glass, in a cool
dry place with a temperature of less than 70° or in the refrigerator. The flour
deteriorates and becomes rancid very rapidly after it is ground, so it is best
to grind the flour right before it is to be used.
Bajari flour or Millet Flour is made from a small round grain resembling
mustard seed. The millet flour has a slight nutty flavor. The millet is a small-
seeded species of cereal crops. Millet or Bajra flour is nutritious as it contain
iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin b etc. Millet Flour is very good for excellent
health and longevity. The flour is used in various cultures in many different
ways such as a cereal, in soups, and for making dense, Roti, Rotala and
chapatti. In india Bajari flour is very popular to make bajri roti, barja na
rotla, breads and many other recipes as ingredient.
In Andhra Pradesh Ragi Sankati (Telugu), which are ragi balls are eaten in
the morning with a chilli, onions, sambar (lentil based stew) or meat curry
and helps them sustain throughout the whole day
In Nepal, thick dough made of millet flour (ḍhĩḍo iF<fae) is cooked and eaten
with the hand. Fermented millet is used to make a beer (jããḍ jaf) and the
In India, Ragi recipes are hundreds in number and even common food stuffs
such as dosa, idly and laddu are made out of ragi.
In Sri Lanka, Finger millet is called Kurakkan and is made into: Kurakkan
roti: An earthy brown thick roti with coconut Thallapa: A thick dough made
of ragi by boiling it with water and some salt until like a dough ball, it is then
eaten with a very spicy meat cury and is usually swallowed in small balss
than chewing.
Most types of flour keep well in a sealed container in a cool, dry, and dark
location. The original paper packaging used for many types of flour is fine for
long term storage as long as the package has not been opened. Once open,
the shelf life decreases. Many types of flour are now marketed in resealable
plastic bags that increase shelf life.
The refrigerator is a very good storage area for flour, but the use of a sealed
container is even more important to prevent the flour from absorbing
moisture as well as odors and flavors from other foods stored in the
refrigerator. The freezer compartment can be used for long-term storage,
but when using a sealed container or a freezer bag, make sure it is full to
eliminate as much air as possible. Most types of flour can also be tightly
wrapped for freezer storage, but wrapping is often an awkward method for
storing large quantities. Wrap the flour tightly in plastic followed by a layer
of aluminum foil. Avoid refrigerating or freezing flour in its original paper
packaging because paper is porous and the flour may absorb moisture and
odors, however if the flour has not been opened, the paper package can be
stored in the refrigerator of freezer if the package is tightly wrapped with
plastic.
Flour milled from whole grains does not keep as long as highly refined flour
because the germ portion of the whole grain can cause the flour to become
rancid over time. Flour that does not look or smell good should not be used.
It is best to buy smaller quantities of flour if you are finding it necessary to
continually discard the flour due to spoilage.
Shelf Life
1. The original paper packaging is fine for long term cabinet storage as
long as the package has not been open.
2. Most types of flour keep longer in a cool, dry cabinet if stored in a
sealed plastic or glass container.
3. The refrigerator is a very good storage area for flour, but the use of a
sealed container is even more important to prevent the flour from
absorbing moisture as well as odors and flavors from other foods
stored in the refrigerator.
4. The freezer is usually the best location for long term storage. Use
sealed plastic containers or freezer bags for optimum freshness.
5. Flour that does not look or smell good should not be used.
References
4. Liggins, J.; Bluck, L. J.; Runswick, S.; Atkinson, C.; Coward, W. A.,
and Bingham, S. A. Daidzein and genistein contents of vegetables. Br J
Nutr. 2000 Nov; 84(5):717-25.