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Millets have been around in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, and yet it is only in recent times that Indians themselves have renewed their interest in this ancient food group. From food scientists and nutritionists to chefs and restaurateurs, efforts today to help Indians (and everyone else too) reconnect with this ancient food group of millets are gaining force, partially thanks to the impactful celebration of the International Year of Millets 2023.
Leading the charge in this effort is Dr. Kruti S. Dhirwani, a homeopathy physician and clinical nutritionist based out of Mumbai. Her book, Millets: The Trending Ancient Grains, is certainly one of the most comprehensive and dedicated attempts to introduce a whole range of millets and pseudomillets, their nutritional values, benefits and even cooking techniques to people who are just now starting their millet journey. While in conversation with Slurrp, Dr. Dhirwani opened up about the inspiration behind her work, the painstaking process of creating this ultimate guide to Indian millets, and the way forward in making millets a regular part of everyone’s lives again.
A Lifetime’s Journey Towards Knowing Indian Millets
Like most people in India, Dr. Dhirwani first came across millets in a limited way right at home. “I remember eating jowar and bajra at home, because bajra na rotla, as we call them in Gujarati, was a popular winter staple,” she reminisces. “We used to eat jowar on and off. I vaguely remember coming across kodo millet through one of my relatives.”
But it was while doing her Master’s in Nutrition that she came across a wider range of millets and about their therapeutic benefits when used in regular, balanced diets. “It made my belief about ‘food as medicine’ stronger and I was enthused to research about millets,” she explains. “But while I was able to read a bit about millets online, I realised that most local shopkeepers couldn’t supply them or had vague knowledge about them. So, millets were not easily available locally back in 2021-2022 even in a city like Mumbai. Another thing I found was the variability in the language or names used to sell these millets. This wide discrepancy sparked a whole different curiosity within me.”
Dr. Dhirwani explains that there were two major factors that contributed to her research on millets. “One, as I said, was the lack of awareness. If you want to unlock millets' benefits, there must be more general awareness and availability,” she says. “The second factor was to meet the needs of my patients. I started using millets in the diet plans of my patients, especially with diabetics and those with issues of weight management, gut health, etc. I could see that the addition of millets was really helping my patients. But as a doctor it is very important that we listen to our patients, and the constant feedback I got was that they did not know how to procure millets, identify the right ones they need and use them or cook them right.”
The Making Of A Seminal Work On Indian Millets
But even as she delved into the world of Indian millets, the idea of publishing a book that would work as an ultimate guide on the subject had not solidified in Dr. Dhirwani’s mind. In fact, her research was more need-driven than started with any lofty ideas about sparking a nutritional revolution—though she might welcome such an event, as is evident through her passion regarding the hope that all humans unlock the benefits of natural food through more knowledge of nutrition. The main goal at the beginning was to help patients identify millets and adopt them properly for long-term health benefits.
“I started with a small compilation which was a guide for personal use or for my patients,” she explains, adding that though her approach was scientific and the information backed by nutrition and food science, she kept the language of the text simple so that her patients could easily understand it. “This process of compiling and simplifying the nutritional information continued with the intent of providing solutions to issues like names of millets in different languages. Millets have been around since ancient times, but modern names differ from region to region. So, for example, finger millet is called ragi in Marathi, nachni in Gujarati, and madua in Bihar. To take it further, I sourced some licensed, high-resolution images of these millets so that everyone can identify them more easily.”
She further explains that while this compilation slowly turned into a handy, structured and verified guide for anyone who is curious about millets, Dr. Dhirwani had only imagined it to be turned into a booklet for her clinic. “But my husband, after reading the material, felt I had created something that deserved a proper platform. He insisted that this should be published as a book so that it reaches a wider audience. He also wanted it to be available online in Kindle versions so that people could access it.”
The result was a book that is now available all over the world with utter ease. The first edition of Millets: The Trending Ancient Grains was thus launched in November 2022. The second revised edition came out in 2023, during the International Year of Millets 2023.
Revising Your Own Work Matters: A Book’s Evolution
Since her patients have always been her core driving force—in fact, the book itself is dedicated to them—Dr. Dhirwani came to realise that just one version can get dated and unrelatable for many people. “My patients provided me with a wide spectrum of perspectives and lifestyles,” she explains. “From socio-economic differences to those in languages and cultures, from household challenges to health issues, they all helped make the book what it is. The book kept evolving, which is why I felt the need to come out with a revised edition.”
So, what’s new or different in the revised edition? Three things, Dr. Dhirwani explains, while giving a little “spoiler alert”. Firstly, there is now a dedicated section on the therapeutic uses of millets in each chapter that talks about individual millets or pseudomillets. Secondly, there are practical usage tips and recipes, though not in the format you might imagine. No, you will not find any descriptive recipes in the book, because this is not a cookbook after all.
“If I added recipes, then that would increase the bulk of the book, and in turn the publishing and the retail cost too,” she says. “I did not want that. I wanted it to be available at an affordable price. So, what I did was to give recipes in the form of scannable QR codes, which would lead readers to my online articles or videos that are freely available on social media platforms. And thirdly, Dr. Dhirwani says that because there was increased research in 2023 around millets, she was able to add a lot more nutritional information to the book, making it even more comprehensive.
The Long-Term Impact Of IYM 2023 And Her Book
But while her book is a great effort in the right direction, and so was the International Year of Millets 2023, Dr. Dhirwani believes there is still a long way to go. “IYM 2023 was a big splash that led to this sudden and huge global interest in millets. But the ripple effects have continued,” she says.
“I have people approaching me every other week to talk about millet products or introducing more of them in diets,”she adds. “But still, I personally feel that the penetration of this awareness is not enough. I find that a lot of people try millets out of curiosity or as a fad, and then they discontinue. The correct guidance is needed to ensure that millets don’t die out as a fad and the food group delivers the health benefits it is supposed to. Last year, a lot of chefs at five-star restaurants had also started featuring millets in their menus, but in regular local restaurants, it has not had that huge an impact.”
She explains further that while scientists, nutritionists, farmers and entrepreneurs might do their part, a big chunk of long-lasting change can come through chefs and restaurant owners. “Something as basic as the introduction of a ragi dosa or millet pongal at a South Indian restaurant can make a difference,” she says. “If restaurant owners and chefs start using millets permanently, even with one or two items, it will have a huge impact on the consumers. Millets entering local eateries and restaurants are the biggest need of the hour.”
In parting, Dr. Dhirwani recommends her book once again to everyone because of some very important learnings that everyone should know about:
1. Millets are not a fad. They have been around forever and should be a staple in your regular diet.
2. If not cooked right, millets can cause a lot more trouble than benefit. So, knowing how to cook them is crucial.
3. Not every millet should be consumed daily. There should be gradual adoption and consumption should be tailored as per your lifestyle and health.
4. Buy millets from the right sources. If we buy more millets, the demand and supply will get sorted. The farmers will be encouraged, and they do need your support.
Wondering where to buy Millets: The Trending Ancient Grains? Click here.
