The History of Millet

Millet is one of the world’s most ancient foods and is often thought to be the first domesticated cereal grain. There are over 6,000 species of millet belonging to the Poaceae (Gramineae) or grain family; many are used for human or animal consumption. It’s believed that millet was cultivated simultaneously in Asia and Africa over 7,000 years ago during the Neolithic Era. It then spread throughout the world and became a staple grain. Millet is mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible and was a staple of the Sumerians and grown in the hanging gardens of Babylon; it was also grown during the Stone Age by lake dwellers in Switzerland and there is evidence that it was eaten in Northern Europe as far back as the Iron Age. It has also been grown as a staple crop in areas of India and Africa for thousands of years and was the most prevalent grain in China before the cultivation of rice. Millet was also grown in ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt. It was also cultivated in North Africa, Arabia, and Gaul (now France). During the Middle Ages, millet was the main grain in Europe and consumed more widely than wheat. Today, millet is the sixth most important cereal grain in the world and is responsible for feeding over one-third of Earth’s population. For example, teff millet is still used in Ethiopia to make the famous staple flatbread, injera. In the 1970s, millet began to gain popularity in Western Europe and North America for its nutritional value; it has also gained some additional popularity because it is gluten-free. While it may not be the most popular grain in Western society, it is an important staple for many people around the world and is currently gaining even more popularity.