There’s an urgent need to develop sustainable food sources to feed the world, and the crops known as millets could be one solution. The experts from Joyfull Millets explain
• What type of plants are millets? Where are they commonly grown?
Millet is a type of grass, it is a 4000 year old ancient grain traditionally grown in India and east Africa. India is one of the largest producers of Millet in the world.
• Why are they not grown more in the UK?
There is increasing demand for millets to be grown in the UK, currently thousands of tonnes of millet are imported into the UK mainly for bird seed. Millet is relatively straightforward to grow and harvest, but as with any crop it’s about there being adequate market demand and commercial viability.
• What are their growing characteristics?
Depending on temperature, millets can reach maturity in up to 90 days.
Compared with other grains, millets use less water and minimal fertilizers and pesticides to grow, these benefit both the farmer and the planet.
• What are their nutritional benefits?
Millets are nutrition dense, as well as rich in iron, protein, dietary fibre and calcium.
• Are millets gluten-free?
Yes, Millets on their own are gluten free. However due to the production methods and ingredients Joyfull Millets Museli is not Gluten Free.
• What’s the story behind Joyfull Millets?
Prashant Parameswaran is the co-creator of Joyfull. Having grown up in India and travelled the world, Joyfull is part of his quest to bring the benefits of this ancient grain to breakfast tables everywhere. But he wanted to do this with heart and harness the power of the millet, a magical grain that’s not just for your tummy, but for the planet and the soul.
• How are Joyfull Millets made to appeal to the whole family?
The combination of the mix of grains, fruit and nuts makes it super tasty, and growing in a harsh climate, millet grains are naturally robust, when making Joyfull Millets Muesli we turn the millet into crunchy little flakes, and we mean crunchy – a crunch that makes you smile.
• What are the varieties of Joyfull Millets?
Available in Tesco now are three flavours of Joyfull Millet Crunchy Muesli Fruit & Nut; Honey & Nut; and Choco & Nut. We also have a fourth flavour Fruit, Nut & Seeds, which has no added sugar.
• Where can I buy Joyfull Millets?
You can buy Joyfull Millet Crunchy Muesli in Tesco now, but we are still very new so are growing distribution, keep an eye on our website to keep informed www.joyfullmillet.com
• Where can I find out more about Joyfull Millets?
A great place to start is our web site Joyfullmillet.com and you can find us on Instagram too #joyfullmilletsuk
