There are records from ancient China showing that millet was known there as long ago as 3000 BC. Indeed, millet was one of the staples for nearly all the peoples in the Indo-Germanic region.

Due to millet’s short growing season and the fact that it does not penetrate deep into the soil (therefore rendering deep tilling unnecessary) it was a preferred crop for nomadic peoples too. Together with buckwheat it is in fact the main staple for the nomadic Kirghiz and Mongols to this day.

In medieval times, millet was an important food in these parts too, but was replaced in the 19th century by potatoes, corn and rice. It has only been for the last few years that millet has regained ground as a nutritious type of cereal. Today, millet has the most favourable profile of any type of cereal:

An impressive comeback indeed!