Neelam Gupta/New Delhi

Dr. Khadar Valli D, India’s Millet Man says the food sector is captured by big businesses that make the farmers grow what they want, and make the public eat what is profitable to them. He said as a result the farmer is losing conventional wisdom and choice to grow while youth are made to forget the local and community foods. This, he says, is the biggest danger facing mankind on the planet.

Khader Valli was speaking at the three-day 'Mega Millet Mahotsav organized by the Ministry of Culture, IGNCA, Ministry of Agriculture and Gandhi Darshan in the capital recently. His daughter Dr. Sarla Valli was also with him.

Speaking at different sessions, Dr. Valli explained how millets can cure hitherto incurable diseases like diabetes, hypertension (high Blood Pressure), hypo-hyperthyroid, Anemia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, etc.

Dr Khader Valli D speaking at the Millet Mohotsav

Why is Dr Valli against the Green Revolution, the White Revolution, and the Pink Revolution? I asked him.

He said, “Because in the name of more production and food security, these three Green Revolution, the White Revolution, and the Pink Revolution. have spoiled the health of both the common man and the land and have handed over our lives to greedy multinational companies. Due to the Green Revolution, wheat and rice were produced in abundance in the country. Neither of these were our main foods. To produce maximum quantity, chemical fertilizers were used indiscriminately. Due to this, companies flourished but our health and environment are in serious trouble.

"During the White Revolution, milk started being extracted all over the world by giving steroids to animals. Many diseases also originated from that. A five-year-old girl in America started menstruating. This is contrary to nature. Today there is talk of the Pink Revolution but we know that eating meat is not an instinct of human beings. Advertising companies and egg companies will benefit from the advertisement coming on TV in the name of better health, 'Be it Sunday or Monday, eat eggs every day', but who can say that those who eat eggs will not have liver problems? We say this with certainty that eating millet does not cure liver damage."

As people asked him questions he explained how all millets are not coarse grains.

He said, "There is a difference. Millet -jowar (Sorghum) and ragi (finger Millet) are coarse grains. Shreedhanya includes Kodo (cow grass), Kutki (little Millet), Kangni (Foxtail Millet), Hari Kangni (Browntop Millet), and Sanwa (barnyard Millet). These are all fine grains. “Apart from these, there are some other millet too that I consider in the category of finer Sridhaniya. These coarse and small grains are the ancient produce of India. Being gluten-free and fibrous, these are very beneficial for the body."

Students with Dr Khadar Valli at the Mega Millet Mahotsav

"When I say that these millets are our real food, it is because these are the grasses grown here which have been eaten by the people, animals, and birds from the beginning and they Have lived a healthy life. Apart from being rich in nutrients, they are also rich in different types of fibers and help in cleansing all the organs of our body and keeping them healthy. I call them Shreedhanya because Shree means wealth and Grain means health. These are positive grains whereas due to less fiber and being polished, wheat and rice come under negative grains.”

He told people how specific millets can cure disease. The millets are good for the body because they do not get dissolved in the blood immediately after entering our body. these dissolve slowly in the blood reach every organ and clean them. It remains in the intestines for a long time and therefore does not cause hunger quickly. This also gives the body time to clean the intestines. Clean intestines can protect all the other organs.

Khader Valli says today gut problems and constipation have become bigger health issues than diabetes and BP. These millets also keep your gut healthy and relieve constipation. If glucose is regulated then there is no problem with sugar levels in blood. Blood pressure will also remain controlled. Due to the cleansing of veins, the health problems like joint pain, sciatica, cervical and weak memory can be cured. Also, we can easily avoid diseases like Alzheimer's.

A policeman on duty trying foods made of millet

Based on the experiments he conducted on patients in his clinic, he holds the vew that Kangni (Foxtel) can prevent nerve diseases like seizures, Parkinson's, joint pain, etc. In some chronic cases, these can at least be minimized with the regular use of Foxtail millet. Kutki keeps the endocrine system healthy, so by eating it, thyroid and hormone-related diseases can be avoided. Its fibers can remove cancer fibers from the womb and cure kidney-related diseases.

“In South India, it is used to start a baby's diet because it is very easy to digest. Kodo purifies the blood, increases it, and keeps platelets healthy; cures anemia and kidney-related problems.  Samva protects the liver from diseases like a brown top infection.’

Is eating millet enough to protect our bodies?

To this, Dr Valli said, “No.''

Dr Sarla Valli (In sari) at the Millet Mohotsav

Also, how a patient should eat these grains will be decided based on his disease. However, a common man should consume Millet regularly, and as part of his food.

“I have tried preparing different types of dishes from these millets in my kitchen and uploaded the recipes on YouTube. Pulao, roti, cheela, dosa, idli, pakoda, halwa, puri, everything can be made with millet or millet flour. Earlier, my wife and daughter were against these experiments. But today they support me.”

His daughter Dr Sarla Valli said, “When I saw the patients recovering in the clinic, I felt that father was fine. Then I joined him in all his experiments and today I am completely with him both in the kitchen and in the clinic. We go together to national and international conferences.'

Dr. Valli is against the rising trend of multi-grain foods. He says one millet should be eaten in a day. “It is not right to eat two or three grains together. Dinner should be over by 7 o'clock so that the body gets time to digest it. It is necessary to soak the millet for eight hours. After that, you can boil them and eat them with pulses, vegetables, pickles, curd, buttermilk, etc. By grinding all these, their milk can also be made and it can be drunk like normal milk. The way to heat it is to fill the milk in a vessel and leave it in hot water.”

Dr. Valli insists on using clay utensils for cooking. According to him, that is the right thing to get full benefits. Regarding cooking in a pressure cooker or metal vessel, he says that by doing so you destroy all the qualities of millet. He has explained this in detail in his book ‘Siri Jagattu’.

ALSO READ: India's Millet Man Dr Khadar Vali says eating coarse grains is way to healthy life

According to him, peanuts, sesame, coconut, and mustard oil are fine for cooking but these should be cold-pressed. The oil coming out of the engine oil increases BP.

Apart from these, drinking water kept in a copper vessel, regular walking, and yoga are his other tips to stay healthy.