Buckwheat is a fast-growing annual. The simple leaves are heart-shaped and borne along reddish hollow stems. The white flowers are produced in terminal clusters and are pollinated by bees and other insects. The kernels of the triangular-shaped seeds are enclosed by a tough dark brown or gray rind.Although most often seen as white with small dark brown/black speckles (as shown here), buckwheat �our can also be either uniform soft white or uniform pale tan in color.Buckwheat is a plant. People make flour from the outer shell of the seeds. This flour can be used either as food (usually in bread, pancakes, and noodles) or as medicine.Despite its name, buckwheat is not a type of wheat. Officially, it's not even a grain but rather a seed that's harvested from a flowering plant related to rhubarb. But the pyramid-shaped kernels are similar to grains from both a culinary and nutritional perspective.
Costus igeus, commonly known as insulin plant in India, belongs to family Costaceae. It is believed that consumption of the leaves helps lower the blood glucose levels, and diabetics who consumed the leaves of this plant report a fall in their blood glucose levels.Insulin plant benefits include controlling blood glucose levels. It can also be a source of protein, iron, and antioxidants. The plant is native to Brazil, but was later introduced to India and other parts of South and Central America.The study found that chewing on one fresh leaf of the insulin plant or consuming 1 teaspoon of the dried leaf powder daily helps in regulating blood glucose levels in persons with diabetes.The bitter leaf of neem is an effective remedy for treating diabetes as they are loaded with flavonoids, triterpenoid, anti-viral compounds and glycosides, which may help manage blood sugar levels. To make neem powder, take some dried neem leaves and grind them in a blender until smooth.
Amaranths are branching broad-leaved plants with egg-shaped or rhombic leaves which may be smooth or covered in tiny hairs. The leaves have prominent veins, can be green or red in color and have long petioles. The plants produce single flowers on terminal spikes which typically red to purple in color.Amaranth plants typically are annuals or short-lived perennials. The stems often are reddish in colour and sometimes are armed with spines; they bear simple alternately arranged leaves and often feature a pinkish taproot.Amaranth is a nutritious, gluten-free grain that provides plenty of fiber, protein and micronutrients. It has also been associated with a number of health benefits, including reduced inflammation, lower cholesterol levels and increased weight loss.Although amaranth is categorized as a grain, it's really a seed (just like quinoa). The tiny seeds are about the size of sesame seeds and have a yellowish color. The seeds can be used whole or ground into flour. They have a sweet and nutty flavor and are a bit crunchy when cooked.
Honey, sweet, viscous liquid food, dark golden in colour, produced in the honey sacs of various bees from the nectar of flowers. Flavour and colour are determined by the flowers from which the nectar is gathered. Some of the most commercially desirable honeys are produced from clover by the domestic honeybee.Depending on its nectar source, honey can be floral, fruity, smoky, woody, spicy, nutty or earthy. It can smell fresh as grass or pungent like aged cheese. It can look nearly clear as water or dark as molasses.Honey is the only natural edible product that consists of all the substances necessary to sustain life, including vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and water. It's also the only natural edible product that contains pinocembrin that improves brain functioning. Honey stored in airtight containers never spoils.Pure honey is dense and trickles only into a stream. It has a soft texture, will never separate into layers and offers a distinct sweet aroma. Raw honey, which is honey in its purest form, often leaves a slight tingling feeling or a mild burning sensation in your throat when consumed.
The Himalayas, or Himalaya is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The Himalayas include the highest mountains in the world, and are known for their soaring heights, steep-sided jagged peaks, valleys, and alpine glaciers, deep river gorges, and a series of elevational belts that display different ecological associations of flora, fauna, and climate .The Himalayas are home to some of the most exotic locations in the world, featuring the highest peaks on Earth, snow-clad landscapes, beautiful meadows, lakes, rivers and valleys.This immense mountain range began to form between 40 and 50 million years ago, when two large landmasses, India and Eurasia, driven by plate movement, collided. Because both these continental landmasses have about the same rock density, one plate could not be subducted under the other.
Himalayan Madua (Finger Millet) Flour also known as Ragi grows well and naturally in the Himalaya and is an important crop due to its high nutritional values. Madua is especially rich in calcium, proteins, minerals and fiber. Our Madua is sourced from rain-fed small farms and is traditionally grown.Finger millet contains about 5â??8% protein, 1â??2% ether extractives, 65â??75% carbohydrates, 15â??20% dietary fiber and 2.5â??3.5% minerals (Chethan and Malleshi 2007a). It has the highest calcium content among all cereals (344 mg/100 g).Finger Millet, also known as Ragi is an important millet grown extensively in various regions of India and Africa. Its scientific name is Eleusine coracana.Finger millet has been used across Africa and Southeast Asia for thousands of years. It's used to make bread, beer, and cereal. Today, finger millet can be found in health food stores and large supermarkets throughout the US, and it's widely used as an alternative to wheat or other grains.
Grown in the Himalaya under natural conditions, without the use of pesticide, Himalayan Koni (Foxtail millet) has a high mineral content including iron, magnesium and zinc. Foxtail millet is gluten free, diabetic friendly and has a high fiber and protein content.Foxtail Millet is rich in Vitamin B12 which is essential for maintaining a healthy heart, smooth functioning of the nervous system, and in general good for skin and hair growth. A diet including Foxtail Millet may improve glycemic control and reduce insulin, cholesterol and fasting glucose in Type-2 diabetes patients.Foxtail Millet is an healthy alternative to Rice. It is Gluten-free food. It is rich in Iron, Calcium & Minerals - Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorous. It is a diabetic-friendly food, high in fiber, protein and low in glycemic index (causes steady increase in blood sugar post consumption as compared to rice).Foxtail millet has roots in Northern China and India going back at least 8,000 years and is named for the tapered tail-like panicle (an inflorescence, or clustered flower, with many branches) containing its seeds.
Sorghum and millet are important food crops in the semi-arid tropics, but their yields
have remained low and unstable because of a range of environmental constraints.
Increasing and stabilizing their production is thus an important part of ICRISAT's
mandate, and we were pleased to sponsor with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) this symposium on the agrometeorology of sorghum and millet.
The main objective of the symposiumâ??the fourth in a WMO series on the
agrometeorology of single cropsâ??was to encourage the practical use of climatic
data to improve production, by assessing the extent and intensity of climatic risks
and by studying the response of the crop to its growing environment. In the Sahel
region of Africa, for example, such studies may play a key role in helping farmers
adjust age-old cropping practices to meet changes in climate. Besides the
scientific papers and discussions, the symposium included a practical workshop on
computer techniques, during which participants used ICRISAT computers and
operational models to analyze data from their own countries. Work is already under
way to translate some of the symposium recommendations into practice.
I hope these proceedings will be of help to both researchers and agricultural
planners throughout the semi-arid tropics.
