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Bajra (pearl millet)

Pennisetum glaucum
Teluguసజ్జలు SajjaluHindiबाजरा BajraTamilகம்பு KambuKannadaಸಜ್ಜೆ SajjeMarathiबाजरी Bajri

Names: ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research

Pictures

Bajra (pearl millet): The grain
The grain — from: "PEARL MILLET.jpg" by Ranjithkumar Murugesan, Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PEARL_MILLET.jpg) · CC0
Bajra (pearl millet): The plant
The plant — from: "Grain millet, early grain fill, Tifton, 7-3-02.jpg" by USDA Agricultural Research Service, Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grain_millet,_early_grain_fill,_Tifton,_7-3-02.jpg) · Public domain
Bajra (pearl millet): An old botanical plate
An old botanical plate — from: "Plantarum indigenarum et exoticarum icones ad vivum coloratae, oder, Sammlung nach der Natur gemalter Abbildungen inn- und…, Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plantarum_indigenarum_et_exoticarum_icones_ad_vivum_coloratae,_oder,_Sammlung_nach_der_Natur_gemalter_Abbildungen_inn-_und_ausländlischer_Pflanzen,_für_Liebhaber_und_Beflissene_der_Botanik_(16089357402).jpg) · Public domain

Nutrition of the raw grain, per 100 g

Energy348 kcal
Protein10.96 g
Fat5.43 g
Carbohydrate (available)61.78 g
Dietary fibre (total)11.49 g
Calcium27.35 mg
Iron6.42 mg
Magnesium124 mg
Phosphorus289 mg
Zinc2.76 mg

Source: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, food code A003. Energy converted from kilojoules (1 kcal = 4.184 kJ).

Every nutrient in the raw grain — 94 values, per 100 g

Energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fibre9
Water (moisture)8.97 g
Protein10.96 g
Ash (total minerals)1.37 g
Fat5.43 g
Dietary fibre (total)11.49 g
Insoluble fibre9.14 g
Soluble fibre2.34 g
Carbohydrate (available)61.78 g
Energy1456 kJ
Starch and sugars5
Available carbohydrate (starch + sugars)56.02 g
Starch55.21 g
Fructose0.21 g
Glucose0.6 g
Free sugars (total)0.81 g

Not detected in this grain (the table leaves it blank or zero): Maltose, Sucrose.

Minerals5
Calcium27.35 mg
Magnesium124 mg
Phosphorus289 mg
Potassium365 mg
Sodium4.11 mg
Trace elements8
Chromium0.025 mg
Cobalt0.03 mg
Copper0.54 mg
Iron6.42 mg
Manganese1.12 mg
Molybdenum0.05 mg
Selenium30.4 µg
Zinc2.76 mg
Vitamins12
Thiamine (B1)0.25 mg
Riboflavin (B2)0.2 mg
Niacin (B3)0.86 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.5 mg
Vitamin B60.27 mg
Biotin (B7)0.64 µg
Folate (B9)36.11 µg
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol)5.65 µg
Vitamin E: alpha-tocopherol0.1 mg
Vitamin E: gamma-tocopherol1.42 mg
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol equivalents)0.24 mg
Vitamin K12.85 µg

Not detected in this grain (the table leaves it blank or zero): Vitamin E: alpha-tocotrienol, Vitamin E: beta-tocopherol, Vitamin E: delta-tocopherol, Vitamin E: gamma-tocotrienol.

Carotenoids4
Lutein29.69 µg
Zeaxanthin9.3 µg
Beta-carotene28.23 µg
Carotenoids (total)293 µg
Amino acids18 · g per 100 g of protein
Histidine2.15 g
Isoleucine3.45 g
Leucine8.52 g
Lysine3.19 g
Methionine2.11 g
Cystine1.23 g
Phenylalanine4.82 g
Threonine3.55 g
Tryptophan1.33 g
Valine4.79 g
Alanine7.68 g
Arginine4.54 g
Aspartic acid7.77 g
Glutamic acid17.42 g
Glycine3.52 g
Proline5.3 g
Serine4.44 g
Tyrosine2.67 g
Fatty acids10
Palmitic acid (C16:0)729 mg
Stearic acid (C18:0)128 mg
Arachidic acid (C20:0)18.21 mg
Palmitoleic acid (C16:1)6.97 mg
Oleic acid (C18:1)1040 mg
Linoleic acid (C18:2, omega-6)1844 mg
Alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3, omega-3)140 mg
Saturated fat (total)875 mg
Monounsaturated fat (total)1047 mg
Polyunsaturated fat (total)1984 mg

Not detected in this grain (the table leaves it blank or zero): Behenic acid (C22:0), Capric acid (C10:0), Eicosenoic acid (C20:1), Erucic acid (C22:1), Lauric acid (C12:0), Lignoceric acid (C24:0), Myristic acid (C14:0), Myristoleic acid (C14:1).

Organic acids7
Oxalate (total)53.13 mg
Oxalate (soluble)43.49 mg
Oxalate (insoluble)9.88 mg
cis-Aconitic acid0.08 mg
Fumaric acid1.99 mg
Malic acid0.86 mg
Succinic acid0.02 mg

Not detected in this grain (the table leaves it blank or zero): Citric acid, Quinic acid, Tartaric acid.

Polyphenols10
3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid0.03 mg
3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde0.11 mg
p-Coumaric acid0.07 mg
Caffeic acid0.25 mg
Chlorogenic acid0.08 mg
Ferulic acid1.39 mg
Luteolin1.11 mg
Kaempferol0.14 mg
Isorhamnetin0.3 mg
Polyphenols (total)67.71 mg

Not detected in this grain (the table leaves it blank or zero): Apigenin, Apigenin-7-O-neohesperidoside, Catechin, Cinnamic acid, Gallic acid, Protocatechuic acid, Quercetin, Quercetin-3-galactoside, Quercetin-3-glucoside, Quercetin-3-rutinoside (rutin), Sinapic acid, Vanillic acid, o-Coumaric acid.

Phytosterols3
Campesterol15.84 mg
Stigmasterol4.97 mg
Beta-sitosterol75.87 mg
Other compounds3
Raffinose0.08 g
Stachyose0.01 g
Phytate485 mg

Not detected in this grain (the table leaves it blank or zero): Saponins (total).

Source, one for the whole list: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-NIN. Values exactly as the table prints them; published values for the grain, not a laboratory test of our packs. Tap a name for what it is and does.

Where it comes from

  • Pearl millet originated in West Africa and is grown across the semi-arid tropics of Africa and Asia. (FAO, International Year of Millets 2023 - About)
  • Domesticated pearl millet derives from wild populations of the far-western African savanna and/or Lake Chad region; a Hallur (Karnataka) find adds to evidence for pearl millet in India by the first half of the 2nd millennium BC. (Fuller D, Korisettar R, Venkatasubbaiah PC, Jones MK)
  • No West African pearl millet find is older than 1700 BC, by which time domesticated pearl millet had reached India. (Weber SA & Fuller DQ, 'Millets and their role in early agriculture')
  • Pearl millet is the sixth most important cereal globally. (ICAR-IIMR 'Millets Chalisa' farmer leaflet)

In India’s old books

  • Tamil Lexicon, p.728: 'kampu, n. 1. Bulrush Millet ... (Patartta. 829). 2. Italian Millet. See centinai (Pin.)' (Tamil Lexicon (University of Madras, 1924-36), Digital Dictionaries of South Asi)

Where it grows

  • Mostly a kharif crop; also a summer crop in parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and UP, and a small rabi crop in Maharashtra and Gujarat. (ICAR-IIMR 'Millets Chalisa' farmer leaflet)
  • Why dry land: adapted to drought, low soil fertility and high temperature; optimum rainfall 35-50 cm; sensitive to waterlogging and acid soils. (ICAR-IIMR 'Millets Chalisa' farmer leaflet)

In the kitchen

  • ICAR-IIMR recipe: pearl millet roti - knead flour with hot water, pat out, bake on a tawa. (Dayakar Rao B, Vishala AD, Arlene Christina GD, Tonapi VA)

Recipes