Examination of why millet should optimally be eaten in moderation as a gluten-free whole grain in order to avoid disrupting hormone health.
Gluten allergies are clearly on the increase in our modern society. It seems like practically every other person I know these days has some sort of digestive issue that avoiding gluten would probably improve.
At the top of the list of gluten-containing foods is wheat. It is the indisputable, primary staple of the Western diet. Wheat is also the very foundation of the controversial USDA Food Pyramid.
Given how important bread and other wheat-based carbohydrates are to our society’s basic food requirements, it’s no wonder that folks seek a quick and easy substitute for wheat bread and wheat-based snacks when a gluten allergy or Celiac disease has been diagnosed.
Millet: Ancient Gluten-free Whole Grain
Enter millet. This ancient grain was cultivated in East Asia as far back as 10,000 years ago, according to archaeologists. Surprisingly, the cultivation of millet in prehistoric times was more prevalent than even rice, particularly in what is now China and the Korean peninsula.
Millet’s resistance to drought is perhaps the reason for its popularity in ancient times and its spread to Europe by 5000 B.C.
Despite the 5000 years cultivating this whole grain as a staple food, millet porridge is considered a traditional food in Russia as well as China. Use of millet is also widespread in Africa, like gluten-free teff, likely due to the drought-prone climate.
Millet Bread: Logical Substitute for Wheat
The protein structure of millet is quite similar to wheat. The one glaring exception is that millet is a gluten-free grain. Wheat contains copious amounts of this hard to digest plant protein.
When plain millet flour is used for baking bread (as opposed to homemade gluten-free flour or a healthy gluten-free flour mix from the store), the resulting loaf is light, white, and quite similar in texture to wheat bread. As a result, people who wish to avoid gluten tend to immediately gravitate to millet bread as the most logical and palatable substitute.
Millet bread is extremely popular in health food stores. Sami’s Bakery and Deland Bakery are two local bakeries that sell an absolute ton of millet bread to these stores around my local metro area.
I recently corresponded with a person up the East Coast of the USA who was consuming a lot of the millet/flax chips as an alternative to wheat-based snacks and had no idea of the potential health risks from consuming so much millet.
It was this discussion that led me to write this blog and warn folks about the dangers of consuming too much millet!
Potent Goitrogens
While millet does not contain gluten, it does contain goitrogens. These are substances that suppress thyroid activity and can lead to goiter. This condition involves enlargement of this very important gland which resides in the throat. Low iodine intake can also lead to goiter for those who rely on millet as a staple according to the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Hypothyroidism is a serious and sometimes debilitating condition. It accompanies a weak or enlarged thyroid such as what occurs with goiter. Depression, difficulty losing weight, loss of hair, cold hands/feet, and fatigue are common hypothyroid symptoms. By some estimates, hypothyroidism is at epidemic proportions in Western society. (1)
Goitrogens in foods that contain them are usually reduced by cooking such as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. However, cooking actually increases the goitrogenic effect of millet! Incidentally, the same effect occurs when fermenting soy.
Therefore, when folks begin eating large amounts of millet bread with a wholesale switch over from wheat, the thyroid suppressing effects of this simple dietary change can be profound. Injuring the thyroid can have a cascade effect on other glands as well. For example, those suffering from adrenal fatigue many times have thyroid issues as well.
Moderation is Critical
Protect your thyroid at all costs! It is a real challenge to unwind the effects of hypothyroidism once this vital gland is weakened or enlarged. Don’t take any chances with your thyroid health by consuming large amounts of millet bread or millet based snacks.
If gluten and/or wheat is a problem, then simply reduce bread consumption. Alternatively, use another grain that is both gluten-free and non-goitrogenic such as rice, oats or teff. Be sure to get quality, though, as rice is frequently high in arsenic.
Alternatively, try using grain-like gluten-free foods such as highly nutritious buckwheat, amaranth, or the starchy tuber cassava. They are excellent for baking too!
Millet bread consumption is fine in moderation if your thyroid is healthy – just don’t overdo it!
Given how difficult it is in modern society to maintain thyroid and overall glandular health, taking a chance by eating a lot of millet bread is a risky proposition indeed.
Traditional peoples did not have the constant stresses and strains on their glands like modern people do.
For example, they did not have to contend with pollution of their food, water, air and overall environment.
Therefore, we must be overprotective of our thyroid health. This includes avoiding regular consumption of foods that might impair it in any way.
Millet Alternatives That Preserve Thyroid Function
If you have thyroid issues and need alternatives to millet, here is a list of the healthiest options to consider.
- Einkorn Benefits (contains “good gluten“)
- Teff Benefits
- Yuca Root Benefits
- Arrowroot Benefits
- Wild Rice Benefits
- Farro (great if only modern wheat is the problem)
Sorry this is the biggest BS article I have read. Where is the support for this? You shouldn’t write a article on such little support when there are countless articles on the wonders of millet. Get your facts straight before you post something like this.
I completely agree!
I have to agree also. A “potent” goitregen? Hardly! Research does not support this! The article you linked doesn’t support it either, saying that it “may” cause goiter in populations with low iodine, not that it does. And as usual, they didn’t feed the rats just millet, they fed them extracts. I’m very disapointed with the sensational way you blog about healthy foods as if they are dangerous (green smoothie blog comes to mind) with little to no fact or research to back I up. Many in the whole food/healthy community are on restricted enough diets without someone blasting healthy foods as if they are evil.
Millet has been a staple in diets for thousands of years with no ill effects, as have fermented cabbage and other veggies.
Found a thread on millet titled “Looking for Gluten Free? Millet could be the perfect whole grain for you”:
http://www.hawkeshealth.net/community/showthread.php?t=10065&page=1
The ‘goitrogenic” aspect is addressed there, and this seems sensible:
“It would be impossible to avoid goitrogens and eat a healthy diet. It’s really only an issue for those with borderline or undiagnosed hypothyroidism. People with normal function, especially if getting enough iodine, are not really at risk. If you are on thyroid replacement be it T3, T4, both or Natural Thyroid, goitrogens become a non-issue because your thyroid isn’t making much anyway and you are taking replacement hormones. I cannot find my source at the moment, but I vaguely remember, when researching millet, that it and soy were the highest goitrogenic foods and that goitrogens in millet actually increase when it is cooked rather than decrease as in all other foods. The primary thing is to make sure you are getting enough iodine.”
I for one get plenty of iodine (I supplement with Lugol’s, plus I eat seaweed regularly)
so I’m not going to “beware of millet.”
Unfortunately, now that the Fukushima disaster has resulted in a continuous massive flow of radioactive water into the Pacific, eating seaweed, (and fish and any other ocean life) at least out of the Pacific, is unwise. You may want to be very selective about where you get your seaweed, if at all (and miso as well). Currently I am using iodized Mediterranean sea salt for my iodine intake.
yes you are right people are posting conflicting information. My grandmother passed away at the age of 105 millet was her staple food.She also reared traditional chickens and were very prolific they were millet fed and the hens and cocks were both laying eggs.Millet is a stuff to use to raise chickens organically.
Sarah,
In my recent comment about gluten and wheat spraying – I forgot to add that the article stated that the grain was sprayed while in STORAGE. Does anyone know anything about this?
Sarah,
Regarding gluten intolerence becoming an epidemic……………..quite some time ago I read about wheat and perhaps another grain being sprayed………………perhaps due to FDA regulations………..am not sure. Cannot remember where I read it. Could it be that chemicals are the real reason behind the gluten problem? This problem is growing like wild fire – even among people who have had very healthy digestion…… there has to be something behind it. Any comments?
Hi Sarah! It is the first time I read your articles and it is WOW! I discovered I have low tyroid and I have been on BED diet for two years, eating lots of fermented cabbage, miso soups, and the ogi (millet cereal)… etc. Just read what you had to say about goitrogens in miso. How about goitrogens in fermented cabbage and broccoli and kale? Some health experts say that fermentation eliminates (minimizes) the goitrogens in veggies in fermentation. Please help. Thank you!
Isabelle
Hi Isabelle, fermentation does NOT reduce goitrogens in cruciferous veggies. They should be consumed in moderation especially for those with thyroid issues! Even for those with no thyroid issues, they should be consumed only when the rest of the diet is sufficient in iodine(as in contains grassfed dairy). Shame on the doctor who is putting you on these foods with your condition!
Does anyone know what fermented veggie, if any is good to eat? I’ve been trying to get good probiotics without dairy, and this is very disheartening.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism:
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/68/4/707
The last sentence of the abstract says, “We conclude that in areas of iodine deficiency in which millet is a major component of the diet, its ingestion may contribute to the genesis of endemic goiter.”
I know that I get plenty of iodine, and I eat a variety of grains, so I plan to continue enjoying moderate amounts of millet without worrying. It may be different for someone who has a history of hypothyroidism, but for the rest of us, I don’t think this should be a concern.
What about those of us with a history of hyperthyroidism. Would moderate amounts of goitrogens present any issues? Thanks.
Traditional people ate millet and give to small babies in asia a a light porridge. i dont think i know many people in these places who has thyroid as a major problem. everything in moderation is the key. its not like we stop eating cabbabe, saurkraut, brocolli or cauliflower because it has goitrogenic effect. ofcourse, we dont. likewise millet is ok too to consume in moderation.
So. Very. True. It’s incredibly funny how according to western dietitians/doctors many types of food commonly consumed in China or Japan are bad for us, yet they hold the record for longest lifespan! Millet, white rice, meat, fat, etc. It works because of variety and moderation.
Hi Marina, fermented cabbage is still goitrogenic. If consumed in small amounts in the context of an iodine rich diet, it is fine. But, people with existing thyroid issues may choose to avoid this food altogether for a time. Glad you like the new look of the blog!
Hi Sarah!
I love the new look of your blog!
Great article – I had no idea that cooking millet actually increases the amount goitrogens! And you are right, I am currently doing a practicum for my nutrition Diploma and doing case studies on real people, and most of the women who volunteered to be my case studies suffer from thyroid issues, I cannot believe how wides spread this condition is!! I was recommending they cooked any goitrogenic foods they consume raw, but I guess this will not help and I will now recommend they avoid them until they get their thyroid normalized.
Another thing. I know raw cabbage is a goitrogen, but do you know if fermented cabbage (saurekraaut) is ok to eat for people with thyroid issues? I would love your response to this!
Thank you!
Hi Anonymous, actually you are wrong – the endosperm of millet is goitrogenic also. Here is an excerpt from a research paper by Chris Masterjohn on this very subject:
"Although the bran is more goitrogenic than the endosperm, traditionally prepared millet that is dehulled (and thus has its bran removed), fermented and cooked into a porridge is exactly the type of millet that is associated with goiter in human populations."