ABSTRACT
Millets are the oldest crops cultivated by humans for domestic purposes. Barnyard millet (Echinochloa crusgalli [L.]), is a nutritionally important and preferred crop since it is a good source of quality protein and dietary fiber and contains a fair amount of soluble and insoluble fractions. Slow digestibility in barnyard millet due to its resistance starch and lower carbohydrate content makes it a suitable candidate for the functional food category. In addition, barnyard millet is also a well-known source of major healthy fatty acids, including palmitic, linoleic, and oleic acids. Barnyard millet contains double the amount of polyphenols and carotenoids than the other millets, which are known to have superb health benefits. This chapter covers the nutritional aspects, therapeutic applications, and processing advancement for better utilization of barnyard millet. It also includes the limitations and future perspectives on the development of varietal millet-based foods to meet the demand of growing populations.
