Cereals and millets · IFCT 2017
Varagu millet: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, the grain IFCT 2017 lists as varagu gives 332 kcal, 8.9 g protein, 6.4 g dietary fibre and 122 mg magnesium. It ranks 3rd of 14 cereals and millets for both riboflavin and folate. Read the label carefully, though: IFCT pairs this entry with the botanical name of foxtail millet, so the sample may not be kodo millet.
About varagu millet
Varagu is the Tamil name for kodo millet, a hardy small millet of the Deccan and central India, called kodon in Hindi and arikelu in Telugu. IFCT 2017, however, records this entry under Setaria italica, the botanical name of foxtail millet, and the regional names it lists are foxtail millet names: thinai in Tamil, kangni in Punjabi, rala in Marathi, thina in Malayalam and konidhan in Assamese. The safest reading is that these figures describe the small millet IFCT tested under the varagu label, which may be foxtail millet.
In the kitchen the two grains behave much the same. Both are hulled, cooked like rice and eaten with sambar or rasam, or turned into pongal, upma, kichadi, payasam and dosa batter. In Tamil Nadu, varagu arisi and thinai arisi sit side by side in grocery shops, and both have returned to city menus as part of the millet revival.
What varagu millet brings to a meal
- 01
Riboflavin near the top
This millet has 0.2 mg riboflavin per 100 g, 3rd of 14 cereals and millets and 22nd of 241 foods. Riboflavin helps the body release energy from food.
- 02
Folate ahead of most grains
At 39 micrograms per 100 g, it ranks 3rd of 13 grains for folate, about 13 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 18 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Magnesium and thiamine
It gives 122 mg magnesium and 0.29 mg thiamine per 100 g, covering about 28 per cent of a man's magnesium and 16 per cent of his thiamine.
- 04
Low in potassium and iron
Potassium is 94 mg per 100 g, the lowest of the 14 grains, and iron is 2.34 mg, 11th. Its strengths lie in B vitamins and magnesium, not in iron.
Varagu millet nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 332 kcal | 16% | 20% |
| Protein | 8.9 g | 16% | 19% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 66.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 6.4 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.3 g | ||
| Total fat | 2.5 g | ||
| Water | 14.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.25 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 21 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 15 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 2.34 mg | 12% | 8% |
| Zinc | 1.65 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Magnesium | 122 mg | 28% | 33% |
| Phosphorus | 101 mg | ||
| Potassium | 94 mg | ||
| Sodium | 3 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.26 mg | ||
| Selenium | 14.1 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 1 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.29 mg | 16% | 17% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.2 mg | 8% | 8% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.49 mg | 8% | 11% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.07 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Folate (B9) | 39 µg | 13% | 18% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.03 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 3.8 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Varagu millet: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/cereals-and-millets/kodo-millet-varagu/
Where varagu millet sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 cereals and millets and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In cereals and millets | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folate (B9) | 39 µg | 3rd of 13 | 85th of 197 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.29 mg | 8th of 14 | 39th of 239 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.2 mg | 3rd of 14 | 23rd of 241 |
How varagu millet is eaten
- Millet rice: cooked like rice in a pot or pressure cooker and served with sambar, kuzhambu or rasam.
- Pongal: cooked soft with moong dal, pepper, cumin and ghee, for breakfast or a light dinner.
- Upma and kichadi: the grain roasted, then simmered with vegetables and a mustard and curry leaf tadka.
- Payasam: cooked in milk with jaggery and cardamom, the way thinai payasam is made in Tamil homes.
- Dosa batter: soaked millet ground with urad dal and fermented overnight.
Before you plan around it
The naming problem is the main caveat on this page. IFCT 2017 calls the entry varagu but gives it the botanical name and regional names of foxtail millet, so treat the figures as belonging to the sample IFCT tested, not as certain values for kodo millet. Whichever grain it is, it carries phytate, so soaking before cooking or fermenting it into dosa batter helps mineral absorption. Kodo millet in particular should be bought from a trusted source, because damp-stored grain can pick up a mould toxin. At 66.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g, portion size still matters.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about varagu millet
Is varagu kodo millet or foxtail millet?
In Tamil, varagu means kodo millet and thinai means foxtail millet. IFCT 2017 lists this entry as varagu but gives the botanical name Setaria italica, which is foxtail millet, and foxtail millet's regional names. The figures should be read as IFCT's varagu sample, whose identity is uncertain.
How much protein is in varagu?
IFCT 2017 lists 8.9 g protein per 100 g for this millet, 9th of 14 cereals and millets. That is roughly 16 per cent of a man's daily protein need and 19 per cent of a woman's. Serve it with dal or curd for a complete meal.
Is varagu gluten-free?
Yes. Kodo millet and foxtail millet are both naturally free of gluten, so either suits people with coeliac disease, as long as the grain has not been processed alongside wheat.
Is varagu good for diabetes?
Its 6.4 g fibre per 100 g makes it a more filling swap than milled rice, but it is still 66.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g. A modest portion with dal and vegetables works best. People with diabetes should settle their millet portions with a doctor or dietitian.
Related foods and tables
Samai (little millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ragi (finger millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jowar (sorghum)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bajra (pearl millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rice
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) per 100 g.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by riboflavin (vitamin b2) per 100 g.
All cereals and millets
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
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