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Millet played a key role in China’s historic diet and agriculture

The grain was domesticated long ago, helping humans shift from relying on wild crops to controlling which cereals they grow.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Asia

According to SCMP Economy, rice served as a major staple across Asia, but for much of Chinese history it faced a serious rival in millet, a cereal grain with similar behavior and taste.

The outlet says millet is often used in dishes such as porridge, stir-fries, and fritters, and that in some parts of China it has been favored as food for pregnant women, with millet porridge described as gentle on the stomach.

SCMP Economy adds that while millet has since diminished in cultural importance compared with rice, its domestication, alongside other cereals worldwide, is described as one of the most pivotal events in human history.

The article argues that domesticating millet and other grains helped alter natural landscapes and gave humans the ability to manage the plants they consume rather than relying on wild crops.

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