What is Millet and Why Aren’t We Eating More of It?

When it comes to nutritious, versatile grains, millet is a hidden gemโ€”especially for the gluten-free and allergy-friendly community. This ancient grain is not only good for you but also supports sustainable farming practices. Thanks to partnerships like the Collaborative Integrated Value Chain (CIVC), millet is poised to take its rightful place on your table.

Be sure to watch the short video below featuring Colleen Kavanagh, where she shares why millet is such an important crop and how ZEGOโ€™s partnership with CIVC is helping bring it to your table.

A farmer holds millet in his hands during the dehulling process.

Millet is a small-seeded grain classified as an “ancient grain.”

Known for its resilience, proso millet requires less water than traditional staples like rice and corn. It thrives in various U.S. climates, including those prone to drought, making it a climate-friendly crop.

Why Millet Matters to the Gluten-Free and Allergy-Friendly Community

Millet is naturally gluten-free and free from the top allergens, making it a safe and inclusive option for those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivities, or food allergies. Its mild flavor and versatility allow it to be used in everything from flour for baking to a hearty base for porridge, salads, or bowls.

Nutritionally, this grain is a powerhouse. Itโ€™s high in protein, rich in fiber, and contains essential nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins, making it a valuable addition to any diet. For those looking for clean, nutritious, and allergen-friendly options, millet ticks all the boxes.

Photo of Millet by LeeJianbing

Why Aren’t We Eating More of this Ancient Grain?

Historically, millet was a staple crop in many parts of the world. However, over time, farming subsidies in the U.S. shifted agricultural productionโ€”and our dietsโ€”toward wheat and soy. This shift pushed grains like millet out of the mainstream, leaving it underutilized despite its many benefits. Unfortunately, this also means small-scale farmers who grow millet often struggle to find buyers; and larger mills typically prioritize high-volume crops.

How ZEGO and CIVC Are Bringing Millet Back

At ZEGO, weโ€™re committed to partnering with farmers to reintroduce millet into the market. Our work with CIVC is a key part of this effort. Through this partnership, weโ€™re supporting farmers in growing organic, gluten-free millet as part of their rotational crop practices. This approach improves soil health, reduces heavy metal uptake in plants, and promotes sustainable farming.

This collaboration also allows us to develop the infrastructure needed to process and dehull millet. This ensures we can deliver purity-verified, U.S.-grown millet flour that meets the highest safety and quality standards.

Milletโ€™s versatility makes it ideal for baking bread, making pancakes, or serving as a nutritious main or side dish. Are you ready to get cooking with this healthy, gluten-free grain? Visit our friends at Snacktivist Foods for some creative and delicious millet recipes!

Stay tuned for updates as we bring purity-verified, U.S.-grown millet products to your pantry soon!

Colleen Kavanagh


Colleen has dedicated over 20 years of her career to improving the federal nutrition programs on the local, state, and federal level in her work for Congress, the School Nutrition Association, California Food Policy Advocates, and her own nonprofit project called A Better Course. Frustrated with the inability of federal action to bring truly healthy food to those in need. she started her food company ZEGO in 2013 to focus on food purity and nutrition density. Through ZEGO, she encourages consumers to advocate for themselves and ask the brands they love to measure and report the purity of their food.

๐Ÿ“ Whereโ€™s Zฤ’GO? Oregon and Washington, weโ€™re coming to you! ๐ŸŒฒ

You can now find Zฤ’GO at EVERY Market of Choice location across Oregon: Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, West Linn, Corvallis, Eugene, Bend, Medford and Ashland.

Look for two of our favorites on the shelf:
๐Ÿฅฃ Double Protein Oats: about twice the digestible protein of typical rolled oats
๐ŸŒฑ Regenerative Organic Certified Oats: grown in ways that help restore the soil

Both are organic and purity-protocol gluten-free, and every bag is purity-tested. Scan the QR code to see the results for yourself.

Tag your oat-loving Oregon friends and tell us which store you shop at! ๐Ÿ‘‡

#WheresZEGO #MarketOfChoice #ZEGOfoods #PurityTested #GlutenFree

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โ€œClean eatingโ€ is trendingโ€”but what does *clean* really mean? ๐ŸŒฑ

Simple ingredients are a good start, but what about hidden allergens, pesticide residues, and heavy metals? A clean label doesnโ€™t tell you everything.

At ZEGO, we believe in **proof over promises**. That means rigorous purity testing and transparent results you can check for yourself.

Want to know what to look for when choosing your food? Read our latest blog to learn what clean eating actually means and why transparency matters.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Read the full article: https://zegofoods.com/clean-eating-what-it-means/

Because clean food should come with proof.

#CleanEating #FoodTransparency #FoodSafety #AllergenFriendly #PurityVerified

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๐Ÿฅฃ Know whatโ€™s in your bowl.

At ZEGO, we believe you deserve to know whatโ€™s in your food. Thatโ€™s why our oats are Purity Verified, with lab results you can check yourself.

Hereโ€™s how:
โœ… Scan the QR on your package
โœ… Enter your Best By date
โœ… See the lab results for your lot

Peace of mind, one bowl at a time.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Have you scanned your ZEGO bag yet?

#zegofoods #knowwhatsinyourbowl #purityverified #glutenfreeoats

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๐Ÿฅฃ Find ZEGO on shelves this October!

You can find ZEGO Double Protein Organic Oatmeal at all Andronicoโ€™s Community Market locations and select Safeway stores in San Francisco.

When you find a bag, flip it over and scan the QR code to see the lab results for your specific batch.

๐Ÿ“ Found us at your local store? Tag the location in the comments to help others find us, too!

#ZEGOFoods #WheresZEGO #GlutenFreeOats #RegenerativeOatmeal #NaturalGrocery

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โ€œTry it folks. Itโ€™s really the Best Breakfast Ever!โ€ ๐Ÿฅฃโญโญโญโญโญ

Jo P. found a new morning favorite, and we love how they make it their own! Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s in their bowl:

๐ŸŽ Hot, creamy ZEGO Double Protein Organic Oatmeal
๐Ÿ A dollop of applesauce or a drizzle of maple syrup for a special treat
๐ŸŒพ Specialty raw rolled oats, grown by U.S. farmers

โœ… Purity Verified: third-party tested for 500+ agricultural chemicals and heavy metals, and gluten-free (<5 ppm)

Whatโ€™s your go-to oatmeal topping? Tell us in the comments! ๐Ÿ‘‡

Shop link in bio

#ZEGO #ContainsPeaceOfMind #PurityVerified #OatmealLove #RealReviews

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๐ŸŒฑ What do oats and chickpeas have in common? They can help support healthier soil when grown together in thoughtful crop rotations.

Oats use nitrogen from the soil as they grow and build protein. Chickpeas and other legumes have a unique ability to help replenish nitrogen in the soil through a natural process called nitrogen fixation.

One of the most fascinating signs of this process happens underground. Legume roots can develop small nodules that indicate the plant is actively working with soil microbes to support nitrogen cycling. ๐ŸŒฟ

It's a powerful reminder that healthy food starts long before harvest. What happens beneath the surface helps support resilient soil, thriving crops, and a stronger food system.
At ZEGO, we believe better food begins with understanding where it comes from, how it's grown, and the health of the soil that makes it possible. ๐ŸŒŽ

#ZEGOFoods #RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #RegenerativeFarming #FoodTransparency

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Healthy soil. Stronger harvests. Better food. 

On our Montana farm tour, we saw how thoughtful farming practices help support healthier growing systems. Crop rotation, including planting lentils and chickpeas alongside oats, helps naturally replenish soil nutrients and promote long-term soil health. It's one example of how farmers work with nature to build more resilient food systems.

At ZEGO, we believe better food starts at the source, with transparency every step of the way.

#ZEGOFoods #RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #FoodTransparency #OrganicFarming

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๐Ÿฅฃ Simple. Protein-packed. Made for busy mornings.

Breakfast is evolving, and more people are looking for foods that are quick, simple, nourishing, and made with ingredients they can trust.

Thatโ€™s why we created ZEGO Organic Double Protein Oats. ๐Ÿ’š

With nearly double the digestible protein of typical oats, 20โ€“40% more fiber than standard rolled oats, and Purity Verified: third-party tested for 500+ agricultural chemicals and heavy metals; gluten-free (<5 ppm). Itโ€™s a simple way to bring more nutrition and peace of mind to your morning bowl.

The best part? Make it your own with fresh fruit, a drizzle of honey, nut butter, or yogurt. ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿฏ๐Ÿฅœ

๐Ÿ‘‰ Read our latest blog: LINK IN BIO

#ZEGOFoods #DoubleProteinOats #ProteinBreakfast #FoodTransparency #PurityVerified

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Edacious FoodData just launched, and ZEGO LLC is proud to be included! 

We tested with Edacious and are proud to share our results publicly and be part of a platform that's finally showing the real variability that exists across the foods we all eat.

Check out our page, and explore the platform: LINK IN BIO

#ZEGOFoods #Edacious #FoodData #FoodTransparency #FoodTraceability

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๐Ÿ’š Food transparency is gaining momentum.

Californiaโ€™s proposed โ€œNon-Ultra-Processedโ€ seal could be another step toward a future where consumers have greater access to meaningful food information and independent verification.

At ZEGO, we believe everyone has a right to know whatโ€™s in their food. Thatโ€™s why our Purity Verifiedยฎ program makes testing information easy to access. Simply scan the QR code on your package to see the information behind the food you choose.

Curious about what this proposal could mean for the future of food transparency? Read our latest blog article: LINK IN BIO

#FoodTransparency #PurityVerified #ZEGOFoods #KnowYourFood #PeaceOfMind

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๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿซ ๐— ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ฎ + ๐—ฏ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ฒ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฟ๐˜† + ๐—น๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ป = ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ฒ ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฏ๐—ผ! This creamy, refreshing smoothie packs in plant-based protein, greens, and a delicious burst of blueberry-lemon flavor. โœจ

Matcha Blueberry Lemon Protein Smoothie
๐Ÿฅ› 1 cup gluten-free plant-based milk
๐Ÿฅฌ 1 cup baby spinach
๐ŸŒ 1 banana
๐Ÿซ ยฝ cup blueberries
๐Ÿ’ช 2 tbsp ZEGO Sacha Inchi Protein Powder
๐ŸŒพ 3 tbsp ZEGO Blueberry Lemon Poppy Superfood Oatmeal
๐Ÿต 1ยฝ tsp matcha powder
๐ŸงŠ ยฝ cup ice

Blend everything on high for 30+ seconds until smooth. Add more milk for your desired texture, pour, and enjoy! ๐Ÿ’š

Save this recipe for your next morning smoothie! โœจ
#ZEGOFoods #MatchaSmoothie #ProteinSmoothie #SmoothieRecipe #HealthyRecipes

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๐Ÿ“ ๐—ช๐—›๐—˜๐—ฅ๐—˜โ€™๐—ฆ ๐—ญ๐—˜๐—š๐—ข? ๐—–๐—›๐—œ๐—–๐—”๐—š๐—ข๐—Ÿ๐—”๐—ก๐——! ๐ŸŒ†๐Ÿ’š

Weโ€™re so excited to announce that ZEGO is rolling out across the Chicagoland area at Jewel-Osco! ๐ŸŽ‰

You can now find some of your ZEGO favorites on shelves, including:

-Double Protein Oatmeal
-ROC Oatmeal
-Blueberry Lemon Poppy Superfood Oatmeal
-Cinnamon & Spice Superfood Oatmeal

From the city to the suburbs, weโ€™re thrilled to be bringing ZEGO to more shoppers across the Chicago area. ๐Ÿ›’๐ŸŒฑ

So the next time youโ€™re shopping at Jewel-Osco, keep an eye out for ZEGO! ๐Ÿ‘€

๐Ÿ“ธ Find us? Snap a photo, tag @ZEGOFoods, and show us where you spotted us!

Chicago, weโ€™re so happy to be here. ๐Ÿ’š

#ZEGOFoods #WheresZEGO #JewelOsco #PurityVerified #BreakfastMadeBetter

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๐Ÿ”Ž Food transparency is gaining momentum.

New federal proposals related to GRAS ingredients and ultra-processed foods reflect a growing conversation about giving consumers better access to information about their food. At ZEGO, we believe people deserve meaningful, transparent information so they can make informed choices with confidence.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Read more on the ZEGO blog - link in bio

#FoodTransparency #FoodSafety #KnowYourFood #ZEGO

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