Question 1

Are all your products organic?

Accepted Answer

Our farmers practice natural and traditional farming without synthetic chemicals or pesticides. However, many small-scale farmers do not hold expensive 'certified organic' labels due to the high costs involved. We prioritise chemical-free cultivation and soil health over official certifications — and we visit each farm to verify the practices ourselves.

Question 2

Are these products really free of pesticides and chemicals?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our partner farms use zero synthetic fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides. Instead, they rely on neem-based sprays, vermicompost, traditional crop rotation, and intercropping. We do periodic lab checks on random batches and can share test reports on request.

Question 3

Who are the farmers you work with?

Accepted Answer

We partner with small-scale farmers from marginalised agricultural communities across 13 states — Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. You can meet them on our Farmers page and trace your specific product batch to its farm of origin.

Question 4

Why do you charge more than the supermarket equivalent?

Accepted Answer

Because our farmers are paid fairly and no middlemen take a cut between the field and our warehouse. Heirloom grains also have lower yields than high-input commercial crops, which is reflected in the price. What you pay for is real traceability, traditional processing, and a living wage for the farmer.

Question 5

What are heirloom or heritage varieties?

Accepted Answer

Heirloom varieties are traditional crop cultivars that have been saved and replanted for generations without genetic modification or commercial hybridisation. They tend to have richer nutritional profiles, more complex flavours, and deeper ties to local ecology. Many of the varieties we carry — like Chak-Hao black rice or Lakadong turmeric — grow nowhere else in the world.

Question 6

Why does the colour or size of the grains vary between batches?

Accepted Answer

Because our products are naturally grown and unpolished, slight variations in colour, size, and texture between harvests are completely normal. This is a sign of chemical-free purity and non-standardised, traditional farming — not a defect. Commercial grains are polished and sorted to an artificial uniformity; ours are not.

Question 7

What does 'stone-milled' or 'cold-pressed' actually mean?

Accepted Answer

Stone milling grinds grain between two rotating millstones at a low speed that does not generate significant heat. This preserves the bran, germ, and oils intact — unlike roller milling, which strips the grain and heats the flour. Cold-pressing extracts oils at low temperature without chemical solvents, preserving natural fatty acids, polyphenols, and flavour. Both methods are slower and more expensive than industrial alternatives — and produce measurably more nutritious results.

Question 8

Are your products gluten-free?

Accepted Answer

Our millets (barnyard, kodo, little, proso, ragi, jowar), rice varieties, lentils, and besan (chickpea flour) are naturally gluten-free. Our stone-ground emmer wheat (Khapli) and other wheat-based flours contain gluten. We do not operate a dedicated gluten-free facility, so there is a possibility of cross-contact for people with coeliac disease.

Question 9

How do I cook unpolished rice or millets?

Accepted Answer

Traditional, unpolished grains take longer to cook because their nutrient-rich bran layer is intact. We recommend washing thoroughly and soaking for 2–4 hours before cooking — this reduces cooking time and improves nutrient bioavailability. The water-to-grain ratio is typically slightly higher than for polished equivalents: 2.5:1 for millets, 2:1 for most rice varieties.

Question 10

How should I store these products?

Accepted Answer

Store in a cool, dark, dry place — a pantry shelf away from direct sunlight is ideal. Because our grains are unpolished and chemical-free, they are more susceptible to pests than treated commercial grains. Transfer to an airtight container immediately after opening, or store in the refrigerator for products you won't use within a month. Cold-pressed oils keep best in a dark glass bottle away from heat.

Question 11

My ragi flour or millet smells a little earthy — is it safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Freshly milled whole-grain flours have a distinct, slightly fermented or earthy smell compared to the bland smell of refined commercial flour. This is the bran and germ — and the sign of a live, nutritious flour. If the smell is sharp, rancid, or sour in an unpleasant way, the flour may be past its best. Our millets and flours have a 6–9 month shelf life from the milling date printed on the packet.

Question 12

Can I substitute your millet flour for wheat flour in everyday cooking?

Accepted Answer

You can substitute 25–50% of wheat flour with millet flour in most recipes without affecting texture. Going higher requires adjusting the liquid ratio and often a binding agent (like a flax egg) since millets contain no gluten. Our recipe section has specific guidance for ragi, jowar, and besan in a range of dishes.

Question 13

How do I trace my product's origin?

Accepted Answer

Every package comes with a unique batch code. Enter it on our Trace page to see exactly which farm your product comes from, the harvest season, and the packing date. If your product hasn't arrived yet, you can use the order number from your confirmation email to check status.

Question 14

How do I track my order?

Accepted Answer

Once your order is dispatched, you will receive a tracking link via email. Orders are typically dispatched within 2–3 working days. If you haven't received a tracking email within 4 working days of your order, write to us at the Contact page.

Question 15

Do you ship internationally?

Accepted Answer

Currently, we only ship within India. We are a small team focused on strengthening the domestic food system — connecting rural producers directly to urban homes. International shipping is something we hope to open in the future.

Question 16

What if my order arrives damaged?

Accepted Answer

If your order arrives damaged or if a product appears defective, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery with a photograph. We will issue a replacement or a full refund — whichever you prefer — without requiring you to return the damaged goods.

Question 17

Do you offer subscription or repeat delivery?

Accepted Answer

Not yet — but we're building it. Staple items like flour, oil, and rice that people buy monthly make the most sense for a subscription model, and we plan to launch this in the second half of 2026. In the meantime, you can write to us and we'll manually set up a recurring order.

Question 18

How does buying from BeeaBeej benefit farmers?

Accepted Answer

We pay farmers directly, cutting out the mandis, aggregators, and distributors who typically take 40–60% of the value chain. We pre-buy harvests where possible to absorb weather risk and offer farmers price stability they can plan around. For every batch you can trace, you can see exactly which farmer and community benefited.

Question 19

Are you involved in seed-saving or conservation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We source exclusively from farmers who hold their own seed from season to season. No hybrids, no patented varieties. Several of the grains we carry — like Gobindobhog rice and Chak-Hao black rice — are at risk of disappearing because commercial farming offers higher short-term yields. Every purchase supports a farmer's decision to keep growing them.

Question 20

Are your products good for diabetes?

Accepted Answer

Many of our products are specifically well-suited to diabetic diets. Millets (barnyard, kodo, little, foxtail) have glycemic indices of 43–65 — substantially lower than polished white rice (GI 72+) or maida (GI 85). Toor dal has a GI of 22. Our 'Eat for Health' section has a dedicated Diabetes guide with specific ingredient recommendations and the mechanisms behind them.

Question 21

I have anaemia. Which products should I prioritise?

Accepted Answer

Barnyard millet (15–18mg iron/100g), Mappillai Samba rice (3.4mg), and our Jaggery (11mg) are high-iron choices. Always pair iron-rich foods with a Vitamin C source (lemon, tamarind) — this increases non-heme iron absorption 3–6 times. Cook in cast iron if possible. See our Anaemia guide under 'Eat for Health' for the full protocol.

Question 22

Are your products safe during pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Yes — most of our products are excellent for pregnancy. Besan has 437µg of folate per 100g (critical for neural tube development). Ragi provides 344mg calcium — more than milk. Raw honey should be avoided during pregnancy (safe postpartum), and excess fenugreek in the first trimester is not recommended. Our Pregnancy guide under 'Eat for Health' has detailed guidance.

Question 23

Is jaggery really healthier than white sugar?

Accepted Answer

Jaggery is nutritionally superior to white sugar, though it should still be consumed in moderation. Key differences: jaggery contains 11mg iron per 100g vs. 0.1mg in white sugar; 1,050mg potassium vs. negligible; and molasses phenolics that refining strips out. Its GI (55–68) is marginally lower than white sugar (65–70). Palm jaggery (Karupatti) has an even lower GI of 40–55 and 13.5mg iron.

Question 24

What makes your millets different from supermarket millets?

Accepted Answer

Most supermarket millets are polished, machine-processed, and aged 12–18 months. Ours are unpolished (intact bran layer), sourced directly from tribal farmers, and packed within 6–8 weeks of harvest. Unpolished millets provide 3–4× more fibre, iron, and minerals. The nutritional difference is substantial, not marginal.

Question 25

Why is virgin coconut oil solid in the container?

Accepted Answer

Virgin coconut oil solidifies below 24°C — completely normal and a sign of quality. It is solid in winter and liquid in summer. To liquefy, place the sealed jar in warm (not hot) water for a few minutes. Refined coconut oil stays liquid because its natural fatty acid structure has been altered through processing.

Question 26

Do you carry anything for people who cannot eat gluten?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the majority of our catalogue is naturally gluten-free: all millets, all rice varieties, all lentils and pulses, cold-pressed oils, honey, and jaggery. Our only gluten-containing products are the Emmer Wheat (Khapli) flour and wheat-derived products. You can filter by 'Gluten Free' in the recipe section.

Question 27

What is the Field Guide?

Accepted Answer

The Field Guide is our ingredient encyclopaedia — 45+ heirloom ingredients explained with sourcing information, clinical nutrition science, Ayurvedic classification, GI tags, and cultural context. Every ingredient links to its product in our shop and to relevant health condition guides. Browse it at /learn or from the 'Learn' tab in the navigation.

Question 28

What are the 'Eat for Health' guides?

Accepted Answer

The 'Eat for Health' section has 13 condition-specific guides — Diabetes, PCOS, Anaemia, Heart Health, Gut Health, Pregnancy, Thyroid, Children's Nutrition, Bone Health, Immunity, Skin & Hair, Liver Health, and Weight Management. Each guide lists evidence-based ingredient recommendations with clinical mechanisms explained, foods to avoid, Ayurvedic perspective, and direct buy links.

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