The edible barnyard millets(Echinochloa spp.) which have essentially vanished in the farmhouses environment and in agricultural germplasm were evaluated with the aim of restoration as a crop. The proximate components and mineral elements of milled millet were nutritionally similar or better than brown rice, and the vitamin contents of B1 and B2 exceeded those of rice by 1.3 times and 2.3 times, respectively. β-Carotene which is absent from brown rice was detected at levels ranging from 15～31 ㎍ in millet samples. Nine essential amino acids, including histidine and arginine and eight non-essential amino acids, such as aspartic acid were detected. The sum of all amino acids was determined to be IEC518>525>510 in the range of 69～106 ㎎/g. Analysis of physiological active substances via their electron donating ability(EDA) revealed values ranging from 3.4～8.2%, with the total polyphenol component being 51.1～69.4 ㎎/g and α-glucosidase inhibition ability determined as 8.3～10.9%. In terms of agronomical characteristics and yields of barnyard millet, three millet varieties(IEC510, 518, and 525) were suitable as edible crops. IEC525 was selected as optimum variety for cultivation on the basis of nutritional ingredients, physiological active substances, and yield.