10 reasons why Indian Millets must be a part of your daily diet!
All of us must have heard of the healthier food choices and lifestyle from our grandparents and how fit and healthy they always were! They gathered immense health and nutrition from millets and grains they consumed from an early age. Millets can also be called nutritional storehouses. They are the first cereal grain used by humans domestically and they are the oldest of the foods used. Millet has a tiny, pale, yellow seed with a nutty flavor which lends itself well to being cooked and eaten whole. They are rich in minerals, calcium, and fiber in comparison to rice and wheat.
Here Are 7 Kinds of Millets that are gaining popularity in recent times with increased consumer awareness.
- Pearl Millet is commonly known as Bajra – (Majorly consumed in the northwestern states of India)
- Finger Millet is commonly known as Ragi
- Amaranth commonly known as Ramdana or Rajgira
- Buckwheat Millet is commonly known as Kuttu
- Barnyard Millet is commonly known as Sanwa
- Foxtail Millet is commonly known as Kakum
- Kodo Millet is commonly known as Kodon
If made a regular part of your daily diet, millets can be extremely beneficial. Here are the 10 reasons why millets should find a place in your everyday platter!
- Finger Millet or Ragi has 30 times higher calcium content than rice and it can be strongly stated that every other millet has at least twice higher calcium than rice.
- Millets are gluten-free and it is extremely suitable for all those who are gluten intolerant.
- Few phytonutrients in millets help in fighting against hormone-dependent cancers and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
- When kids consume millets on a regular basis the occurrence of asthma and wheezing troubles is found to be reduced.
- It is highly beneficial in post-menopause for women to have control of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Recent research studies have indicated that the regular consumption of millets is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Pearl Millet is an excellent source of iron and protein that helps to cure ailments like anemia and obesity.
- It releases gradual energy because of complex carbohydrates and helps in reducing cholesterol and body weight.
- Millets like Amarnath are fiber rich and keep your digestive system intact.
- They are rich in micronutrients like folate, Vitamin B3, selenium, zinc and magnesium which are essential for various body functions.
(as per the report on Nutritional and Health Benefits of Millets by ICAR – INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MILLETS RESEARCH (IIMR)
A healthy body is a celebration of better food choices and fitness. So dear folks, why not extract energy from Millets that are Gut friendly and easily available!
Wikipedia states that millets are important crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa (especially in India, Mali, and Nigeria), with 97% of millet production in developing countries. The crop is favored due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high-temperature conditions. The most widely grown millet is pearl millet, which is an important crop in India and parts of Africa. Finger millet and foxtail millet are also important crop species.
Some Recipe Ideas
Ragi Dosa –
A healthy south Indian meal made from Finger Millet is a healthy alternate of the regular rice Dosa.
Ingredients – Ragi Flour, Rice flour, Sour curd, coriander, onion green chilly and salt to taste
Bajra Khichdi – A warm and nutritious meal of the winter season.
Ingredients – Coarse Pearl Millet Seeds, Moong daal, Billona Ghee*, cumin, ginger, asafetida for aroma, and salt to taste.
Kuttu Atta Parathas – A religiously significant dish consumed mostly during the fasting times by women in India.
Ingredients – Buckwheat Millet flour, green chilies, sendha salt
We shall be covering many more such topics and recipes with numerous health benefits of these gluten-free varieties of Millets. You try them!
