Millet, A Must-Have Addition to Your Diet to Meet Your Nutritional Needs

Millets are nutritionally similar or superior to major cereal grains. The common millets in India are Sorghum (jowar), Pearl millet (bajra), Foxtail millet (thina), Finger millet (ragi), Barnyard millet (Kavadapullu), Little millet (chama) and Kodo millet (koovaragu). The role of millet in designing modern foods like multigrain and gluten-free cereal products is well known. Millet is an excellent source of micronutrients and macronutrients. 

Pearl millet and barnyard millet are rich sources of iron, meeting the iron requirements of pregnant women suffering from anaemia. There is eight times more calcium in finger millet than in wheat, which makes it an excellent source of calcium and prevents osteoporosis. Foxtail millet contains the highest zinc content among all millets, as well as being an excellent source of iron. Hence, millet can help remove nutritional deficiencies when included in the diet. The protein in finger millet is rich in essential amino acids like methionine, valine, and lysine. Pearl millet contains the highest level of lipids. Of all grains, millet is the richest source of fibre, both crude and dietary. Among all sources of crude fibre, barnyard millet is the best, with an average level. The highest content of dietary fibre is found in little millet and kodo millet. 

A significant amount of polyphenols and other biologically active compounds in millets are thought to play a role in reducing fat absorption, slowing sugar release (low glycaemic index), and thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Although millets are rich in nutritional factors, they contain anti-nutritional factors that will reduce their bioavailability. 

Through malting, roasting/popping, soaking, germination and fermentation, millets are processed to remove ant-nutritional factors and improve their bioavailability. Try to incorporate these processed tiny millets in your diet to reap the health benefits. The millets can be included in your daily diet as whole, powdered, flakes or rava millet and FRESHIVORES gives you all these options to suit your healthy eating habits.