Posted on January, 25, 2023 at 09:57 am
2023 has been declared as the “International year of Millets” by the United Nations. The media is full of news and information about “millets.” A question repeatedly asked these days is, are millets good for people with diabetes?
What are millets?
Millets are warm weather grains, grown and consumed in the Indian subcontinent for more than 5,000 years. Belonging to the grass family, millets are small, hardy grains with low requirements of water and are thus highly tolerant to drought and other extreme weather conditions. They do not require fertilisers. They can develop from seeds to ready-to-harvest crops in about three months. Millets lost importance as wheat and rice became the main crops in India and they were relegated to being coarse or “rural” grains. However, their short growing period and long survival on storage (> 2 years) make them a great option for India.
Millets are nutritious, fibre-rich grains that act as a probiotic for micro-flora in our gut. The fibre in millets hydrates our colon and helps prevent constipation. Giving up gluten has become exceedingly popular, almost a fashion, these days. Well, millets are gluten-free and are perfect substitutes for wheat if you want to give up gluten or are suffering from Celiac Disease. In general, they contain 7-12 per cent protein, 2-5 per cent fat, 65-75 per cent carbohydrates and 10-12 per cent fibre.
There are three major millets grown in India — jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), and ragi (finger millet). There are several other ‘minor’ millets like foxtail, little, kodo, proso and barnyard millet grown in localised regions of India.
Each variety of major millet has some unique properties. The protein content of jowar and bajra is approximately 10-11 gm/100 gm, which is about the same as whole wheat but higher than rice. Ragi has lower protein content (about 7 gm/100 gm). The fibre content of major millets (about 11gm/100 gm) is similar to whole wheat but significantly higher than refined wheat flour or rice (12g/100 gm) and are also exceptionally rich in copper and niacin.
How can we use millets in our daily diet?
Whole grain millets work well for porridge and upma type of preparations. They can also be used as khichdi. Millet flour can be used to make chapatis and the batter can be used for idli or dosa. Remember, however, that the more processed or refined the flour, the less nutritious it is. A good approach is to rotate millet use or use mixtures. This will ensure that we obtain maximum benefit.
With all these properties, millets can help in weight loss (provided you don’t stuff yourself), reduce risk of developing diabetes, and make diabetes easier to control. In addition they help to lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease and improve our gut health. It’s never easy to change one’s staple cereal but this is the time to give millets a trial on your plate.
Source: India Express