Amazing Health Benefits of Millets

Grown in semi-dry areas of Asia and Africa, millets have been widely cultivated as cereal crops or as fodder for animals. They are loaded with fibre and are the best source of complex carbohydrates with numerous health benefits.

It is now a well-proven fact that consuming whole grains on a regular basis may help lose weight, owing to the rich content of fibre and bioactive compounds in them. They are gluten-free grains and hence it can be consumed by everyone.

Millets in India enjoy a prime importance, since India is one of the largest producers clocking 11 million tonnes every year followed by Africa and China. They are not difficult to utilize and are cooked and used the same way as rice.

Millets help to fight Type-2 Diabetes

As you must have seen, millets are all a rich source of magnesium, a mineral which is extremely important for starch digestion.

Magnesium makes many carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, even the ones which manage insulin’s action. Researchers find that magnesium-rich whole grain consumption can help lower the risk of type-2 diabetes.

In addition to this, due to the presence of complex carbs, the glucose release in the bloodstream is also well-regulated.

So have a good morning with a bowl of millets cooked in milk for health. This is impressive millet nutrition.

Millet’s are as nutritious as Fruits and Vegetables

We aren’t pitting one food group against the other but this is what research has to say.

Scientists from Cornell University have found that millets have a good amount of antioxidants just like fruits and vegetables.

According to their research, most of the studies have explored the ‘free’ forms of antioxidants seen amply in fruits and vegetables.

But the difference is that these antioxidants in millets are in the bound form which needs to be released on fermentation by bacteria. Thus the health benefits of millets are on par with vegetables.

Millet’s fight Heart Diseases

One of the phytonutrients amply present in millets is lignans. Lignans are known to be pre-biotic fibre which is fermented in our gut by bacteria.

As per studies, upon fermentation, they yield enterolactone, a product which is known to protect against heart disease and also some forms of breast cancers.

Millet’s help to prevent Gallstones

Studies have shown that consuming foods high in insoluble fibre has the ability to prevent the occurrence of gallstones.

According to a study by the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, people eating both soluble and insoluble fibre reported a 13% lower risk of undergoing gallbladder surgery.

However, those who ate more of insoluble fibre reported a 17% risk reduction of undergoing gallstone surgery. So you can eat the millet grain to prevent gallstones in the future.

Millet’s role in childhood asthma

Studies have found that a combination of whole grains like millets and fish helps reduce the incidence of wheezing in children.

The positive aspect is that millets are gluten-free grains too so it can be well tolerated by many.