From a few years onwards, people have been taking more care of their health with the healthy food revolution concept. But today, due to the increase in usage of nutrient-rich millets or cereals, there is increased demand for them.
Now, let’s go through the millets and their types and how they benefit people in consuming a healthy diet.
What are millets?
Millets are highly variable small-seeded grasses widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder, i.e., animals and human food.
Millets are one of the essential and famous crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa. The crop is benefited due to its productivity and is grown quickly in dry and high-temperature conditions.
Millets are indigenous to many parts of the world. The most widely grown millet is the pearl millet, a famous crop in India and other parts of Africa.
The finger millet, proso, and foxtail millets are other crop species. Generally, all the millets are tiny in shape and round in size and can be grey, white, yellow, or red in color.
Today, many consume millet because of its rich nutrient value.
The millets are very rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. They are also gluten-free, so they are suitable for feeding people suffering from diabetes and help reduce weight to a great extent. They are also free from cholesterol.
Types of Millets:
Millets have been grown as an essential crop for thousands of years. Millet nutrition is a healthy diet for all types of people. The widely grown millets are pearl millets(sajjalu), Barnyard millet(Udalu and Kodisamulu), Sorghum(Jonnalu), Foxtail millet(Korralu), Little Millets(Samalu), Kodo(Arikelu) and prosos and finger millets(Ragulu).
1. Pearl Millets (Sajjalu):
Pearl millet is widely grown, and India is one of its largest producers. They serve as the best millet nutrition for humans. Because they are rich in phosphorus and magnesium.
It plays a vital role in structuring the body cells. Consuming pearl millet, i.e., sajjalu, will avoid the risk of type 2 diabetes. It also acts as a cofactor in enzymatic reactions, etc. For more details about pearl millet and its advantages and benefits, click here for pearl millet nutrition.
- Nutritional Benefits: High in fiber, protein, magnesium, and iron.
- Weight Loss Benefits: The high fiber and protein content helps keep you full for longer periods, reducing overall calorie intake.
2. Finger Millets (Ragi Benefits):
Finger millets, also known as African Finger millets, ragi, or red millets, are very popular in South India.
Ragi is considered a healthy substitute for rice and wheat. Finger millets contain more Iron and are rich in calcium and protein. Which also acts as an antioxidant in Indian foods.
It also contains the Amino acids required by the human body. It is considered the best millet nutrition for all age groups as it is free from gluten, which is essential for the development of the brain in kids.
- Nutritional Benefits: Abundant in calcium, fiber, and amino acids.
- Weight Loss Benefits: The fiber helps in digestion and prevents overeating by promoting a feeling of fullness.
For more information on the benefits and advantages of ragi, please go through the link.
3. Foxtail millets (Korralu):
Foxtail millets, also known as korralu in Telugu, are healthy, blood sugar-balancing carbohydrates. They are available in the form of rice flour and semolina.
- Nutritional Benefits: Rich in dietary fiber, protein, iron, and calcium.
- Weight Loss Benefits: The high fiber content helps maintain satiety, reduces hunger pangs, and regulates blood sugar levels.
Due to the excess presence of iron and calcium, this millet helps strengthen or gain immunity. One can easily resist any attacks or diseases if consumed with these korralu. They also help maintain your body balance, weight control, blood sugar, etc.
Healthy foxtail millet nutrition helps control your body's activities to a great extent. Click the above link for more details regarding the benefits of foxtail millet.
4. Kodo Millets (Arikelu):
Kodo millets are known as likely in Telugu and contain a high amount of polyphenols, an antioxidant compound. They are high in fiber content and low in fat.
- Nutritional Benefits: Contains high amounts of fiber, proteins, and antioxidants.
- Weight Loss Benefits: The high fiber content promotes satiety and reduces the urge to snack between meals.
They serve as the best and most healthy food for diabetes patients. It can easily control and balance the sugar levels.
Click here for more benefits on Kodo millet nutrition.
5. Little Millets (Samalu):
Little millets are known as small, and they are tiny in size compared with other millets like finger, foxtail, etc. These little millets are packed with good B vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium, and they also provide other nutrients that help in weight loss.
- Nutritional Benefits: High in fiber, B-vitamins, and essential minerals like iron and magnesium.
- Weight Loss Benefits: The high fiber content aids digestion and keeps you full longer, aiding in weight management.
It is rich in fiber and is used in many traditional dishes in South India. It also helps control diabetes and diseases related to the stomach, etc.
For more details about the little millet benefits, please go through here.
6. Barnyard Millets (Odalu):
Barnyard millets are known as Odalu. This nutrient-rich millet is rich in fiber, which helps in effective weight loss.
It is a rich combination of calcium and phosphorus. It helps build bones and fight bone diseases. It also helps cure type 2 diabetes.
- Nutritional Benefits: Rich in fiber, iron, and B-complex vitamins.
- Weight Loss Benefits: Low in calories and high in fiber, it aids in better digestion and helps control weight.
With barnyard millet nutrition, one can make one's body healthy and wise.
7. Sorghum Millets(Jonnalu):
Sorghum millets are also known as Jowar In India. They are used to make flatbreads and rotis, which are rich in iron, calcium, protein, and fiber. They also help to control cholesterol levels.
- Nutritional Benefits: Rich in dietary fiber, protein, iron, and antioxidants.
- Weight Loss Benefits: Its high fiber content helps control appetite, and its low glycemic index keeps blood sugar levels stable.
Jowar contains many antioxidants and is of high nutrient value. It helps to improve metabolism. For a healthy diet and consumption of jowar, click here for more details on the benefits of Sorghum millet nutrition.
How to Incorporate Millets into Your Diet for Weight Loss
- Breakfast: Millet porridge or millet-based cereals.
- Lunch: Millet salads or replacing rice with millet in dishes like pilaf.
- Dinner: Millet-based soups or rotis made from millet flour.
- Snacks: Millet-based snacks like energy bars or roasted millet.
By including a variety of millets in your diet, you can enjoy their numerous health benefits while effectively managing your weight.
Healthy benefits from millet nutrition:
In the olden days, millets were used to serve birds and animals until their importance was known to the world. Because they are incredibly rich in nutrition, they are used in many of our dishes today.
Millets are served for healthy consumption in our diet. Because they help control and maintain your body in case of certain diseases and attacks. They help and act as the best immunity control agents.
- The increase in diabetes patients led to a surge in demand for millet. Millets are best for curing certain health-related issues as they are gluten-free.
- Millets are good for coronary diseases, as these little grains are the powerhouse of the best nutrition. They can control heart health and effectively reduce coronary blockage, etc.
- They also reduce the risk of heart strokes, blood pressure, etc.
- Millets can improve and maintain sugar levels in the body. Due to its rich millet nutrition, it is used to cure type 2 diabetes.
- Millets also help promote healthy digestion. Because they are rich in fiber, they reduce digestive and gastrointestinal problems. They also reduce diseases related to the liver and kidneys.
- They help detoxify the body and balance the enzymatic reactions.
Conclusion:
Millets are now renowned as an essential diet factor in everyone’s life today. So start your healthy diet with the cereals mentioned above and free your body from diseases or attacks. Due to their rich nutrient value, they are endorsed with many benefits. So make them part of your diet.
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