Grains have been included in human diet ever since early
man discovered that these are edible. Acharya NG Ranga
Agricultural University, Hyderabad, has developed millet-based snacks for
health and wellness. Time to add it to your shopping basket.
Health-conscious consumers are now looking for products with
particular ingredients and nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals,
dietary fibre, and now even omega-3, as they offer significant health benefits.
Such products are essential in a country like India, where malnutrition and infectious
diseases remain a silent emergency.
The term ‘millet’ is widely used to refer to a variety of grains
that are popular for their culinary uses as well as their health-promoting
qualities. The health and nutritive benefits associated with millets are
crucial to tackle problems like anaemia, diabetes and several other
degenerative diseases, apart from malnutrition.
Millet is nutritionally equivalent or superior to other cereals.
It is believed that consumption of millets reduces the risks of coronary heart
diseases, diabetes, cholesterol and cancers. It also helps in the treatment of
other health conditions.
Finger millet has slightly lower protein content, but is in fact
nutritionally superior. Finger millet is also high in calcium and iron, and
contains fairly high levels of methionine, a major limiting amino acid in many
tropical cereals. Substances found in millets act against different types of
hormone-dependent cancers, like breast cancer, and also help reduce the risk of
heart disease.
Millets and millet products contain good amount of dietary fibre
and resistant starch. Resistance starch is soluble type and when consumed it
will get fermented by intestinal bacteria and produce short chain fatty acids
which again provide health benefits by altering the intestinal environment and
helps to enhance the mineral absorption etc.
Phytosterols and policosanols are cardio-protective compounds
present in the waxy layers of the millet. If these millets are ground into
flour without de-hulling, then one can have multiple benefits.
Millets have antioxidants, which are substances that may protect
your cells against the effects of free radicals.
Free radicals (molecules produced when your body breaks down
food or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation) can damage
cells and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Some of
the millets, especially ragi, foxtail and some coloured and tanned jowar
varieties, are found to have good amounts of antioxidants.
Besides, millets are gluten free. That is, they are suitable for
gluten-intolerant people with celiac disease. Gluten is a type of protein
present in wheat and related grains.
Traditionally millets have been used mainly in the form of rice,
porridge, roti, pops etc. Although not many products are made with this grain,
de-hulling of the millets enables the processing and value addition.
Thanks to advances in processing technology, the department of
foods and nutrition of Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, has
already developed many value-added products under the National Agricultural
Innovative Project and other millet projects. The list of such products from
ANGRAU Foods includes biscuits (four kinds), gluten-free rawa, vermicelli,
pasta, ready-to-eat extruded snack, bread and noodles.
People
who are looking for health and wellness through cost-effective foods can simply
include millets in their food basket.
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