Millets, know about its benefits and nutritional facts !

Millets are cereal grains that belongs to a grass family known as Poaceae. Just because of its wide range of health benefits, it is used in many developing countries throughout African and Asian continent. Although it looks like a small seed, but it has a vast reserves of various important nutrients. One of the main reasons of gaining popularity in Western countries is, it’s gluten free and provide high quality protein and fibre.

Millets are considered as one of the ancient grains that are used for human and livestock consumption. This grain shows multiple advantages over other crops. Some of them are pest resistant and can survive in barren soil too. Millets also have several sub varieties and mainly divided into 2 parts, major millets and minor millets. Pearl Millet is one of the most common and widely used variety for human consumption.

So let’s come up with some of the impressive health benefits millets may have.

• Have good antioxidant capacity

Ferulic acid and catechins are the two phenolic compound present in millets. These compounds act as antioxidants and protects body from harmful oxidative stress. Studies and researches revealed that ferulic acid helps in rapid wound healing, skin protection and has its own anti-inflammatory properties.

Another one, catechins bind to heavy metals in your bloodstream, thus preventing body from metal poisoning.

• Beneficial in controlling blood sugar levels

Millets have a good reserve of fibre and non starch polysaccharides. Addition to this, this cereals also have low glycemic index. That clearly suggests that it’s unlikely to spike your blood sugar levels.

During a human trial on 105 participants with type 2 diabetes, results in controlled sugar levels after meals when meals were replaced with millets.

Another two months long study over rates with diabetes, found that meal containing 20% of finger millets led to lower fasting sugar levels and a drop in triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

• Best option for gluten free diet

As mentioned earlier, millets are gluten free grains. Thus making it a viable choice for people who are opting for gluten free diets. People with some of the medical conditions like celiac diseases are also advised to take gluten free diet.

Gluten is a very common type of routine that occurs naturally in almost every grain. People with celiac diseases are just intolerant towards gluten and are advised to keep glutens aside. It triggers harmful digestive symptoms, such as diarrhoea, nutrient, malabsorption and irritable bowel syndrome.

However, it is still advisable while going for shopping. Check out the Lay Nutrition label of your millet packet.

So millets are a whole grain that have white reserve of protein, antioxidants and nutrients. Addition to this, unlike other grains it is gluten free. Millets have a vast array of health benefits out of which some of are mentioned above. You can easily add these gluten free grains in your diet in place of other whole grains.