Millet, the superfood, has multiple health benefits, say experts

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned millets as Shree Anna (Mother of all food) during her budget presentation in the Parliament earlier this month, bringing the focus back on this nutritious superfood known for its health benefits for centuries and found in texts from ancient Greece, Rome, and the Bible.
Millet has started to gain popularity in recent times owing to its multiple benefits to physical and mental health besides requiring few inputs to grow and its resistance to drought. India is one of the largest producers of millets in the world, and is also among the top 5 exporters of millets in world.
The year 2018 was marked as the national year of millets by the Government of India to promote the production and consumption of millets. United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution initiated by India to mark 2023 as the “International Year of Millet”. Millet production has been on the rise in recent years and Indian farmers have been increasingly planting millet as a drought-resistant crop.
Diksha Dayal, Head of Nutrition and Dietetics at Sanar International Hospital, told The Sunday Guardian: “Millets are a powerhouse of nutrients. They have reclaimed their space in the kitchen of the more health-conscious. Millets boost your overall health, aid weight loss, and being gluten-free can be enjoyed by one and all. Speak to any fitness enthusiast, and they will vouch for the miraculous benefits of eating millets.”
Diksha further added that millets being rich in niacin “help your body manage more than 400 enzyme reactions besides being important for healthy skin and organ function. Additionally, loaded with phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and manganese, millets work wonders for your overall health and well-being”.
Millets are high in fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and manganese. They have a low glycemic index and help regulate blood sugar levels, making them an ideal food for people with diabetes. Millets also help suppression of cancer cell growth, improved immunity, wound healing, and improved bone health, and antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
Each 100 gram (g) of cooked millet contains 3.51 g of protein, 23.7 g of carbohydrate, 1.3 g of dietary fiber, 44 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, 0.161 mg of copper, 100 mg of phosphorus, and 0.272 mg of manganese.
Dr Komal Malik, Head Dietician from Asian Hospital, Faridabad, told this newspaper, “Millets have a low glycemic index when compared to other grains, so, they are digested slowly, and hence, the blood sugar levels are moderated unlike when we eat general grains where the blood sugar increases at one time. The indigestible portion (insoluble fibres) of millets slows down and regulates the absorption of carbohydrates and fats thus keeping blood sugar levels stable. Therefore, a diet that includes millet is a must-have for people with diabetes.”
Debjani Banerjee, in-charge Dietetics, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi, said, “With a sedentary lifestyle and increasing health awareness to curb lifestyle diseases, people are making conscious choices on the consumption of millets. Having a high source of macronutrients like fibre and protein along with vitamins and minerals such as calcium and magnesium millets are named as ‘superfood’. Millets in the category of ‘superfood’ include sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, and buckwheat among others.”
She adds further that, “Mainly millet crop is grown in the form of coarse grain in Haryana. There are immense possibilities of generating livelihood from bajra/sorghum nutritious grains. It helps to reduce the effects of climate change through less carbon waste than wheat.”