Millets have been accorded high priority in the Union Budget, making mass nutrition a talking point in national health management. While use of millets has been pushed in mission mode, we must look at practical realities of their adoption. For example, a large number of our rural population, especially those near the poverty index, still depend on highly subsidised rice and wheat. So, the adoption of millets has to make practical sense for them to cross over. Six millets in this country are locally grown and hardy crops. Logically, the cost of production should not be high and the farmer must be incentivised accordingly. Ideally, millets should be priced lower than common grains so that they can reach the common man. The good part about millets is that they can be stored for long periods and have short growth cycles, so there is no reason why they should be more expensive than widely used staples. Obviously, the thrust on millets will lead to commercialisation and mass production processes. And herein lies the challenge with processing. There might be over-processing in industrial units and in that case, millets may lose their nutritional benefits and become just another processed and packaged food. Processing usually removes the fibre, which actually lowers the glycemic index (GI) of millets. So, then you are back to millets having high GI, which means they will cease to have an advantage over polished rice or wheat. It is, therefore, important to ensure there is some regulation to check manufacturing processes. A clear distinction must be made between processed and unprocessed millets and the food labels must carry clear nutritional information so that the consumer knows what they are purchasing. Also, many people think millets are lower in calories but they are not, so portion control is equally important. They build satiety because their fibre and slowly digestible starch ensure one is not able to eat large amounts. That’s why there is a slower rise of glucose. But if you are going to consume millets in unrestricted amounts, then you lose out on any nutritional gains. Millets are warm weather grains, grown and consumed in the Indian subcontinent for more than 5,000 years. Belonging to the grass family, they are resilient, with low requirements of water and are thus highly tolerant to drought and other extreme weather conditions. They do not require fertilisers. They can develop from seeds to ready-to-harvest crops in about three months. Because they are fibre-rich grains, they are a great probiotic for micro-flora in our gut. The fibre in millets hydrates our colon and helps prevent constipation. Millets are gluten-free and are perfect substitutes for wheat if you want to give up gluten or are suffering from Celiac Disease. In general, they contain 7-12 per cent protein, 2-5 per cent fat, 65-75 per cent carbohydrates and 10-12 per cent fibre. There are three major millets grown in India -- jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), and ragi (finger millet). There are several other ‘minor’ millets like foxtail, little, kodo, proso and barnyard millet grown in localised regions of India. Each variety of major millet has some unique properties. The protein content of jowar and bajra is approximately 10-11 gm/100 gm, which is about the same as whole wheat but higher than rice. Ragi has lower protein content (about 7 gm/100 gm). The fibre content of major millets (about 11gm/100 gm) is similar to whole wheat but significantly higher than refined wheat flour or rice (<3 gm/100 gm). All three major millets contain iron but bajra scores above the others in this regard. Ragi is rich in calcium and is the most significant non-dairy source of this mineral in Indian diets, which makes it particularly useful for those with bone issues like osteoporosis. Incorporating ragi in the diet is a great idea for those seeking to increase calcium intake without having to take pills, or for those who have milk allergy/lactose intolerance. Fat soluble B vitamins are present in all three major millets. Bajra is especially rich in B3 (niacin). Research has shown that millets may help lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and lower the HbA1c count in individuals with diabetes. Long term millet consumption in diabetes lowered fasting and post-meal blood glucose levels by 12 to 15 per cent. There was a reduction in HbA1c level (from 6.65 to 5.67 per cent) among pre-diabetic individuals who consumed millets for a long period. Minimally processed millets were 30 per cent more effective in lowering GI of a meal compared to milled rice and refined wheat. Millets can also lower cholesterol absorption and hence reduce the risk of heart disease. So, if you have diabetes or want to reduce your chances of developing it, using millets in place of refined wheat or white rice is a great choice. Jowar contains slowly digestible starch (SDS) which delays carbohydrate absorption. Besides the fibre, vitamin E, phenolic compounds and tannins have anti-oxidant properties. Human studies have shown that jowar-based foods reduce the post-meal spike of blood glucose in diabetes. This benefit is reduced if refined flour is used rather than the coarse form. Bajra reduces the triglycerides too, due to the presence of vitamin B3 (niacin). Ragi contains slowly digestible starch which, like jowar, delays carbohydrate absorption. Besides, polyphenols in ragi inhibit the enzyme aldose reductase, which could potentially reduce diabetes complications.
