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Millets may be more nutritious than other cereals
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Thursday, 23 February, 2023, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Priyanka and Kiranbeer Kaur
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As said by Hippocrates, "Let food be Thy Medicine shall be Thy Food". We have to reboot ourselves by switching to organics and millets. As millets are regarded as a superfood. They can help combat many modern-day lifestyle disorders due to their high quantities of fibre, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Important amino acids enhance millet's nutritional value. Millets contain several bioactive principles that have been demonstrated to lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, and even cancer. This article looks at the potential health benefits of millet.
Millets are natural grains of many nations, including India, and may be used as an alternative staple food to address concerns such as water shortages, desertification, global warming, and carbon footprint management. Furthermore, due to their low carbohydrate-fibre ratio, they may be beneficial in several lifestyle conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer. Dietary fibre consumption reduces glucose absorption while maintaining blood glucose levels, making it advantageous in non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM). Furthermore, fibre binds cholesterol, protecting against heart disease.
Millet fibre enables regular gut functioning due to its incomplete or slow fermentation by microorganisms in the large intestine. Dietary fibre increases fecal bulk while also increasing fecal motility and fermentation of contents, both of which contribute to the prevention of colon cancer. Millets are also 'nutritional supplements,' containing phytochemicals such as phenols, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and tarpenoids, as well as anti-nutrients that are essential for maintaining good health and have a significant impact on the treatment of chronic illnesses. They include essential amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, fibres, folic acid, vitamins such as thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and potassium. Millet-based foods nourish the body and protect it from diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammation, gastrointestinal issues, and others.
Raising the danger of Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet (Ragi) (major millets), Foxtail Millet (Kakum), Little Millet (Kutki), Kodo Millet (Kodon), Proso Millet (Chenna), and Barnyard millet (Sanwa) are among the millets (minor millets). Some pseudo millets are Amaranth (Rajgira), Buckwheat (Kuttu). These are among the earliest foods that humans have ever consumed. One of the several varieties of coarse cereal grasses in the Poaceae family, these are grown for their tiny edible seeds. Although pseudo millets do not belong to the Poaceae botanical family, which is the family to which "true" grains do, they are nutritionally comparable to "true" grains and can be used in similar ways.
Modernisation has had a significant influence on India's consumption pattern, resulting in decreased consumption of some cereals such as millet and increasing consumption of animal-derived goods such as oil, refined sugar, fat, and alcohol. Non-communicable diseases currently account for around 71% of all mortality globally, a burden that has grown as a result of this consumption pattern.
Furthermore, the present pattern of consumption is critical in creating oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is frequently caused by an imbalance between the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues. Furthermore, ROS has a role in the development of NIDDM, mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, and DNA damage. Cancer is one of the numerous diseases caused by faulty DNA. Increased oxidative stress can considerably contribute to inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, vasculitis, adult respiratory disease syndrome, and muscular dystrophy, as well as AIDS and other ailments.
To resist oxidative stress, the human body possesses a plethora of indigenous antioxidants (naturally generated or provided externally through food). These antioxidants act as free radical scavengers, preventing and repairing ROS-induced damage, enhancing immunological response, and lowering the risk of degenerative diseases. Millets naturally contain antioxidants. Furthermore, the potential of millets to scavenge free radicals can aid to prevent and treat illnesses caused by free radicals, as well as reduce ROS. Consuming millet reduces the risk of the aforementioned degenerative diseases by decreasing oxidative stress.
Potential Health Implications:
Millets are favourable in lifestyle, diseases like cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues due to their low carbohydrate: fibre ratio, higher antioxidant content, and other impacts. Millets may even be more significant than staple grains in terms of production and seasonal sensitivity, and they may be more nutritious than other cereals. Because they are rich in essential nutrients like fibre and essential amino acids like leucine, isoleucine, valine, and phenylalanine as well as minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc.
Impact of Millets on Diabetes Mellitus
The hallmarks of NIDDM, a chronic metabolic disease, are hyperglycemia and altered protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism. A higher risk of developing NIDDM is closely correlated with a dietary glycemic load. Dietary fibre is essential for the metabolism of glucose. Millets are natural foods for diabetes because they are a good source of the amino acid leucine, a carbohydrate that digests slowly, and minerals that reduce the sharp rise in postprandial glucose levels. Studies done in vitro have shown that millets are excellent at reducing blood sugar levels. Additionally, in vivo investigations have shown that millet-based meals have hypoglycemic effects with intervention.
Impact of Heart Disease
The risk of cardiac diseases rises dramatically as NIDDM risk rises. In terms of the likelihood of developing heart disease, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have opposing effects. As a result, every 1 mg/dL increase in LDL increases the risk of heart disease by 2%, while every 1 mg/dL increase in HDL reduces the risk of heart disease by 2-3%. Triglycerides are another element that raises the risk of developing heart conditions because there is a long-standing link between having high triglyceride levels and an increased risk of heart conditions. The best method of preventing heart disease is to lower LDL cholesterol, according to research. Therefore, a diet that lowers LDL should be chosen to lower the risk of cardiac problems. Niacin-enriched millets lower LDL and triglyceride levels and correct lipoprotein abnormalities.
Impact of Millets on Cancer
As anti-nutrients that reduce the incidence of colon and breast cancer in animals, millet grains include phenolic components like phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins. Fibroin-modulator-binding protein (FMBP), a novel 35kD protein isolated from foxtail millet, was shown in an in-vivo study to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells by causing GI phase arrest and the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, which causes colon cancer cells to undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death) through the activation of caspase.
Impact of Millets on Brain Disorders
Stress in the brain may result in oxidative brain dysfunction because an HFD has been demonstrated to produce it. Furthermore, it has been suggested that oxidative stress is a trigger and exacerbating factor for neurological disorders like Addison's disease (AD). Increased oxidative stress also promotes the synthesis of pro-inflammatory factors, which causes inflammation in the brain and can lead to dementia.
(The authors are M.Sc. students, Department of Food Science and Technology, I.K.G. Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala. They can be reached at gursimrank999@gmail.com,
kiranbeer51@gmail.com )
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