Vikas kapoor
Millets are considered wonder foods. With their high levels of fibre content, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants, they can help fight many modern-day, lifestyle diseases, Important amino acids enhance millets’ nutritional value. However, the nutritive and medicinal potentials of bioactive chemicals found in millets are largely unexplored, and a thorough evaluation of existing evidence in the literature is lacking. Millets include many bioactive principles that have been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk, diabetes, aging, and even cancer. Millets are native grains of many countries including India and can be an alternate staple food, able to overcome issues such as water scarcity, desertification, global warming, and managing carbon footprints. Furthermore, because of their low carbohydrate-fibre ratio they can also be useful in many lifestyle diseases like cardiac, diabetes mellitus, and some kinds of cancer. Consumption of dietary fibre lowers the absorption of glucose maintaining blood glucose levels and is thus useful in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes (NIDDM). Moreover, fibre also binds cholesterol, thus protecting from heart disease. Millet fibre owing to its incomplete/slow fermentation by microflora in the large intestine allows normal gut functioning. Dietary fibre contributes to faecal bulk and along with it increased faecal mobility and fermentation of contents all contribute to the prevention of colon cancer. Millets are also ‘nutritional supplements’ that have phytochemicals such as flavonoids, saponins, tannins phenols, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids and anti-nutrients that are essential for preserving good health and having a significant impact on the treatment of chronic illnesses.
Chandolia Millets are native grains of many countries including India and can be an alternate staple food. Furthermore, because of their low carbohydrate-fibre ratio, they can also be useful in many lifestyle diseases. Millets are also ‘nutritional supplements’ that have phytochemicals and antinutrients that are essential for preserving good health and having a significant impact on the treatment of chronic illnesses.
Millets Dietary Fiber Proteins Lipids Minerals and vitamins Phenolic compounds Phenolic acids are Useful in gastrointestinal disorders and has antiobesity property, Reduces GI of food, Acts as prebiotics, Produces short chain fatty acids and reduces inflammation.
Free from gluten (alternative diet for celiac patients)
Good source of essential amino acids
Good source of unsaturated fatty acids
Useful in combating calcium, iron, and zinc deficiency
Important source of B-complex vitamins and vitamin E
Despite the fact that millets are frequently farmed in dry and semiarid environments, their nutritional value and possible health advantages have received little attention. The nutritional content and other bioactive phytochemicals as shown in of major and minor millets vary greatly. The current review is an attempt to assemble firsthand evidence on nutritional content and its role as a strong phytotherapeutic against a variety of diseases. India’s consumption pattern has been considerably impacted by modernisation, leading to decreased consumption of some grains like millets and increased consumption of foods derived from animals, such as oil, refined sugar, fat, and alcohol. Around 71% of all fatalities worldwide are now attributed to non-communicable illnesses, a burden that has escalated as a result of this consumption pattern. Additionally, the current pattern of intake is crucial in causing oxidative stress. The imbalance between the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues often leads to oxidative stress. Furthermore, ROS have a role in the development of NIDDM, mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, and DNA damage.
Cancer is one of several illnesses caused by damaged DNA. Increase in oxidative stress can significantly contribute to inflammatory diseases like arthritis, vasculitis, adult respiratory disease syndrome, and muscular dystrophy, as well as to AIDS and other conditions. The human body has numerous indigenous antioxidants (naturally produced or given externally through diet) to combat oxidative stress. These antioxidants work as free radical scavengers in preventing and repairing the damages caused by ROS, improving immunological defense, and reducing the risk of degenerative illnesses. Antioxidants are naturally present in millets. Additionally, millets’ free radical scavenging ability can help to prevent and treat diseases that are caused by free radicals as well as lower ROS. Consuming millet will thereby reduce the risk of the mentioned degenerative illnesses by inhibiting oxidative stress.
Benefits of Millets
Impact of Millets on Diabetes Mellitus & Heart Disorders Hyperglycemia and altered protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism are hallmarks of NIDDM, a long-term metabolic illness. Dietary glycaemic load is directly linked to a higher risk of developing NIDDM. Dietary fibre is crucial for glucose regulation. Millet is an excellent source of leucine, slowly digesting carbohydrate (and minerals), blunting the otherwise sudden increase in post-prandial glucose level, thus making it a nutritious food for diabetes. In-vitro studies have revealed effectiveness of millets in controlling postprandial hyperglycemia. Additionally, in-vivo studies have also demonstrated the hypoglycemic effects of millet-based foods following intervention. Increasing the risk of NIDDM significantly increases the risk of heart disorders. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have opposing effects on the chance of developing heart disease. Accordingly, every 1 mg/dL rise in LDL raises heart disorders risk by 2%, and every 1 mg/dL increase in HDL lowers heart diseases risk by 2-3%.
Another factor contributing to the risk of heart disorders is triglyceride, since there has been a long-standing correlation between an elevated triglyceride level and the chance of developing heart diseases. Lowering LDL cholesterol has proven to be the most effective heart diseases prevention strategy out of all others. Therefore, to reduce the risk of heart disorders, a diet that decreases LDL should be chosen. Millets enriched in niacin reduce LDL and triglyceride levels and correct lipoprotein abnormalities. Furthermore, millets retardabsorption of dietary cholesterol. Thus, millets-rich foods are suggested as one of the means to reduce the risk of heart disorders. In-vivo studies show that millet-based meals reduce LDL and increase HDL while decreasing triglycerides (without enhancing LDL level). An in-vivo investigation, on the other hand, discovered a substantial drop in blood glucose and cholesterol levels without affecting HDL.
Impact of Millets on Brain Disorders Several studies have shown that excessive fat consumption in the human diet can not only increase risk of heart diseases but recent epidemiological research has revealed that dementia risk is also increased by a highfat, high-calorie diet. Due to the fact that an HFD has been shown to generate oxidative brain dysfunction may result from stress in the brain. Additionally, oxidative stress is reportedly a catalyst and aggravating factor for neurodegenerative conditions like Addison’s disease (AD). Increased oxidative stress also stimulates pro-inflammatory factor production, which results in inflammation in the brain, which can cause dementia. The cerebral cortex and hippocampus often exhibit tau tangles and amyloid plaques, which are hallmark pathology features of AD. Reducing oxidative stress is proposed to either prevent or lessen the degree of brain dysfunction. In northwest China, millet has long been a staple diet and a venerable traditional grain. High quantities of polyphenols in millet demonstrated remarkable oxidation resistance. However, there aren’t many researches that discuss millet polyphenols in-vivo antioxidant activity. A research indicates that polyphenols and their metabolites are crucial in controlling the amount of oxidative stress in the brain. Either by directly crossing the blood-brain barrier into the brain or by being transformed into tiny metabolic derivates with increased biological activity through the metabolism of intestinal microbiota, dietary polyphenols may have antioxidant and neuroprotective effects..
In terms of production and climatic sensitivity, millets may be even more important than staple grains and healthwise they may be preferable to other cereals because they contain vital amino acids (such as leucine, isoleucine, valine, and phenylalanine), minerals (calcium, iron, and zinc), vitamins, phytochemicals, antioxidant qualities but most importantly fibre.
In recognition of the importance of millets as a nutritious and sustainable food source, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the nutritional and ecological benefits of millets and promote their consumption worldwide.
This ancient grain is now revered by nutritionists and medical experts; conscious eaters and food producers alike. In fact, millets have now united researchers, green crusaders and agriculturalists passionate about sustainability and conscious eating too.
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