NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILLETS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Millets are a group of small-seeded cereal grains that have played a significant role in the history of agriculture and human nutrition. They are the main source of food in the semiarid tropics and ensure nutritional security for poor people. Millets are also good for the environment with low water & input requirement. Millets are a powerhouse of nutrients. Millets boost our health and improve weight loss, besides being gluten-free. Millets are climate-resilient crops, and they play an important role in reducing greenhouse gases. Bajra or Pearl millet has fibre content which makes it healthier. Finger millet or ragi is the highest source of calcium and potassium. It has a higher content of dietary fibre, minerals, sulphur-containing amino acids, etc. Little millet has a high amount of protein, fat, dietary fibre, mineral content and low trans fat. Barnyard millet is most effective in reducing blood glucose and lipid levels. These are hardy plants that can grow in water-deficient and low nutritive areas and are the crops for the future to make poverty away.