Potential of Millets: Nutrients Composition and Health Benefits

Abstract

Millet grains have substantial benefits as a draught resistant crop, yield good productivity in the areas with water scarcity, possesses remarkable edible & nutritive values, and ease of processing & food manufacturing. Agriculture & Food security policymakers of developing countries should give due attention in promoting the research work & projects for studying the processing, food manufacturing, improvement in nutritive values and potential health benefits of the millet grains to promote their utilization as food in respective countries. Most of the developing countries have already started working in the field of improvement of edible potential of millet grains. Millet oil could be a good source of linoleic acid and tocopherols. Millet is an alkaline forming grain that is gluten-free. Millets are also rich sources of phytochemicals and micronutrients, play many roles in the body immune system. Millets have nutraceutical properties in the form of antioxidants which prevent deterioration of human health such as lowering blood pressure, risk of heart disease, prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, decreasing tumor cases etc. Other health benefits are increasing the time span of gastric emptying, provides roughage to gastro intestine. Millet is an alkaline forming food. Alkaline based diet is often recommended to achieve optimal health. In developing country, cereal-based foods have low bioavailability of minerals like iron, zinc initiate critical problem for infants and young children. Food processing techniques are used to enhance nutritional quality, improve the digestibility and bioavailability of food nutrients with reducing anti-nutrients. This study undertakes to concern and developing specific agenda for these crops which must be recognized as an important food and introduce the millets as a nutritious food, fulfillment of the nutritional need of global population and combat malnutrition.