There is an increased awareness among people about health issues that plague human health. Though our forefathers used millet as their main food grain for carbohydrate requirements, the increased use of rice because of its convenience, encourage people to eat rice at the cost of ignoring millet.
Recent findings show that using millets (even partly) can substantially bring down obesity and help in keeping blood sugar at acceptable levels. A sedentary lifestyle is to blame partly for the high rate of blood pressure and diabetes in the population.
Increased awareness is turning people back to ancient grains, since they are flexible to use in any way.
About Millet
This is one of the ancient grain, one of the earliest grains to be cultivated in Africa and Asia. It was once the staple grain to be used as a carbohydrate source.
Over the years, however, the use of rice increased and ancient grains, like millet, came to be used less. This is a versatile grain; it goes well in making millet snacks and as a regular food too. Because of its low oil content, it is widely used where diet fats want oil-free snacks. It is also a diabetic-friendly snack because of its superior fiber content that makes it release energy slowly.
Due to its higher dietary fiber of insoluble types, also known as “prebiotic”, it is able to support essential bacteria in the digestive tract for improved digestion and adding mass to stool. This helps to reduce colon cancer. The other benefits are its versatility; it can be used in recipes with low-fat content requirements.
Millet Vs Other Grains – Comparison
Millet scores higher than rice; in fact, rice is nowhere near in comparison to the benefits.
The Glycemic index is a measure of how fast sugar will be released in the bloodstream. The lower the value the better it is for people with diabetic conditions. This ancient grain has a lower glycemic index.
Brown rice vs millets for diabetes:
Millets perform far better than brown rice and is often recommended for patients who have uncontrolled diabetes.
Is Millet Good for Weight Loss?
People are becoming more health conscious and are increasingly turning towards millet for maintaining an ideal height to weight ratio. It has all the potential to fight against diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Millet snacks once used to be a popular food amongst our ancestors; it is the best natural gift that we lost and are rediscovering its beneficial effects on our health; especially as food for promoting weight loss.
Here are few factors that make millets great for weight loss.
- Low-fat content as compared to rice or brown rice
- High fiber content that encourages good digestion
- Low in carbohydrates compared to rice or brown rice
- Rich in essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium
- Powerful detoxing abilities
Millets for Slimming – Which is good for Weight Loss?
Ancient grain benefits are universal, whichever type you might use. There are varieties with specific qualities that make them ideal for certain recipes.
Here are a few varieties that can be used for snacks. You will find plenty of millet snacks in the market.
If you want Oil-free snacks then millets are for you. It is also the most diabetic-friendly snack that you can make at home or buy from a snack shop.
Sorghum:
Also known as Jowar in India, it is used in the making of bread (Rotis) without using much oil (Millet Recipe) that is popular among rural people in India. It has a good amount of dietary fiber and hence is good for those planning a weight-reduction plan.
Finger Millet:
It is red colored, and more popularly known as ragi. It is a popular substitute for rice and wheat among people looking for a low-calorie staple grain that can be used in oil-free snacks and also as a regular meal.
Foxtail Millet:
It is a great grain for balancing sugar content in the blood. Patients with high blood pressure can use it regularly in their diet. It is sold as semolina and also as flour. It is reputed to have a high iron and calcium content that helps diet-fads to follow a strict regimen of eating habits. It is a great immunity booster.
Pearl Millet:
A popular grain among village folks throughout India popularly also known as Bajra. Bajra benefits are really worth it: contains calcium, magnesium, iron, quality proteins, and a good quantity of minerals.
A diet with plenty of Bajra in place of rice or wheat can dramatically help you shed weight. It is best for making Diabetic friendly snacks. Another benefit of pearl millet is its long shelf life.
In Conclusion
Millets have been around since the dawn of humanity. They have many nutritional benefits, as well, they have been shown to be an important part of a weight loss program. They are gluten-free, low glycemic, help control diabetes and may prevent heart disease.
If you need to eliminate wheat and rice from your diet, millets may be a great alternative.
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