All About How To Eat Millets For Weight Loss

Millets are not new to Indian kitchen. These nutrient packed grains which faded away for a while are gradually making a comeback as more and more people are looking to adopt healthier lifestyles. Millets are gluten free crops with incredible nutrient rich composition. They are a rich source of fibre, vitamins and a number of other minerals. Millets were traditionally grown and eaten in the Indian subcontinent for the last 5000 years. Millets require little water and inexpensive abd ground fertility. Due to it’s sheer affordability. They’ve enjoyed the tag of poor man’s food grain. Millets are super foods as they can help cure a number of chronic diseases

Types of millets

• Major and minor millets
• Major millets are more popular and the size and production of these is very high
• Sorghum (jowor) and pearl millet (bajra)
• Minor millets are finger millet and kodo millet
• Husked and unhusked millets
• Millets based on season and region
• Pseudo millets
• Five millets known as siridhanya millets
• Foxtail millet
• Little millet
• Barnyard millet
• Kodo millet
• Brown top millet

Benefits of eating millets

• High nutritional content
• Rich in protein and fibre
• Rich in micronutrients like B group vitamins like calcium, zinc, iron and potassium
• Great for digestive health
• Supports weight loss, boosts metabolism and immunity
• Great for cardiovascular health and protects heart
• Helps control diabetes and controls blood sugar levels
• Good for respiratory health
• Are loaded with antioxidants
• Great for healthy hair and skin
• Environment friendly
• Promotes good sleep
• Are easily avaiable and versatile to use

How to cook and consume millets

• Soaking millets is must (6-10 hours)
• The fibre layer opens up, phytic acid reduces and the millets provide better nutritional absorption and digestion
• Eat unhusked millets
• Eat as rice, roti, upma, poha, dosa, idli etc
• Don’t pressure cook millets
• Sprouted millets are a great way to eat millets
• Don’t start with large amount
• Introduce slowly in one meal, eat 4-5 times in a week
• Start with one single millet, avoid multi grain or millet
• Have locally grown and available millets
• Consume as per nature of millet (warm / cold)
• Consume pseudo grains on the fasting days
• Little millets are good for introduction to kids
• Use foxtail for thyroid
• Barnyard, bajra and amaranth are good for weight loss

Side effects of eating millets

• Short shelf life
• Consumed in large amount, it can cause indigestion
• Goitrogens are substances found in millets that can supress thyroid activity
• Millets are high in oxalates which can cause kidney stones