Millets – A Treasure of Nutrition and Traditional Food for Genes: A Review

Abstract

Millets are small grained cereal food crops which are highly tolerant to drought and are grown with low chemical inputs. Millets are highly nutritious, non-glutinous, nonallergic, non-acid forming foods which are traditionally used for its nutritional and medicinal values. Ancient Siddha literatures reveal lot of health recipes using millets. Pathartha Guna Chinthamani, Pathartha Guna Vilakkam, Nalaveema Baga Sasthiram and many literatures explain different varieties of millets and their uses. The verses in the above literature not only explain the uses, but bring the importance of three humour theory of Siddha system of Medicine. They provide nutrients required for physiological functioning of the body. Millets have many nutraceuticals and act as a prebiotic feeding for micro-flora in our intestine. Millets possess medicinal values as they contain tannins, polyphenols, phytosterols, anthocyanins etc. which has antioxidant activity and pinocosanols present in it have important role in aging and metabolic diseases. Millets helps to decrease triglycerides and Creactive protein, thereby preventing cardiovascular disease. All millets are rich in dietary fiber, thereby prevent constipation. It increases transmit time of food in the gut which helps in reducing risk of inflammatory bowel disease and acts as detoxifying agent. Phytochemicals in millets have an anti-proliferative effect and lower the formation of cancer cells. Millets have high fiber and low Glycemic Index which slowly raises your blood sugar. Thus, millets prevent and reverse Nutritional deficiency, Cancer, Heart diseases, Diabetes which was considered the reasons of death worldwide.