Benefits of Millets For Weight Management

Blogs24 Oct 2024

Millets are cereals that are taking up more limelight as we grow conscious of our food and health. Popular as nutrient-rich grains, millets are bursting with essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fibres that make them so wonderful to consume. Often linked with aiding digestion, supporting diabetes and helping sustainable farming and food security, these crops are also important for weight loss.

For those who are looking to shed a few kilos or maintain a healthy weight, you could explore adding millets to your diet. In this article, we’ll delve deep into millets for weight loss, their nutritional profile and how to include them in your diet. So let’s begin!

Millets and Their Nutritional Value

Millets are cereals grown in areas with limited water resource and harsh environments, where other crops grow poorly. They are ancient crops consumed for centuries in Asia and beyond. You should know about the 8 main millets: Bajra, Sorghum, Ragi, Little Millet, Kodo Millet, Foxtail Millet, Barnyard Millet, and Proso Millet. Millets are comparable to some of the most popular grains as they contain protein, micronutrients, phytochemicals and fibre, all while being gluten-free.

Here’s a table to help you understand the nutritional profile of all millets.

Millet and Weight Loss

Here are a few ways in which millets can provide weight management benefits:

• Increases Satiety: Most millets contain a moderate to high amount of dietary fibre. This fibre content can not only aid in digestion and proper bowel movement, but it can also increase satiety. This can lead to a prolonged feeling of fullness and reduced overeating or snacking between meals.
• Boosts Glucose Metabolism: Furthermore, many foods we eat today contain fewer micronutrients. Swapping our regular grains with millets can increase our micronutrient intake in the body which can boost glucose metabolism.
• Lowers glycemic index: Millets have a lower glycemic index than other grains which means that having them will reduce sudden spikes in blood sugar. They also promote a steady sugar level in the body.
• Regulates blood pressure: Science has found that regularly consuming millets can decrease cardiovascular risk. How so? Millets may reduce triglycerides and LDL or bad cholesterol in the body and increase good cholesterol levels. Regular consumption can regulate blood pressure levels and also decrease BMI (Body Mass Index).

However, it must be noted that simply having more millets does not result in weight loss. Good nutrition, sufficient sleep and regular exercise are all cornerstones of a healthy body and weight. You must prioritise all of these factors if your goal is weight loss or maintenance!

Different Millets and their Benefits

All in all, millets can help our health in various ways. Science has found that millets can provide a wide array of health benefits including diabetes management, increasing immunity, and energy levels, and boosting muscular, neural and respiratory health. Millets may also provide protective benefits against some degenerative conditions. These benefits are mainly due to the number of essential nutrients and compounds present in millets such as phenolic acids, resistant starch, lipids, antioxidants, flavonoids, lignans, lipids, antioxidants, etc.

Here is an overview of the health benefits of types of Millets they provide:

1. Sorghum: Has antioxidants that can reduce inflammation
2. Bajra: Helps manage diabetes due to its low glycemic index and has antioxidants that can help support overall health. Its high iron and zinc content can help anaemia and its high fibre content may help with constipation.
3. Ragi or finger millet: It has high antioxidant activity that can prevent oxidative stress and promote overall health. It also has blood glucose-lowering effects due to its high fibre content.
4. Foxtail Millet: This millet is high in dietary fibre which is known to provide anti-hyperglycaemic effects.
5. Proso Millet: Contains high lecithin which supports neural health and has a low glycemic index that reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
6. Kodo Millet: Has nearly 37% of dietary fibre and its phenolic compounds may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
7. Barnyard Millet: Has low sugar content, high starch and phenolic compounds that are good for those with diabetes. It’s also gluten-free, making it good for those with celiac disease. Some initial studies found that the starch in barnyard millet may help aid cardiovascular health too.
8. Little Millet: Rich source of antioxidants that can help combat lifestyle issues like diabetes, obesity, heart conditions etc. It contains polyphenols in abundance which can support and boost the immune system too.

How to Include Millets in Your Diet

There are many ways to add more millets to your diet.

• For breakfast, you can choose to make Ragi dosas for a delicious and fibre-rich meal. You can use millets to make staples like upma, porridge etc.
• You can use millet flour to mix with your regular atta for nutritious rotis that can help manage weight.
• For snacks too, choose to make biscuits, ragi mudde, chikki, etc., using millet flours in the mix for a touch of health.

In short, try to swap your regular grains with millets wherever possible to get the best of them. Make sure you consult with your physician before consuming them. Refrain from having high-fibre millets like Ragi at night as they can make you feel too full, resulting in sleep disruptions and so on. That’s why it’s best to confirm with your doctor about the quantity and type of millets you should be having before starting.

Conclusion

Millets are a powerhouse of nutrition and dietary fibre, all of which play important roles in providing several health benefits including aiding weight management. They have a lower GI, a high mix of micronutrients and boost heart health too. Millets make for an excellent alternative to the popular and commonly used grains we have in our kitchens today. We can replace them with millets or add them to our regular flours to add more nourishing ingredients to our diet. There are tons of recipes for you to try to aid weight management using millets such as ragi dosa, ragi malt, millet upma, millet lemon rice etc. Try these out and start on your weight loss journey today!

For more such informative articles on nutrition, health and ageing, keep reading Right Shift. We have a variety of articles on such topics and can surely help expand your knowledge and give you a much-needed dose of motivation to prioritise your health. We also have a free health score calculator to give you more insights into your current health status and our free meal plan creator to make positive changes in your diet to match your health goals. If you’re interested, try it now! We have a plan for weight loss too!