Cereals & Millets

Nutrition Specialist Dr. KusumaNeela Bolla M.Sc, M.B.A, Ph.D

Ever since the beginnings of agriculture, cereals have provided unlimited health benefits to mankind as a staple food in our diet. Cereals are rich in complex carbohydrates that provide you with ample energy, and help to prevent cancer, constipation, colon disorders, high blood sugar levels and also enrich your overall health with abundant proteins, fats, lipids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes.

Cereals are enriched with niacin, iron, riboflavin and thiamine, and most cereals have abundant fibercontents, especially barley, oat, and wheat. Cereals also have soluble bran that aids in lowering blood cholesterol levels and keeping heart diseases at bay. Cereal consumption also means an intake of high amounts of protein; breakfast cereals are often eaten with milk that makes for a protein-rich meal. For infants, iron-fortified cereals are said to be the premium solid foods

Barley

Benefits: Source of Energy: Cereals are probably the

greatest source of energy for humans. Providing almost 80% of total calories in a regular diet.

High Mineral Content: In cereals, around 95% of minerals are the sulphates and phosphates of magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Prevents Constipation and Colon Disorders: Cereals have both insoluble and soluble fibers like cellulose, pectin and hemicellulose. 

Maintains Blood Sugar Level: The fiber content in cereals decreases the speed of glucose secretion from food, thereby maintaining sugar levels in the blood.

Disadvantages

the high-bran products often lead to discomforts like abdominal pain, bloating and intestinal gas flatulence. If you have too much of these products, the body’s capability of iron, zinc or other mineral absorption decreases radically.

suffering from Coeliac disease or irritable bowel syndrome, try to avoid whole grain cereal as they aggravate such conditions.

1 cup cereals1 cup millets2 cups milkFruit as our likeSugar/salt

Millets are not very popular other than Bajra, Jowar and Ragi and in all the millets Bajra (Pearl Millet) is most popular. Now a days millets are again gaining it's movement and people bringing more aware of it and today we going to learn about few millets which we can include in our die

Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops/ grains. Millet is tiny in size and round in shape and can be white, gray, yellow or red like you can see in pictures. Millets are very high in their nutrition content. Each millets are three to five times nutritionally superior to rice and wheat in terms of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Millets are rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, also gluten-free and has low-GI (Glycemic index) thus millets are suitable for people allergies/intolerance of wheat. Also for diabetic, weight loss millets are excellent.

Millets Benefits

Millets are rich in B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, also gluten-free

Helps to lower type 2 diabetic and reduces the risk of heart disease

Millets are a great source of starch, making it a high-energy food. It is also an excellent source of protein and fiber. 

Millets are mostly pest-free and low fertilizer used in growth (widely comes in Organic form)

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Intentional exercise Walking Running Cycling Swimming

Active lifestyle Take the stairs Walk to work Sit less, move more

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