Millets: Nature’s tiny treasures, packed with nutrition, fueling health, and sustaining life—one grain at a time.
Millet isn’t a specific grain, it’s a generic term that applies to many different plants. Which is the most healthful
“Millets are highly nutritious but vastly ignored as a main source of food primarily due to lack of awareness.” Have you heard of ancient grains? Millets aren’t messing around. Arguably, they are the first grains cultivated by humankind—dating back not only 5,000 years but maybe 10,000.
Why millets and not just millet? I had no idea that “millet” wasn’t the name of a specific grain. In fact, millet is a generic term that doesn’t just apply to different species but to a number of totally different plants. There are “major and minor milllets,” pearl millet, which is what most people think of as millet, and proso, foxtail, and finger milllets, which are all completely different grains
Millet Nutrition Research: Unlocking Its Health Benefits
Fiber is one of the key things we look for in whole grains. And Kodo millet delivers—big time. Finger and foxtail millets are pretty high up there, too. Pearl millet, the one most people think of as millet, actually has relatively low fiber content. When you look at polyphenol content, though, plain millet comes out on top—higher than sorghum, which I previously praised for its polyphenols.
That said, Kodo and finger millets are pretty high in total antioxidants. As shown here—and at 1:43—you can see that for yourself.
When you look at nutrition facts for finger millet, one thing really stands out: it has eight times more calcium than other grains. To me, that looks more like ten times the calcium. That’s just a staggering amount.
Finger millet isn’t the only nutritious option in the millets family. Some of those grains are exceptionally high in iron. Regular millet has iron in spades, but barnyard millet blows that out of the water—with about five times more iron than steak.
So, what about the actual health benefits of millets? In medical research, you can find statements like this: Millets “may prevent cardiovascular disease by reducing plasma triglycerides in hyperlipidemic rats.” That’s all well and good, but who really cares about that unless you’re a rat owner?
A study in China found that areas where people ate more millet and sorghum had lower esophageal cancer mortality rates compared to areas where corn and wheat were the staple foods. That might be because the millet and sorghum regions avoided a carcinogenic fungus that contaminates those grains. Or maybe it really is the millets themselves that are beneficial. Research has shown that certain millets can be effective against cancer cell growth in a lab. Kodo and proso millets, for example, rapidly inhibit cancer cell growth. That’s in comparison to pearl or foxtail millet.
Are there any health benefits? Some know finger millet for its health benefits like lowering blood sugar and cholesterol and anti-ulcer properties, but the anti-ulcer study researchers just note that some of the areas with low ulcer incidence also happen to be places where people eat millet
And the cholesterol-lowering study? It explores what happens when you take rat tail tendons and soak them in sugar and millet! The blood-sugar-lowering benefits are legit though. “Apart from the fact that millets do not contain gluten,” which is good for the 1 or 2% of people who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity “millets can also be used in the management of type II diabetes due to its hypoglycemic property, as reported by several studies on millets and millet-based foods”—done with actual people which we’ll cover next.
Isn’t it mind-blowing that millet isn’t actually a grain but a generic term? I learn something new every day—and make videos about it for you.
📞 Contact Us – Manav Herbals
Have questions or need assistance? We’re here to help!
📍 Address: [Your Business Address]
📞 Phone: +91-9999620268, +91-9999148872
📧 Email: support@manavherbals.com
🌐 Website: www.manavherbals.com
📲 Follow Us on Social Media:
🔹 Instagram: @manavherbals
🔹 Facebook: Manav Herbals
🔹 YouTube: Manav Herbals Official
💬 Customer Support: Available 9 AM – 7 PM (Monday to Saturday)
Feel free to call, email, or DM us for expert advice on Ayurveda, herbal products, and wellness solutions! 🌿✨
Is eating apples every day really healthy? Nutritionists reveal the truth