Potential of underutilized millets as Nutri-cereal: an overview
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Date
2021-02
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Abstract
In this current scenario with changing food
habits, escalating population and unrestricted use of natural
resources, there are lacking of resources to provide nutri
tious food to all. Natural plant resources are fast depleting
and need to explore new alternatives. Besides the staple
rice and wheat; lots of underutilized crops are being con
sumed that are having great potential to replace the staple
crops. Millets are one of the major underutilized crops with
a Nutri-cereal potential. Millets are highly nutritive, non
acid-forming, gluten-free and having dietary properties.
Despite the fact that millets are highly nutritious, their
consumption is still limited to the conventional and poor
population due to lack of awareness towards its nutritional
values. There is lack of processing technologies, lack of
food subsidies and inconvenience in food preparations
which makes millets more obsolete. Millets are Nutri
cereals and rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibres, energy,
essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamin-B and minerals such
as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc, which
helps to prevent from post-translational diseases like, dia
betes, cancer, cardiovascular and celiac diseases, etc.
Millets help in controlling blood pressure, blood sugar
level and thyroid but inspite of these functional properties,
millets consumption is still declining. Millets utilization in
combination with other staple food crops to develop food
alternatives has become an emerging area for food indus
tries. Besides, to strengthen our fight against malnutrition
in children and adolescents, consumption of millets can
help to foster immunity and health. Here, author’s have
reviewed the potential of millets for their Nutri-cereal
qualities.