Health benefits of millets: Swap your usual breakfast with millet dosa, smoothie bowls, more

Millets are becoming a popular choice in modern health diets, appearing in products like biscuits, breads, and snacks. While some choose millets for benefits like weight loss, heart health, or gut improvement, others follow the trend. Either way, adding millets to your diet is a win for your health.

Millets, including Pearl Millet (Bajra), Finger Millet (Ragi), Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Little Millet, and Kodo Millet, offer unique health benefits like improved digestion, heart health, and weight management. According to Madhura Paroolkar Behki, Head Nutritionist and Dietician at Cult Transform, “Millets are a powerhouse of nutrition, rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals that promote healthy digestion, heart health, and balanced blood sugar levels. They’re also gluten-free, making them an excellent choice for those with gluten sensitivity.”

Behki shares the health benefits of consuming millets and also shares a few ways to add these superfoods into your diet:

• Weight loss: Millets are packed with complex carbs and fibre, which help keep you feeling full for longer. This promotes portion control and reduces calorie intake, making millets a great option for those looking to lose weight.

• Supports heart health: Rich in fibre and B-complex vitamins, millets help reduce harmful LDL cholesterol levels, making them an excellent food choice for maintaining a healthy heart. They also provide magnesium, which is beneficial for those with blood pressure issues.

• Promotes digestive health: Being naturally gluten-free, millets are an excellent option for people with gluten sensitivity. They also help ease gut inflammation and constipation, thus supporting a healthy gut microbiome.

• Controls blood sugar levels: Millets are low glycemic index (GI) foods, meaning they release sugar into the bloodstream slowly. This helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, making them a great choice for those managing diabetes or aiming to prevent blood sugar spikes.

Making millets a part of your diet doesn't have to be complicated. “Start with your breakfast, and you can easily add millets to your daily routine with the following ideas” says Behki.

• Millet dosa: Swap your regular rice dosa for millet-based dosas, such as those made with Bajra or Ragi. Add nutritious ingredients like fenugreek or spinach for extra flavour.

• Healthy chilla: Try making besan chilla with Jowar (sorghum) or Barley for a nutrient-packed alternative.

• Millet porridge: Replace cornflakes with a warm, hearty millet-based porridge, topped with fruits and nuts for a balanced breakfast.

• Smoothie bowls: Use millets as a base for your smoothie bowl, blending them with fruits, nuts, and seeds for a nutrient-rich start to your day.

• Millet parathas: Prepare traditional parathas using millet flour for a healthier, gluten-free twist. You can add vegetables too.

• Homemade millet energy bars: Make your own millet energy bars for a quick, nutritious breakfast or snack option.