Baajra

Millet

Millet refers to any of the several species of cereal grasses in the family ‘Poaceae’ which are cultivated for their small edible seeds. Millets are used as staple food in many of the countries of the world in addition to being used for pasture or to produce hay. Millet Seeds are full of nutrients, such as Magnesium, Calcium, Manganese, Tryptophan, Phosphorus, Fibre, and Antioxidants. It contains all essential amino acids and are particularly high in lysine, methionine, and cysteine. It has various vitamin contents as Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, folate and Pantothenic acid. Millets are gluten-free, high in carbohydrates, with protein content varying from 6 to 11 % and fat varying from 1.5 to 5 %.  Fermented Millet Seeds are also used to make beverages.

Millet is often called a grain because of its grain-like consistency; however it is actually a seed. Millets are typically annual crops and the seeds remain enclosed in hulls after threshing with the hulled seeds usually being creamy whitish in texture.

Different verities of Millet are used for different purposes in different countries of the world. Proso millet—also called common, or broomrcorn millet is eaten as a cereal food in Asia & Eastern Europe and used as a livestock feed in some other places. Foxtail millet is grown for hay in North America & Western Europe, and forms a major food crop in China & other Asian countries. Finger millet is used as a food grain in southern Asia & parts of Africa and Japanese millet is grown mostly in Japan & the United States as a hay crop.

Millet is one of the four gluten-free grain-like seeds on the ‘Body Ecology program’.

Some of the key reasons millet is part of healthy Body Ecology diet is because it:

• Does NOT feed pathogenic yeast (candida)
• Acts as a prebiotic to feed important microflora in your inner ecosystem
• Provides serotonin to calm and soothe your moods
• Helps hydrate your colon to keep you regular
• Is alkaline
• Digests easily

Pearl millet
Introduction – Pearl millet, scientifically or biologically known as Pennisetum glaucum, is commonly grown in the Indian Sub-Continent and West Africa. It is known by the name of ‘Bajra’ in India. It has stalks which are 1.5 to 3 metres (5 to 10 feet) tall and about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick. It has rich composition of proteins and minerals and has several health benefits. Bajra has the highest protein content for any grain besides several essential minerals like phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, essential vitamins and amino acids. Indian subcontinent is the largest producer of Bajra. Pearl Millet is high in proteins, calcium, fat and has high starch content. It has essential compounds like phytic acid and niacin.
It is suited to the lands of low fertility, limited moisture & high temperature and grows in arid & semi-arid tropical regions of the world. It also grows well in high salinity and low pH soil.
Health Benefits of Pearl Millet or Bajra:
Healthy Digestion
Bajra contains rich amount of fiber, which helps in eliminating gastrointestinal disorders like constipation, cramping, and excess gas and thus improving digestion.
It therefore, increases the nutrient retention power of the system and optimizes kidney, liver and boosts the immune system.
Helps in treating stomach ulcers
Bajra is usually recommended for curing stomach ulcers. The most common root cause for stomach ulcers is excess acidity in the stomach after food intake. Bajra turns the stomach alkaline and prevents formation of stomach ulcers or minimizes the effect of ulcers.

Beneficial for Heart health
The phytonutrients and lignin in Bajra act as strong antioxidants which help in preventing heart related diseases. This is why; it is very beneficial for the heart.
It is a source of potassium, so it stabilizes the blood pressure. Cardiovascular health is automatically maintained when blood pressure is controlled, and circulatory system is optimized.

Respiratory System:
Owing to having the rich component of magnesium it cures respiratory problems. It helps to treat asthma attacks and reduces the migraine attacks and wheezing.

Helps in bone growth
Pearl millet contains a large amount of phosphorus, which is crucial for bone growth and development.

Reduces cancer risk
All millets are known to help minimize the risk of cancer occurrence including Bajra.  It has lignins which fight against hormone-dependent cancers. It also has magnesium and phytate, which prevents the development of cancers the body.

Helps in weight loss
The major challenge faced by individuals trying to lose weight is controlling their intake of food. Pearl millet can help in the process of weight loss due to its high fibre content. Due to the presence of high fibre content, it takes long time for the grain to move from the stomach to the intestines & in this way Bajra satisfies hunger for a long period of time and thus helps in lowering the overall intake of food.

Helps in controlling diabetes
Bajra is a very powerful grain for controlling diabetes. Due to its high fibre content, it digests slowly and releases glucose into the blood at a slower rate as compared to other foods. This helps in maintaining the blood sugar level constant in diabetes patients for a longer period of time.
Researchers have proved that Millet has a potential to treat Type 2 diabetes. Pearl millet has magnesium that increases the efficiency of insulin & decreases glucose and triglyceride levels in the body; this prevents the occurrence of diabetes.

Helps Reduce Cholesterol
Pearl Millet is recommended for people suffering from high cholesterol levels. Pearl millet comprises a type of phyto chemical called phytic acid which is supposed to increase cholesterol metabolism and stabilize the levels of cholesterol in the body.
Bajra has rich amount of fiber, hence it eliminates bad cholesterol and promotes good cholesterol.

Beneficial in Preventing Gall stones:
The fiber content of Bajra reduces the risk of occurrence of gallstones. An excessive amount of bile secretion in the intestine leads to the condition of gall stones. The insoluble fiber content in pearl millet reduces the secretion of excessive bile in the human digestive system and speeds up the intestinal transit time.
It also prevents the formation of gallstones as it increases insulin sensitivity.

Interesting Facts about Millets

• Millet was the main grain in China before rice.
• The majority of the world’s commercial millet crop is produced by India, China and Nigeria.
• Millet grows in stalks 1 to 10 feet high, and ripens in 60 to 90 days.
• It will grow in relatively infertile areas, is drought resistant and matures in such a short time; great for growing in less agriculturally developed areas
• Millet ranks as the sixth most important grain in the world, sustains 1/3 of the world’s population and is a significant part of the diet in northern China, Japan, Manchuria and various areas of the former Soviet Union, Africa, India and Egypt.
• Flour made of millet is popular in India and Africa. It cannot be used for the preparation of raised breads (unless it is mixed with flour made of wheat).
• Millet is recommended for gluten-sensitive person (people diagnosed with celiac disease).
• Millet is used for the preparation of fermented alcoholic beverages in Asia and Africa.
• Stem of millet is used as roofing material for the houses in Africa. Seed of millet are often used as fillers for the multipurpose bean bags.
• India is the greatest manufacturer of millet in the world. It produces more than 8.8 million metric tons of millet annually.