5 Health Benefits of Millets, The Vital Crop That Nirmala Sitharaman Talks About in Budget 2023

Union Budget 2023: Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman speaks about the Govt’s plan to focus on millets, know some amazing health benefits of this crop.

Millets are a type of cereal grain in the Poaceae family, also known as the grass family. Millet is a food staple for many diets throughout the world. It has been grown for centuries in Africa, Egypt and other parts of Europe. Millets are packed with the goodness of all essential nutrients. Their high protein and fiber content have made them a popular choice among health-conscious people. Though millets have been used for years in India, people were not aware of the many benefits of millets. So, today we will tell you some amazing benefits of millets and why it should definitely be in your kitchen shelf.

1. Maintains Blood Sugar Levels: Millets are low in glycemic index. If any food has a high glycemic index, it is digested and absorbed in the body quickly. This results your blood glucose levels to increase. Millets, On the other hand, take a long time to digest. This helps in maintaining your blood sugar levels.
2. Prevents Asthma: Wheat is frequently considered an allergen in cases of Asthma, but the good news is that millet’s composition makes it a beneficial grain for Asthma patients. Millet has been proved to significantly reduce the effects of asthma and also beneficial in reducing it.
3. Controls High Cholesterol levels: Fiber, which is beneficial for many ailments, is the best way to control cholesterol in our bodies and keep it from clogging the arteries. The fiber present often conducts a cleaning operation and helps get rid of bad cholesterol and protects body from variety of diseases.
4. Promotes Weight Loss: Since millets are low in calories, having them is ideal for weight management. If you are concerned about your fitness, including millets in your diet is extremely beneficial. They not only keep you energized, but they also keep your hunger at bay. Eating millets reduces overeating and unnecessary snacking because they keep you fuller for longer.
5. Boost Immunity: Millets boost immune system and helps prevent infections. Since they contain important health minerals like zinc, phosphorous, magnesium and manganese, millets help your body in fighting variety of infections. The presence of antioxidants such as phenolic compounds protects your cells from harmful free radicals. Millets also contain proteins that helps strengthen your immunity.

Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on Govt’s Plan to Focus on Millets:

In last year’s budget speech, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke about the government’s plan to focus on millet. In keeping with this, the government also proposed to the UN that 2023 be declared the international year of millets — a proposal that has been accepted.

Finance Minster, Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that the Indian Institute of Millets Research in Hyderabad will be supported as the centre of excellence for sharing best practices, research and technologies at the international level. “We are the largest producer and the second largest exporter of Shree Anna in the world. We grow several types of Shree Anna, such as Jowar, Raagi, Bajra, Ramdana, Cheena and Saama, among others. These have a number of health benefits and have been an integral part of our food for centuries,” she said.

“I acknowledge with pride the huge service done by small farmers in contributing to the health of fellow citizens by growing these,” the Finance Minister added. This comes as India is at the forefront of popularizing millets, Sitharaman said during her Union Budget speech. The consumption of millets furthers nutrition, food security and welfare of the farmers, as per the FM.