How Diabetic-Friendly Millets Aids The Blood Sugar Control

Diabetes is one of the chronic problems nowadays. Millions of people are suffering from such life-threatening conditions. Moreover, researchers and clinical practitioners have suggested including more fibres to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Millets are good sources of fibre that pose numerous benefits for diabetic patients. Thus, this article will highlight the contribution of millet to maintaining the blood sugar level.

Basic facts about Millets

Millets are considered cereals, having smaller grains. But, these grains are high in nutritional elements. People in Asian and African countries generally cultivate millet in large amounts. But some millets are primarily grown in regions like Australia and the USA also. They are mostly rainfed grains and require very little care.

Millets can be classified into two broad categories. Sorghum, Pearl millet falls under the group of major millet. In contrast, Finger millet, Barnyard millet, Proso, Kodo, Little Millet, Browntop etc., are considered minor Millet.

Benefits of millets in diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is pretty common nowadays. A recent report published by the International Diabetes Federation indicates nearly 230 million people have been diagnosed with this chronic condition. Millets are such a grain that you can equally compare them to a wholesome meal. 

As a whole grain, millets include different layers in it. In refined flour, manufacturers and selling brands remove the bran and germ to maintain a better taste. But, in this way, we also lose essential nutritional elements. Whole grains take more time in the digestion process. Thus, you may notice a balanced blood sugar level. 

Researchers have proven evidence that regular millet consumption led to better diabetes control. Millets are generally affected by four key factors: glycemic index level, cholesterol, triglyceride level, and fasting plasma. Let’s summarize how millets aid in potential diabetic control.

• The presence of dietary fibres is pretty high in Millet. It includes both soluble and insoluble fibres. Thus, it aids in Satiety by keeping you fulfilled for an extended time.
• The higher percentage of dietary fibres led to a slow digestion process. Thus, regular consumption of diabetic-friendly millets does not affect the blood glucose level.
• The glycemic index is another vital factor for diabetic patients. Rice and whole wheat having higher GI values would not be appropriate options for diabetic patients. Millet includes a low GI value, so it helps slow the digestion of glucose into the blood.

Diabetic-friendly millet needs to be included in regular diets. Check the following list to find the best millet.

Low GI millets (GI value lower than 55)

1. Foxtail millet- 42.3
2. Barnyard millets- 42.3

Intermediate GI millets (GI value 55 to 77)

1. Kodo millet- 65.4 
2. Little millet- 64.2
3. Finger millet- 61.1
4. Pearl millet- 56.6
5. Sorghum- 61.2

• Complex carbohydrates are another major constituent of millet. Therefore, substituting rice and wheat with diabetic-friendly millet aids the process of slow metabolism. This helps in low-calorie intake as well. 

Nutritional Content of diabetic-friendly millet

A bowl of any ish peppers with millet can deliver potent nutritional substitutes. Let’s check the nutritional value present in 100 gms of millet, including how much protein, fats and other elements.

• Protein: 6.11 gm
• Dietary fibre: 2.26 gm
• Magnesium: 7.6 mg
• Potassium: 108 mg

Range of diabetic-friendly millets

Surprisingly, due to rising awareness, we have multiple varieties of millets available in the market. But, choosing the most potential one is a heck; hence, one needs to know the top nutritional substituents in different kinds of millet.

1. Sorghum

The vital source of protein here is Kaffirin (Prolamin) which lowers digestibility. The other elements include Folic acid, Carotene, and Potassium.

1. Finger Millet

Finger millet is a potent source of calcium (350 mg per 100 g serving) for diabetic patients. The mineral content is the highest. Fat includes nearly 2%, and protein holds 8% of the daily value.

1. Pearl Millet

Pearl millet is an excellent source of protein (16%) and healthy lipids (up to 6%). It's solely ideal for a healthy diet and gut health due to the presence of 11.5% of fibres. Vitamin E and B complex is also present.

1. Kodo Millet

For diabetic patients, it is a high-protein and low-fat option, which is rich in Vitamin B, Folic acid, and Magnesium. The presence of Lecithin aids healthy brain functioning.

Meal pattern for diabetes patients

For convenience, we presented a list of meal options for maintaining a healthy diet routine.

• Breakfast: Ragi dosa/ Millet Idli/ Millet Upma with coriander chutney
• Mid-morning: Roasted seeds/ Almonds/ Dry fruits/ Fruits 
• Lunch: Millet Rice/ Millet Pasta/ Millet Naan with sabzi/ Millet paratha with sambhar
• Evening: Fresh salad/ Millet sprouts salad
• Dinner: Millet roti (Jowar/ Bajra) with paneer/ Millet roti with buttermilk and sabzi

Interesting recipe

Millet Pongal

For a south Indian food lover, replacing your rice is a strenuous task. Millet is a whole grain, and a person can use it to prepare any delectable dish.

Ingredients

1. Millet (Foxtail, Pearl or any): 1 cup
2. Moong dal (Split): ½ cup
3. Green chillies (finely chopped): 2
4. Cumin seeds (crushed): 1 tsp
5. Pepper (crushed): 1 tsp
6. Curry leaves: 4 to 5
7. Oil: 1 tsp
8. Salt

Recipe

• Take a bowl and soak both millet and dal with enough water. Now, keep it aside for a minimum of 10 minutes.
• Now, remove the water, lace dal, and millet in a pressure cooker.
• Add four cups of water and cook it up to 5 whistles. Keep the oven on medium to low flame.
• In another pan, heat 1 tsp of oil. Add green chillies, curry leaves, pepper, and cumin seeds.
• Add the temper to Ponal. Blend it well by adding salt according to taste.
• Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

In sum, we can say that millets are a great option for type 2 diabetic patients. No need to panic upon diagnosing high blood sugar levels recently, now we have diabetic-friendly millet products. Finding variable recipes is no more challenging; one can check the meals mentioned above to enjoy the process and recipes. 

The presence of low GI and the higher percentage of dietary fibres makes any millet like Sorghum, Foxtail millet diabetic-friendly. Try our Millet combo offer to get the best deal this festive season.