Climate change, lifestyle diseases, and a weakened immune system are all challenges of the modern day. What if there was a single answer to all these issues? Indeed there is, meet our superstar- Millets!
Why are millets so popular, and why should one substitute wheat, rice, etc. with these supposedly superfoods?
- Low GI Index: Essentially, food is more than just something we put in our mouths to gratify our taste buds. Food is the source of our energy, allowing us to perform at our highest potential.
However, there is a process by which this food is converted into energy for humans. It is known as Glycolysis.
Anatomically speaking glycolysis is a cytoplasmic pathway which breaks down glucose into two three-carbon compounds and generates energy.
In simple words: Glycolysis is the process through which glucose is broken to generate energy.
In this process of glycolysis, each nutrient is first transformed to glucose before being converted to energy. And the time it takes for a food to convert to glucose is the crucial part of this process. The quicker a food converts to glucose and provides a short burst of energy, the more it contributes to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, etc. And the slower food converts to glucose, the less it raises blood sugar and the longer it offers sustained energy for a healthy body.
The glycemic index (GI) is a 1–100 scale.
The lower a food's score, the longer it takes for that food to raise a person's blood sugar levels.
The GI indicates how quickly carbohydrate-containing foods increase blood sugar levels, compared with pure glucose.
For example:
Both glucose and white bread have a GI of 100.
This is how the scale operates:
- Low-GI foods have a score below 55
- Medium-GI foods score between 55 and 70
- High-GI foods score above 70
Here are GI values for some foods:
Low GI index is your first reason to #changethewayyoeat.
- Beneficial for the environment:
Millets take 70 percent less water than rice, half the time to cultivate, and 40 percent less processing energy than wheat. In the face of climate change, water shortage, and drought circumstances, they offer a one-stop solution with high nutritional value to provide sustainable food security.
Millets are thermophilic and grow well despite a low water supply.
Millets can withstand harsh heat, drought, and salinity, making them a climate-resistant crop. This reduces the pressure on environmental resources, particularly in regions impacted by climate change.
Finally, as a rain-fed crop millet requires less use of fertilisers and pesticides since it is less susceptible to insect attack, millet is hence useful in drought-prone regions.
To consume foods that are environmentally friendly is your second reason to #changethewayyoeat.
- Boosts your Nutrition and Immunity:
Millets are an excellent source of disease-fighting antioxidants and boost the consumption of probiotics, both of which have potential health advantages. Millets are also a powerhouse source of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.
They serve a crucial role in the body's immunological system, providing a means to combat various deficiencies. There is evidence that millets are more nutritious than other cereal crops. They contribute to the diversity of your gut microbiome.
To boost your nutrition and your immunity is your third reason to #changethewayyoueat.
A simple lifestyle with the ability to digest the food we eat, nourish our bodies with the food we eat, and all of this while being responsible towards mother nature is certainly a formula for a holistically happy existence.
Research has established that Millets are anti-acidic, gluten-free, detoxify the body, help lower cholesterol, prevent breast cancer, help prevent type 2 diabetes, are effective in reducing blood pressure, protects against heart disease, treats respiratory conditions such as asthma, improves kidney, liver, and immune system health, and reduces the risk of gastrointestinal conditions such as gastric ulcers or colon cancer.
Do you still need another reason to #changethewayyoueat?
