If someone’s talking about millets in 2023, it’s probably to tell you that they are an essential element of a healthy diet. They’re a hot topic and rightly so. To start with, a cereal grain that contains bran, germ and endosperms is a whole grain while refined grains are those that retain only the endosperm after being processed like white rice. Grains are the seeds of grasses cultivated for food. They are valuable sources of fibre and vitamin B12. Fibre takes time to digest and makes you feel full for longer. This also helps in keeping blood sugar and insulin levels down. All grains are naturally low in calorie density. If you eliminate grains you tend to over eat other foods which could lead to more body fat.
Grains get a negative rap because many of us are eating the not-so-good ones like refined flour or white rice. I think processed food deserves criticism not only because it is low in nutrition but also because we eat way too much of it. As per U.S. Dietary Guideline, “consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. This means that at least three servings of whole grains are recommended for all Americans age 9 and up.” To support the same, a Harvard study suggests that the secret to a long and healthy life is to add whole grains to your daily diet. It lowers the risk of chronic diseases like heart trouble, diabetes, certain cancers and other health problems. Out there is a whole world of grains you’ve probably never tried. But you might want to consider these first. They deserve a place on your plate.
Should we mix grains?
With the latest multi grain/millet craze, this is one question which has been on everyone’s mind. Here’s a grain of truth – don’t let fancy labels fool you. Certain foods may scream multi grain when they contain more than one type of grain, although none of them may necessarily be whole grains. Read the first ingredient; if it’s flour or refined flour, your meal may not be altogether healthy. But then again, the idea of mixing should not be dismissed.“I’d suggest a mix of ragi, jowar, bajra, wheat, soyabean and barley. Mixing cereals and pulses increases the nutritional value. You can stuff them in paranthas or use them as batter for dosa or uttapam,” says Dr. Ritika Samaddar, Dietician at Max Health Care, New Delhi.The major benefit of combining grains comes from their amino acid content. Grains are incomplete proteins – they may not contain all essential amino acids.
Combining different varieties represents complementary proteins.Nutrition Consultant, Dr. Shalini Singhal agrees, “Mixing grains is a healthy option as each of them has their own unique nutritional value and composition. If a certain nutrient is lacking in one, it can be compensated by adding another. Moreover, the fibre content in a mix is generally higher. You can use multigrain flour for chappatis by adding grains like jowar, ragi, barley, oats, bajra and other millets along with gram flour or soyabean flour to enhance the fibre and protein quality. It also improves the satiety value and lowers the glycemic index.”Grains are healthiest when sprouted. More protein, vitamins and minerals. Sprouting spikes up the fiber content almost three times and lowers the level of gluten. You can sprout any kind of whole grains but it’s important that the germ and bran are intact.
You can make delicious dishes out of different millets. Checkout various dishes and uses of millets here: Millet uses.
So, in conclusion, it is absolutely ok to mix different grains to reap the maximum nutritional benefits. But we understand, mixing them can be a task in itself. To solve this problem, we launched BCOS Foods. Using our tasty millet flour staples, you will be able to make perfectly cooked and delicious rotis and parathas , which stay soft for long.We provide ready to knead mixes where there is no need to mix any extra wheat.
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Our flour mixes are completely safe to be consumed by your kids as well as male family members too.
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