Proso millet, high fibre content, amino acid contents, micronutrient contents and nutraceutical activities

Description :   Proso millet also known as hog millet, white millet, barrage, panivaragu, is a nutritious millet,

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Proso millet also known as hog millet, white millet, barrage, panivaragu, is a nutritious millet, which has been consumed for centuries. It has numerous medicinal advantages.

Characteristics

• It has a pale yellow or creamy yellow colour
• It has a nutty flavor
• It is considered as easily digestible millet
• It is also gluten free

Nutritional profile

• It contains desirable amount of carbohydrates and dietary fibres
• It contains protein as well. It is significantly rich in various amino acids like methionine, leucine and isoleucine thus its protein quality is considered as relatively higher than other millets
• It also contains too some extent of fat both saturated and unsaturated but does not contain cholesterol
• It is packed with various micronutrients and especially rich in B Vitamins, Vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc and manganese

Biological activity

Anti-carcinogenic activity

• It contains various important nutrients that help to keep cancer away
• Its fibre content is responsible for exerting anti-carcinogenic activity
• Lignans, is another important phytonutrient present in proso millet that also exerts anti-carcinogenic activity
• It mainly hinders the growth of malignant cells by inhibiting cellular proliferation
• It significantly decreases the prevalence of breast cancer and liver cancer

Anti-ageing activity

• It is loaded with antioxidants, which are responsible for exhibiting anti-ageing activity
• It has seen that free radicals are responsible for damaging cells and result in ageing. Antioxidant plays imperative role in decreasing the concentration of free radicals in body thus helps to protect the body from its harmful consequences
• Its consumption is associated with delaying the aging process and promotes well being
• It has seen that individual who consume proso millet are found relatively healthier even in their older years

Detoxifying activity

• It helps to stimulate the process of toxin elimination
• It is closely related with promoting hepatic functions and helps to improve the ability of liver to detoxify the body
• It is better to consume proso millet for cleansing the body effectively

Health benefits

Role on nervous system

• Proso millet contains adequate amount of lecithin (phospholipid), which is considered as an important constituent of cell membrane and also essentially required by the body for supporting neural health
• It has seen that lecithin is associated with preventing the deterioration of mental capacity
• Its antioxidant activity is also responsible for protecting the brain cells from oxidative damages and promotes their functionality
• It acts as potent memory booster and plays significant role in reducing the prevalence of memory disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• It helps to improve cognition as well
• Consumption of proso millet is extremely beneficial for strengthening the nervous system

Role on weight management

• Its fibre content is responsible for preventing obesity. It helps in providing a feeling of satiety that inhibits craving thus reduces food intake as a result a negative energy balance is developed within body, which facilitates weight reduction
• It also helps to increase the catabolic rate of the body that ultimately increases energy expenditure and promotes weight reduction
• Its lecithin component is also accountable for reducing weight. It has seen that lecithin is associated with breaking down blood fat and dietary fat into small molecules. It also helps in preventing the accumulation of fat in body tissue especially in liver thus helps to decrease total body fat percentage

Role on skeletal health

• It is a rich source of calcium and phosphorus, both of which are essentially required by the body for bone growth and maintenance
• It helps to make the bone strengthen
• It has seen that its consumption is closely related with improving mineralization of bone thus it helps to increases bone mass density
• Children whose bones are in the growing phase require plenty of calcium for promoting bone development and they should consume proso millet as proso millet contains calcium in absorbable form
• Its consumption is very effective for reducing the risk of developing bone disorders

Role on reducing cholesterol level

• Consumption of proso millet is extremely effective for regulating cholesterol metabolism 

• Individual with elevated cholesterol level should consume proso millet as it is linked with decreasing the    Read more