A REVIEW ON MILLET: A WONDER GRAIN OF NUTRITIONAL IMPORTANCE

Abstract

Millets are underutilized minor cereal crops belonging to the Poaceae family. These small seeded, nutrient dense grains aredrought resistant, glutenfree and non-acid forming. They fall into two major categories, namely, the major millets, and the minor millets. Pearl millet and sorghum are classified as major millets. The minor millet category comprises foxtail millet, proso millet, finger millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet and little millet.They are rich source of phytochemicals with medicinal properties in the form of antioxidant activities, which help lower many health diseases.They have a low glycemic index, high fibre content, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). It is a splendid source of essential nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals, vitamins, and also some other bioactive compounds that eventually help through multiple biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-cholesterol, anti-hypertensive, anthropometric effects and regulation of gut microbiota composition.In addition to staple food crops, such as wheat and rice millets are highly nutritious and beneficial and have great potential to help the world combat the food insecurity many countries face today.The current review is to collect the available information from existing literature related to the nutritional importance and health-benefiting properties of millet and trying to present the collected data in an easily-documented pattern.