Pearl millet for good health and nutrition – An overview

Abstract

Abstract Previously food was taken to satiate hunger and survival, but now it is for better health and wellbeing. It is imperative to take a healthy diet that includes energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and all essential vitamins and nutrients in optimum proportions. Millets have been acknowledged as climate-resilient crops and smart foods. Pearl millet is a C 4 plant grown mostly under scarce input and water supply conditions. Owing to high photosynthetic efficiency, it produces more dry matter and gives better economic returns even under adverse agro-climatic conditions. Globally, pearl millet is grown on 31.0 million ha, mainly in Africa and Asia and is a staple food for 90 million poor people. Among food crops (cereals and pulses), pearl millet is the cheapest energy source (361 kcal/100g), minerals, namely, phosphorus (296–360 mg/100g), iron (8–11 mg/100g), zinc (3.1–6.6 mg/100g), calcium (40–42 mg/100 g), magnesium (97–137 mg/100g) and vitamins, namely, vitamin A, E, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin K and niacin, etc. Besides, it also has significant amount of fiber, protein, antioxidants like phenolic acids, flavonoids and low fats. Because of its rich nutritional composition, Government of India has designated it as nutri-cereals (Gazette of India, No. 133 dated 13th April, 2018) for production, consumption and trade. Besides rich nutritional value, pearl millet improves our immunity through enormous health benefits like reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. It improves the digestibility and bioavailability of food nutrients by reducing anti-nutrients. Being non-acid forming, it is also helpful in gastrointestinal problems and is non-glutinous beneficial for people suffering from celiac diseases. With these properties, it is regarded as a significant grain worldwide, yet it is least exploited. However, because of numerous potential health benefits and contributions to national food security, millet grains are now getting the growing attention of food nutritionists, scientists, technologists and industrialists.