Millets are supremely healthy for us, and as 2022-23 was recently announced as International Year of Millets in the budget, it’s time to put the spotlight on this underrated group of cereals that can do us a lot of good.

Plus it is now a well-proven fact that consuming millets on a regular basis can help you lose weight, owing to the rich content of fibre and bioactive compounds in them.

Thankfully there is increased awareness of the importance of millets for our well- being as. Lot of nutrition experts are today talking about them.

There is an increased impetus by the government too to educate people on how millets are not only nutritious but how they also help the environment and farmers, thereby creating a sustainable ecosystem.

Eat more millets, try these recipes

This underrated gluten free grain has a lot going for it. It is a rich source of calcium and iron and its main protein fraction eleusinin, has a high biological value, meaning it is easily absorbed and used in the body.

• Boil water.

• Slowly add 30 gm ragi powder to the boiling water and stir constantly to avoid forming lumps.

• Keep boiling until it forms a medium thick fluid.

• Add salt (to taste), stir and put off the flame.

• Add lemon juice (1 lemon) and salt to 250 ml butter milk.

• Add butter milk to the thick ragi fluid and have it with lime pickle.

• You can even cook rage at night and leave overnight in the fridge.

• in the morning add buttermilk to it and have.

This is a brilliant detoxing agent. Plus contains catechins like quercetin that help keep the kidney and liver functioning properly by excreting the toxins from the body.

• Slightly dry roast 3/4th cup broken bajra till a bit hot.

• Pressure cook the 1/4th cup green gram dal and roasted broken bajra (bajra:dal – 70: 30 ratio)

• Add salt to taste with 3 cups of water till soft.

• Heat some ghee and add a few cashews.

• When slightly golden brown, add cumin seeds, pepper, curry leaves and ginger paste and add it to the pongal.

• Have with with a tall glass of Chach (buttermilk).

This is loaded with nutrients. While the calcium content in jowar is similar to the content in wheat and rice, it packs in a neat iron, protein, and fiber punch.

It is also rich in policosanols which help in reducing bad cholesterol in the body.

• Soak jowar for a few hours.

• Cook for one whistle on high and then on sim for 15 min.

• Heat some oil, add cumin, Kari Patta, ginger garlic paste, cubed, boiled potato and few other veggies (any), cooked jowar, roasted crushed peanuts.

• Add salt to taste, and 1 tsp sugar.

• Mix well, add lemon juice on top.

It is a rare vegetarian grain source of complete protein - has all eight essential amino acids, and is loaded with multiple other nutrients too.

For diabetics switching to barley as your main grain for some time is a good idea as this grain has a lower glycemic index and is a great defender against rise of blood sugar levels.

Stir fry peppers, boiled chicken pieces and lots of garlic.

Add boiled barley pearls and toss in peri peri sauce.

(Kavita Devgan is a nutritionist, weight management consultant, and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of The Don't Diet Plan: A no-nonsense guide to weight loss, Fix it with Food, Ultimate Grandmother Hacks, and Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People.)