My grandmother used to talk about these golden tiny grains ‘Foxtail Millet’. For generations our ancestors relied and fed foxtail millet in different ways. Their digestion was better, a healthy heart, good skin and overall wellness in check. I grew up listening to millet stories from her. But I did not pay much attention to it because I was more fascinated with modern food style. So called healthy food with complicated diets and exotic ingredients. I thought my health was sorted but my granny is unbelievably energetic in her seventies and I’m always tired even in my twenties. What makes the difference here? The diet of course. So, I asked her ‘’Grandmother, what’s the secret behind your energy level? She smiled and started the story about those golden granules ‘FoxtIL Millet’.
Foxtail Millet and Its Story -
One of the ancient grains we have that belongs to the grass family cultivated for thousands of years, foxtail millet. A healthy substitute for regular rice and wheat, highly nutritious and gluten-free. The grain is widely grown in India and other parts of Asia and has been a staple and traditional food. The grain contains high dietary fibre, protein, vitamins, essential minerals like iron and magnesium. Hence, in addition to all these essential nutrients, foxtail millet is a great addition to your diet without compromising with taste. Granma says, the recipes are so simple to prepare in different ways as the grain is so versatile that it feets into your daily routine. The impressive health benefits of foxtail millet makes it a supergrain. Consuming it helps in regulating blood sugar levels, improves digestion and supports heart health. Foxtail millet is primarily grown in warm and dry regions in the area with well drained soil with minimal water needs.
Health Benefits of Foxtail Millet -
An Improved Digestive System - Foxtail millet has high dietary fibre content that helps make our digestion better and better. The fibre content makes just a bowl of millet fulfilling and helps avoid unnecessary cravings. In between these conversations, she served a hot bowl of warm foxtail millet khichdi. I had it and it felt so decent on tongue and light on stomach, I can’t even tell you.
Smoother Bowel Movement - The dietary fibre we already talk about is the real hero nutrient in foxtail millet add bulk to the food which helps in smoother regular bowel movement. Also, maintains the gut atmosphere by reducing digestive discomfort if any. All this works efficiently when including foxtail millet in your balanced diet. It goes with slower digestion that supports overall digestion and gut environment.
Helps Boosts Energy - Foxtail millet helps in boosting energy by providing sustained energy. I can tell you this fact confidently because I myself felt a little shift in my body’s energy level. It was unbelievably high. Because earlier I used to feel tired for the whole day. The carbohydrates in foxtail millet helps in slow release of energy throughout the day. It avoids the sudden spike and crashes unlike other processed food.
Gluten-Free and Natural - People these days are becoming gluten sensitive and I am also one of them. You’ll be happy to know that foxtail millet is naturally gluten-free, very much suitable for my gut as well as for people who can’t tolerate gluten because it may irritate the gut lining, minimizes digestive issues. And, I can tell you the day I ate millet my grandma offered, there was no heaviness and bloating in my stomach.
Improved Heat Health - Heart is one of the vital organs that needs to be taken care of properly. Foxtail millet contains nutrients like magnesium and dietary fiber that aligns with maintaining and improving heart health. Foxtail millet consumption can help reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels as well. When you consume a diet rich in whole grain fiber helps boost heart health. Magnesium helps support heart muscles and nerves to function better.
Help control blood sugar level - I have also observed that many health conscious people choose millet as their regular meal because it helps in controlling their blood sugar level. High blood sugar has become a major issue these days. Foxtail millet helps because it has a low glycemic index which aligns with slow digestion that manages the blood sugar level.
Conclusively, I am really grateful to my granny for introducing me to foxtail millets and enlightening me about its various health benefits. However, a question came to my mind where people like my grandmother used to get the organic foxtail millet because as we all know, adulteration is at its peak. So, I asked her ‘’Grandmother, where do you find the best quality foxtail millets? And, she politely replied ‘Shiva Organic’. Here you can get organically grown premium quality Millets & Pulses. I felt so relaxed with this information and happy to know that brands like Shiva Organic not only sell products but they are making people healthy.
