Millets play a big part in the traditional diets of many parts of the nation. Millets have a number of desirable qualities, including being resistant to drought, producing well in locations with limited water supplies, and having high nutritional values. Millet grain is ideal as food and feed since it is rich in minerals and phenolic compounds that have positive health effects. Millets include phenolic characteristics that include phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tannins, all of which are good for human health. When choosing millet for use as food or feed, the variety of millet that is available is necessary. The varied nutritional and phenolic components contained in pearl, finger and foxtail millets are excellent markers of this. In addition, finger millet has a phenolic profile that is remarkably distinct, more varied, and plentiful as compared to pearl millet. Seven of the eight essential amino acids, which the human body is unable to manufacture, are found in foxtail millet. Millet grains contain phytochemicals, they improve human health by reducing phytates and cholesterol levels. Dieticians and nutritionists must work to encourage the people to consume more millets in general and in particular considering their nutritional profile and phytochemical contribution. Due to sound nutritional benefits of millets, the best approach for combating the global panacea of pandemics like hidden hunger, diabetes, obesity, celiac disease, vitamin deficiency and so an. It will also help to reach nations target to end hunger by 2030. The main challenge is to transform the food system to achieve food and nutrition security. One of the ways to reach closer to our goal is to provide an affordable healthy and nutritious diet to all.

Millets, nutrition, finger millet, foxtail millet, pearl millet, phenolic compounds, phytochemicals

Millets are small seeded annual grasses that are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. Millets are less expensive and nutritionally superior to other grains. It provides bunch of nutrients like high protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals like iron content. In developing country, occurrence of malnutrition and various health problems like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, skin problems, cancer, celiac disease etc. are most prominent because of inadequate supply of nutrition. This is mainly due to unawareness of people and lack of knowledge to people about nutritional value of agriculture crops and its role in human health. The main aim of review is to make awareness among people to recognize the importance of food and to introduce the millets as a nutritious food, fulfilling the nutritional need and to reduce the problems of malnutrition and other health problems. millet foods are having significant health benefits, with their rich content of nutrients like fibre which helps in metabolic disorders like Diabetes, Obesity, Cardiovascular diseases etc, their good protein content which helps in child growth and development, with calcium content which helps in the bone development in both children and geriatric people, with good iron content helps in ailing of anaemia and with gluten free characteristics helps the celiac disease patients and helps in gluten insensitivity. Phytosterols and policosanols are cardio-protective compounds present in the waxy layers of the millet. This study showed that millets act as medicine and it is best source of nutraceutical for human.

Bachate A.H., V.S. Pawar, Kale P.R. and Lolge R.M. (2022). Wonder Millets - Pearl Millet, Finger Millet and Foxtail Millet Nutritional Profile and its Role in Health Promotion: A Review. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4a): 251-257.