5 ways to make International Year of Millets popular in India

5 ways to make International Year of Millets popular in India
Millets are one of the ancient grains which offer plenty of incredible health benefits. Millets have an impressive nutritional profile and can be an excellent whole-grain option to substitute white rice in many traditional recipes. Despite being highly nutritious, they remained vastly ignored for a long period and were considered an inferior grain. 

Things have changed drastically since the declaration of 2023 as an “International Year of Millets”. With various government initiatives and events, people have started to recognize the health benefits of millet. However, we still have a long way to go to popularize millet and make them a routine part of our diet. 

But let’s start with the basics,

Why should we make efforts to popularize millet 

Millets are high in nutrients

They contain various essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and other micronutrients. Including millet in the diet can be a good option to treat and prevent nutritional deficiencies. 

Millets are great for the environment 

Next, millets are good for the climate too. They can grow in adverse weather conditions and require less water and less fertile soil to survive. They are the best option to provide food security for the growing population. 

Millets are good for farmers

Millets offer natural resistance to pests and do not require pesticides to grow and survive like other traditional crops (wheat and rice), hence they reduce overall costs and can be a great option for providing sustainable income to farmers. 

Millets are a great cereal option for diabetics 

Millets have low GI and absorb slowly, preventing sugar spikes. They are high in fiber and keep us fuller for longer. Thus, they are the best cereal option for diabetics. Millets play a vital role in preventing other lifestyle diseases like hypertension and heart disease.

5 ways India can make the international year of Millets popular for a sustainable food system!

Use the power of social media to popularize Millet

In the last decade, the power of digital media has grown tremendously and become a part of our day-to-day life. Then, why not use its power to make the international year of Millets popular? Creating appealing video content like reels and live videos related to millets can work great in popularizing millets. Health, nutrition, and fitness influencers can lead the way to educate people about millet's benefits and influence their lifestyle choices for better health.

Organize millets workshops and events 

Organizing millet workshops and events can be a great way to raise millet awareness among people and inspire them to make millet a routine part of their diet. These sessions can include FAQs about Millets, innovative millet recipes, and deep insight into millet benefits which can help people to solve their queries related to millet consumption and help them to understand the role of millets in preventing and treating various lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases. 

Introduce millets to kids early in life and incorporate millets in various childhood development programs

Millets are a great cereal option for infants and young kids. If we introduce millets in early childhood, it helps in developing a taste for millets in young kids and will provide them with excellent nutrition too. Millet khichdi, millet and apple porridge, and millet Pongal are some tasty millet recipes for infants and kids. 

Moreover, we can incorporate the millets recipe in various childhood development programs like mid-day meals to popularize millets in upcoming generations.

Introduce millets on restaurants menus

in this fast-paced world, eating out is a major part of the urban lifestyle. People become more curious when they see new recipe additions in restaurant menus or food services. It is a good idea to include millet recipes on these food platforms to increase the opportunity for people to try millet recipes and popularize millet. 

Increased availability of ready-to-eat millet products like millet snacks 

With a hectic lifestyle, people want easy-to-make and ready-to-use food products. Increased availability of Millet snacks and other ready-to-make products like millet dosa, millet idly, millet cake mixes, etc. can be a great option to popularize millet and help people to make millet a routine part of their diet. 

Conclusion

By implementing the above-mentioned steps, millets can be popularized, and we can hope to make the 2023 international year of Millet a great success. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gluten-Free for Health: Fad or Fact?

One of my neighborhood supermarkets, part of a huge chain, as of late revamp part of their frozen food and staple areas to oblige all sans gluten items. So, what's all the fuss about? Is it just another dietary craze or are there potential health benefits to be gained? Here's what you need to know. What Is Gluten? Gluten is a protein found in the kernel of wheat, barley, and rye. It's something that most of us have been consuming all of our lives - especially since gluten in one form or another is in so many products including anything with wheat flour in it or wheat-based products such as soy sauce, malt vinegar and so much more! Why Would Anyone Want to Avoid It? There are several reasons why people might avoid gluten. In those with Celiac Disease, an immune system issue that influences the covering of the small digestive tract and can prompt genuine stomach-related issues and unhealthiness, devouring gluten bothers and harms their gut. These people should be extremely c
Read more

Gluten Free FAQ

Q: What is gluten? A: Gluten is a protein found in certain foods. It works to give th e food an expandable consistency and is basically a "glue" that holds things like cookies and muffins together or a place to thicken the broth. Q: What contains gluten? A: Gluten is present in wheat, barley, spelling, rye, triticale, and oats. Q: Are oats gluten-free? A: Some people consider oats to be gluten-free and others do not. As a general rule of thumb, it is only safe to consider eating oats labeled specifically "gluten-free". The difference is that most oats are processed in the same machine as wheat and cross-contamination can be problematic. Gluten-free oats are processed in a dedicated machine and should therefore be safe for those who eat gluten-free foods. Q: If food does not have edible grains on the label is it really gluten-free? A: NO! Many processed foods contain products in which they contain gluten. This results as part of the production process. Just because p
Read more

Tips for choosing gluten-free foods

Image
Check online for free at gluten-free services or celiac support groups for recipes, menu settings, and tips using gluten-free products. Very few websites provide consumer information and additional resources on how to prevent celiac disease by staying away from gluten-free foods. seek specialized information from reliable sources. gluten-free cookbooks, food items, newsletters, websites, and support groups can provide help and other resources. How to choose gluten-free foods Learn which products are gluten-free and which foods may contain “hidden” sources of gluten. usually, all processed foods, spices, and sauces may contain traces of this wheat product. fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat without additives or additives are gluten-free. therefore, it is always best to rely heavily on raw and fresh foods. especially additives added to extend shelf life decay items require special attention. keep the clock. Make a note next to the items on your grocery list to check the ingredient list o
Read more