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Millets help in prevention of diabetes: Study

It was found that diabetic people consuming millets everyday saw their blood glucose levels drop 12 to 15 per cent

Hyderabad: Millets are good sources for diabetics to reduce their blood sugar levels. Regular consumption of millets also helps in prevention of diabetes, according to a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

The data for the study was from 11 countries where millets are consumed. It was found that diabetic people consuming millets everyday saw their blood glucose levels drop 12 to 15 per cent. It was also noted that blood glucose levels went from diabetic to pre-diabetic levels.

The findings confirm that eating millets can lead to better glycemic response. The researchers reviewed 80 published studies of which 65 were eligible for meta analysis involving 1,000 human subjects.

Dr S. Anitha, lead author and senior nutrition scientists at Icrasat, says, "No one knew there were so many scientific studies undertaken on the effect of millets on diabetes. These benefits were generalised to state that blood glucose levels are in check, reduction of risk in diabetes and the impact of these smart foods. Consolidated review has brought out the data which we require and it is the food that diabetics must opt for."

Dr Raj Bhandari, another author of the study from Indian National Technical Board of Nutrition, said, "Diabetes has played a major role and drawn a lot of attention during Covid 19. Diet plays a major role and it shows that we could bring millets back as a major part of our diet to control and also add important nutrients to our plate."

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