Consume millets for healthy life: Nutritionist

Vijayawada: Quality food is important for good health and cereals in general and millets in particular play an important role in maintaining health, said nutritionist Dr B Kusuma Neela Bolla while addressing the health education programme on 'Health benefits of Millets' at Vasavya Nursing Home here on Saturday with Dr G Samaram in the chair.

According to 'Food Pyramid' principle, one would get good health if one takes leafy vegetables, fruits, eggs and meat along with cereals, she said.The humans have been consuming cereals from time immemorial, she pointed out stating that we should continue taking cereals in enough quantity for achieving good health.

The nutritionist said that cereals would help reducing obesity, heart ailments, diabetes and even cure cancer since they constitute nutritional values.Referring to the nutritional values, Dr Kusuma said that cereals contain 60-70 per cent carbohydrates, 7-11 per cent proteins, 1-5 per cent unsaturated fats, 2-7 per cent fibre, vitamin B complex, minerals and salts.

The antioxidants in cereals would strengthen immune system. Since cereals are gluten-free there won't be intestine allergies caused by gluten. The intestine would become healthy due to pro-biotic and pre-biotic activities of cereals. The important amino acid tryptophan in the cereals would help reduce obesity, she pointed out.

Moreover, the cereals would increase the levels of serotonin hormones which would help to get good sleep, she said and added the carbohydrates in cereals would help improve sugar percentage in blood which would be beneficial to diabetics. The cereals would also decrease the risk of cancer and improve working of thyroid gland.

The nutritionist said despite benefits of cereals, the lifestyle plays an important role in good health. Apart from good food, everyone should undertake body exercises like walking, swimming, running or cycling for good health. Dr Maru proposed a vote of thanks.