Tirupati: Millets should be part of daily food for good health

Tirupati: National Sanskrit University (NSU) celebrated the International Year of Millets on Monday by arranging a conference.

Addressing the gathering, former Principal Secretary of the state government N Mukteshwara Rao said that millets are very beneficial for health which will prevent various diseases like BP, sugar and heart related problems. He also explained the difference between the Indian dietary system and Western dietary system.

The Indian dietary system was explained in detail in Ayurveda which underlines the importance of millets. Everyone should follow the Indian traditional food habits and those suggested in Vedas, Upanishads and epics. He also explained about various varieties of millets-based food. Another guest and Ayurvedic Physician Dr GV Purnachand explained the scientific origin of various food items in Telugu.

He added that by following the principles of father of green revolution Dr M S Swaminathan, people can live a healthy life. The life expectancy of human life can be increased by using millets. To grow millets, less water and dry environment is required and hence the cost of food production will also be low. Using millets, the food items can be prepared tastily and can have good health.

Vice-Chancellor of SV Vedic University Prof Rani Sadasiva Murthy explained the features of millets as described in Vedas.

The Vedic culture is very rich and the food systems described in the Vedas are very useful for developing modern intelligence.

NSU Vice-Chancellor Prof GSR Krishna Murthy said that every student and individual must follow the ancient food and eating habits in their daily life to have good health. No one should neglect their health and make millets as part of their daily food.

Academic Dean Prof TV Raghavacharyulu, Dr P Madhav Rao, Dr R Lakshminarayana, Dr Kumar Bhagevadimat, Dr Sekhar Reddy and others also spoke. An exhibition of millets and millet-based food items was also held on the occasion.