Perspectives of millets for nutritional properties, health benefits and food of the future: a review

Abstract

Abstract In recent years, the increased prevalence of diseases associated with altered lifestyles, poor diet, and related awareness of natural therapies to treat these ailments has emphasized the study of bioactive compounds and natural small molecules. After the COVID-19 pandemic, people have become more concerned with their diet and healthy lifestyle. We need to replace grains with fortified foods that can help us fight nutritional security and provide a disease-free environment. Millets are nutritionally better than other cereals for human health. Millets are gluten-free, high in fiber content, and rich in minerals. Fiber-rich foods have a low glycaemic index and can reduce the risk of oxidative stress and metabolic illnesses. The 2023 year was dedicated to the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). Hence, Millet varieties contain a large number of bioactive products like protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, catechin, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, quercetin, apigenin, taxifolin, kaempferol, luteolin and myricetin, β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and ergosterol etc. These bioactive compounds have potential health benefits, including various biological properties like anti-diabetic, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-hypertensive, cholesterol-lowering, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial properties. The fermentation of millet can have the potential for an upsurge in their nutrient availability. Therefore, fermented foods have attracted much attention because of their potential health benefits. This review primarily focuses on recent developments in millet as a food, nutritional, and bioactive compound. It can potentially boost health and has implications for various fermented millet varieties. Graphical Abstract

Keywords

• Millets
• Bioactive compounds
• Fermented foods
• Fermentation
• Health benefits. Nutritional property