Taking a cue from Parliament’s kitchen which recently hosted a sumptuous healthy all-millets lunch for MPs from all parties and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), a central autonomous organization on Tuesday introduced a wide array of millet-based dishes in its canteen as a part of its healthy food offerings, marking the start of the new year 2023 as the ‘International year of millets’. The canteen is visited by hundreds of patients and their relatives every day seeking simple non-spicy cooked food.
“Introduction of ‘Pathyahaar’ meal at the canteen has been a welcome step as this will expand the option of healthy foods that have been made available to the patients and scholars in AIIA,” Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh said after inaugurating the new addition in the cuisine list of the canteen of the institution.
Spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government had floated the proposal for International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 which was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“It has been a tradition here to do something new at the start of the new year. So, in 2023, we have introduced a new range of healthy millet-based dishes in our canteen, which are healthier and more nutritious”, said Dr. (Professor) Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Director of the AIIA.
Dishes such as Kodo Upma, Besan Chilla, Ragi Buttermilk, vegetable soup, Gajar ka halwa, Sothiyadi Laddu, Lauki ki Barfi, Jau Daliya, Pongal Khichdi, Bajre ka Khichdi are some of the items that will be made available for the consumers.
Speaking about the benefits of millet-based foods, Professor (Dr) Medha S. Kulkarni, Head of Department, Swasthyavritta Department said, “Millet is a good source of protein, fiber, key vitamins, and minerals. The potential health benefits of millet include protecting cardiovascular health, preventing the onset of diabetes, helping people achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and managing inflammation in the gut. Millet is an adaptable grain.”
Appreciating the move, Dr. RP Parasher, Chief Medical Officer (Ayurveda) in MCD too stressed on the need of increasing the consumption of millet in the daily diet in view of the lack of minerals and dietary fibers in our diet leading to brittle bones, diabetes, anemia, high blood pressure, other cardiovascular and nephrological disorders.
“As compared to wheat and rice the millets have high levels of minerals, vitamins, enzymes & fibres and are easy to digest. Millets like sorghum ( jowar), pearl millet ( bajra), finger millet (ragi), foxatil millet (kangni), barnyard (sanwa), little millets (kutaki) amaranth (rajgira), kodo, etc. contain calcium, beta - carotene, niacin, vitamin B-6, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, etc. in large quantities,” he said at another event " Role of Millets in Averting Lifestyle Disorders" organised at Ayurvedic Panchkarma Hospital Prashant Vihar in the national capital..
Being grown in more than 130 countries at present, Millets are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. In India, millets are primarily a kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples. Millets are important by the virtue of its mammoth potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers’ income and ensure food & nutritional security all over the world, said a senior official from the Union Agriculture Ministry.. The global millets market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period between 2021-2026.