Bajra Benefits: How Pearl Millet Improves Health Naturally

As the times change, the need for eating the correct healthy food seems to be faltering by a slow yet steady decline, and the unexpected rise of unhealthy foods that are filled with excessive amounts of fats, carbohydrates, sugars and salts. This has been the leading cause for many increasingly common health issues, such as constipation, obesity, diabetes etc. which have had major repercussions to the body’s health.

One of the various ways to combat this rapidly growing problem is to utilize a long range of quality grains provided by farmers alike that are rich in nutrients such as proteins and fiber as well as several other micro and macronutrients that are required to create a perfectly healthy diet for a very health conscious individual. One of the main contributors to the process of helping create the diet is the addition of the Pearl Millet or Bajra.

This type of Millet has been seeing a constant rise in popularity for quite the time now. Considered to be an ancient type of Millet that was forgotten for many years, it is stated to primarily be used for its nutritional content and its ability to combat very chronic diseases in very efficient ways. It is also full of iron, protein, fiber, vitamins and magnesium, which your body can graciously use for developing and maintaining your personal health much more effectively.

What is Bajra (Pearl Millet)?

Bajra’s history

Pearl Millet has a very unusual history. It is said to contain some of the most nutritional value present within a grain, and is also very affordable for many people to buy in bulk, yet is rarely ever used. This is mainly because rice and wheat were the most sought after food items post-independence, leading to Bajra slowly falling behind until it was rarely seen anywhere, except in some rural areas where it was being grown in.

Bajra really is a diamond in the rough, as it may be one of the most versatile food items in the world, with it being capable of providing nutrition to people who have intolerance to gluten and is able to be consumed by individuals who are suffering from Celiac Disease. It has also been dubbed “The Poor People’s food” because of how affordable and easy they are to be able to produce and sell.

What are the health benefits of Bajra?

One of the main factors for taking Pearl Millet is its immense amounts of benefits it may bring to your body, as it is fully capable of preventing serious medical conditions such as Diabetes as it can spread about lesser amounts of glucose within the body than what cooked rice can offer and do. This can also help control an individual’s body weight, which is the best option for most diabetic people. It has also been essential in preventing cancer and even repairs several broken bones for repairing and helping them develop in very promising ways. Let us go more in-depth for a more detailed look into how Bajra (Pearl Millet) can help the human body.

Significantly lowers the chances of Diabetes Type 2 from occurring

Bajra has been the center of attention when it comes to testing its various nutritional benefits that it can provide to the human body for quite some time now, and it can strike another medical condition that can benefit from its nutritional values being Diabetes Type 2, as a test between women and men between the ages of 50 and 65 showcased that the women who have shown preference with consuming Bajra have had a 22% less chance of contracting the medical condition, while the men who have shown their preference of having this grain have a 34% chance of not contracting Diabetes. It is also because Bajra is a lot harder for your body to break down, which prevents it from spiking the blood sugar within the body and makes the body utilize the insulin present in a much better way.

Bajra can also lower the chances of cardiovascular diseases

Pearl Millet has been able to lower the cholesterol levels in your body by a considerable amount, as well as maintaining the blood sugar levels, the bad cholesterol levels and even the Low Density Lipoprotein. There was a very recent study by Harvard University that gave a diet containing full whole wheat on women for the sole purpose of finding out whether it can improve the probability of reducing heart attacks and other heart related issues. The result revealed that the women had a 30% lesser chance of succumbing to a heart attack or heart failure.

Lower risks from dying to inflammatory diseases

Bajra has also been proven to be effective against diseases that can cause a lot of inflammatory issues as well as other medical conditions that leave inflammatory marks throughout the body. There have been many tests that have used women who have been consuming lots of whole grain wheat that have shown themselves to have a 30% of lowering many conditions such as Gout, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Asthma and even some neurodegenerative diseases.

It can lower the chances of Breast Cancer

Studies that were conducted by the UK have noted that women who were asked to consume about 30 grams of fiber a day had shown a significant drop in expectancy, about 52% of not developing any type of breast cancer.

It can lower the chances of Asthma developed during childhood

Children aged between 8 to 13 years old who have been given a fiber rich diet have shown to be a lot less likely to receive any breathing disorders or Asthma, which has been shown to be 54%.

Nutrient Enhanced Energy Level

Three important nutrients that your body requires to function are Magnesium, Iron and Zinc is responsible for creating energy out of the food that we consume. It has also been able to help with the creation of multiple new types of protein your body is able to utilize as well as ensuring the nervous system of the body is in top form, and luckily, Bajra is filled to the brim with theses essential nutrients that can significantly boost the amount of energy levels present in the body as well as aiding in the prevention of several chronic diseases that can affect your body if there are inefficient amounts of nutrients within the body.

What is the nutritional value of Bajra?

Pearl Millet or Bajra is almost like a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to its efficiency. With the ability to effectively provide ailments to several medical conditions across the spectrum, it is no surprise why many health professionals call this a “Super food” item that can provide relief for the gut due to the vast amounts of fiber already present in the grains, and is also said to have lactic acid bacteria, which has been used as a probiotic, which guarantees a very healthy gut and reduces the amount of conditions such as diarrhea and constipation by a large amount. The nutritional value that Bajra seems to present is also nothing to scoff at:

• 1 normal cup (170 grams) of Bajra
• The total amount of calories present within the cup contains roughly 201 calories without any additives.
• Roughly 6 grams of protein.
• Around 1.7 grams of fat in total.
• A whopping 40 grams of carbohydrates.
• 2 grams of Fiber included.
• A very small dosage of sodium equaling to 286 micrograms.
• 8% of the daily value necessary for Folate.
• A commendable 6% of the daily value required for Iron.
• A decent amount of the necessary percentage of magnesium at 18%.
• 15% of the required daily value for Thiamine.
• Around 14% of the necessary amount of Niacin on a daily basis.
• 14% of the daily value required for phosphorus.
• 14% daily value of zinc provided by Bajra.
• Riboflavin’s daily amount of 11% is also provided by Bajra.
• Vitamin B6 will also receive its 11% of daily value by Bajra.

What is the difference between Bajra Flour and Wheat Flour?

First and foremost, Bajra Flour has been able to provide for both people with Gluten intolerances and those who are alright with gluten consumption. These allow the body to absorb the nutrients present within the grains and help prevent many issues that may affect the gut’s health as well as managing the weight properly, aiding in digestion and even keeping the blood sugar amount within your body at a very steady level. Wheat flour on the other hand has a lot less fiber present within it as well as containing gluten. Gluten is a protein that is capable of causing quite a lot of health related issues for individuals who have shown to have a negative reaction to consuming it.

Wheat flour has been shown to have a much higher amount of carbohydrates present within it, which has led to plenty of spikes in a patient’s blood sugar. This has more than often resulted in excess eating and increasing levels of hunger for individuals. Bajra Flour, on the other hand, is very high in both fiber and protein, which slows down the digestion of the food, making you feel much more content and full for a much longer period of time.

The Glycemic Index of Wheat flour is just a tad bit higher than Bajra flour simply because of Wheat flour being made primarily out of carbohydrates and starch, both of which are very digestible. Hence, overconsumption of wheat flour has been known to create several complications leading to excess blood sugar levels. Bajra flour has been much harder for the body’s digestive system to break down, which does not allow the body’s blood sugar levels to spike unnecessarily. It has also been proven to provide better control over the insulin available in your body.

There are plenty of minerals present within wheat flour, and among the most prominent ones are calcium, phosphorous, manganese, and even potassium. While these minerals do help the body is some capacity, Bajra flour has very rich amounts of Magnesium, which is vital for the nervous system to be functioning properly and helps food be turned into energy at a much more efficient rate.

The amount of calories present within 100 grams of Bajra flour is around 361 kilocalories, whereas the total amount of calories present within refined flour is about 445 kilocalories and normal wheat flour contains 407 kilocalories. A standard Bajra chapatti or roti has 106 kilocalories while one single wheat chapatti has 120 kilocalories present.

Summary

Bajra has to be one of the most well-rounded food items in the world, with a bunch of healthy and necessary nutrients like proteins, anti-oxidants, and even other forms of nutrients. The amount of fiber present within the Bajra grains makes it very hard to break down and convert into energy, allowing your body to have better blood sugar and insulin levels. Bajra is also free of gluten, which gives them a good choice for people who suffer from celiac disease, which occurs whenever an individual is allergic to gluten. We at Mediyaar Healthcare can provide you with some of the best clinical nutritionists and dieticians to help create the best diet chart for your current health as well as customize it to your preferences.

FAQs

Is it good to eat Bajra daily?

Having Bajra or Pearl Millet be implemented into your daily diet and routine can be instrumental in helping you have a better and healthier body. Being rich in some of the most essential nutrients that the body requires daily can be very helpful as well. It can help provide relief during constipation, indigestion and any other issues usually found in the gut, keep track of the blood sugar levels within the body, and even helps give the heart and its health a boost.

Who should not eat Bajra?

There are plenty of people who are not recommended to consume Bajra, such as individuals who have allergic reactions to any Bajra-related product and people who have issues with their thyroid. The pearl millets have something in them called goitrogens, which have a proven history of negatively affecting and irritating the thyroid. Individuals who also suffer from gastrointestinal issues are barred from consuming Bajra grain.

Is Bajra a hot or a cold for the body?

Bajra is indeed considered to be a hot food, at least in terms of Ayurvedic knowledge. Bajra is a heat producing food for the body, and is necessary to be consumed by the winter or during cold weather. It can also be used for balancing the diet side by side with cool foods.

Medical Disclaimer - The information that has been written is only to be used for educational purposes. There has been no information presented by this website, be it text, images and graphics that should be taken as professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor regarding any medical advice that may relate to your condition.