Add millet to diet, lower risk of type 2 diabetes and manage blood glucose levels

A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition reveals that millet could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and manage blood glucose level of diabetic patients.

The research conducted on people across 11 countries found a 12-15% blood glucose levels drop (fasting and post-meal)in those who consumed millet daily. The blood glucose level dropped from diabetic to pre-diabetic levels.

The HbA1c (blood glucose bound to hemoglobin) levels lowered on average 17% for pre-diabetic individuals, and the levels went from pre-diabetic to normal status.

The findings reveals the importance of adding millet to a diabetic patient’s diet for a better glycemic response.

The authors reviewed 80 published studies on humans of which 65 were eligible for a meta-analysis involving about 1,000 human subjects, making this analysis the largest systematic review on the topic to date.

“No one knew there were so many scientific studies undertaken on millet’ effect on diabetes and these benefits were often contested. This systematic review of the studies published in scientific journals has proven that millet can keep blood glucose levels in check and reduce the risk of diabetes. It has also shown just how well these smart foods do it,” Dr. S Anitha, the study’s lead author and a Senior Nutrition Scientist at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) said.