One of the root causes of many health issues today is related to the bloodstream becoming overwhelmed with glucose in a short period; instead, it is healthier for the bloodstream to receive a gradual influx of glucose. When food that lacks fibre, such as rice or wheat, is consumed, the carbohydrates in the food are quickly converted into glucose and get flushed into the bloodstream. This sudden rush of glucose overloads the bloodstream and can lead to health issues such as:
Rice and wheat, staple grains around the world today, are significantly lacking in fibre; red and brown rice contain 0.2% fibre per hundred grams and wheat contains 1.2% fibre per hundred grams. However, the more common types of rice and wheat – which are white/polished rice and genetically modified (GMO) wheat – are even worse, and contain 0% fibre per hundred grams! As a result, when rice and/or wheat are consumed, it takes only thirty minutes for the bloodstream to be fully flooded with a sudden rush of glucose. On the other hand, millets contain fibre amounts between 1.2% to 12.5% per hundred grams, which makes them have a low glycemic index; in other words, they release glucose into the bloodstream slowly and steadily, taking anywhere between 2 and 6 hours. Therefore, millets benefit consumers by controlling glucose spikes and imbalances, which can prevent diabetes, high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
On top of this, millets contain other benefits to consumers:
The nutrition chart below shows the number of micronutrients available in each type of millet and proves that millets are rich in fibre when compared to rice and wheat by showcasing their respective ratios of carbohydrate to fibre.
