Foxtail Millet Benefits and Side Effects

What is foxtail millet?

Foxtail millet is nothing but a kind of millet which comes under the very millet family. Foxtail millet (Setaria Italica), one if the oldest cultivated millets, is gaining popularity because of its exceptional nutritional values. In India, it has different names in different languages like, we call ‘Kakum’ in Hindi, ‘Navane’ in Kannada, ‘Tenai’ in Tamil, ‘Korra’ in Telugu, ‘Kaon’ in Bengali, ‘Kang’ in Marathi and Gujrati.

Foxtail millet is a tiny seed around 2mm in size; it is covered in a thin and crispy lawyer of yellowish color. Mainly, it is a crop of the vast rain fed areas in the semi arid regions because of its drought tolerance and short duration. One of its popular use is that it is eaten as a substitute of rice.

Nutritional importance

Like many other millets, foxtail millet also comes with a package of highly nutritious components. It has very low glycaemic index (GI) and high fiber content. The nutrients in it are mentioned in the chart below.

Per 100g of foxtail millet contains:

Foxtail millet benefits:

Foxtail Millet Good for Diabetes

Because of the low glycemic index (GI), it helps to stimulate the cells of pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that controls blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin.

Tip: Try to consume cooked foxtail millet instead of rice.

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Foxtail Millet on Hypertension:

Hypertension and blood pressure are co-related and may impose a risk of many cardiovascular diseases. Here comes the role of ACE inhibitors, it is a component which used as a drug to treat blood pressure. Foxtail millet contains molecules of ACE inhibitors.

Tip: You can make fried rice using foxtail millet.

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Foxtail Millet to Strengthen Bones:

It is a crop that contains high amount of iron and calcium, which reduces the risk of bone corrosion. It also reduces the risk of osteoporosis, arthritis and spondylitis.

Tip: Try to include foxtail millet in your dietary chart daily.

Foxtail Millet to Protect Nervous System:

Neurotropic B vitamins play a major role in strengthening the nervous system. More importantly B1 (thiamin) and B6 (pyridoxine) contributes to maintain a healthy nervous system.

Tip: foxtail millet can be eaten in breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is no particular restriction.

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Foxtail Millet to Improve Immunity:

It is a power packed food with all the nutrients that a body needs to keep healthy. It has every kind of micronutrients like zinc, manganese, copper, magnesium etc. Generally it maintains the body stamina and gives the power vthat a body need to fight infections.

Tip: 90-100 grams of foxtail millet is okay to consume in a day.

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Foxtail millet uses:

Foxtail millet can be consumed as whole or ground. There are numerous recipes that you can prepare with both the forms of foxtail millet,

You can use whole foxtail millet as a substitute of rice. Recipes like biriyani, mango rice, coconut rice, upma etc.
Ground foxtail millet can be used to make roti, idli, and ladoo.

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Foxtail millet side effects

Every kind of millets are rich in nutrients so it is advised to consume them in moderate amount else they can impose some health issues. Foxtail millet is also no exception in that case. So, general precautions must be followed while taking it. The probable risks are mentioned bellow:

It can create Vataja roga, a term used in Ayurveda, it means diseases due to vata. Various symptoms like dry skin, weight loss, joint pain can be seen.
It contains anti nutrients like phytic acid. Phytic acid decreases the absorption of micronutrients like iron, magnesium, and calcium. Though soaking can reduce its effectiveness.
It can react with other drugs, hence doctors’ advice is recommended when some one is on medication.