Reference Number: 427
Year: 2014
Link: Link to original paper
Health: Diabetes | Glycemic response | Gut Microbiome - Creating Healthier Bread to Support Optimal Gut Health | Inflammation
Nutrition: Fibre | Polyphenols
Summary
The growing public awareness of nutrition and health care research substantiates the potential of phytochemicals such as polyphenols and dietary fiber on their health beneficial properties. Hence, there is in need to identify newer sources of neutraceuticals and other natural and nutritional materials with the desirable functional characteristics. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), one of the minor cereals, is known for several health benefits and some of the health benefits are attributed to its polyphenol and dietary fiber contents. It is an important staple food in India for people of low income groups. Nutritionally, its importance is well recognised because of its high content of calcium (0.38%), dietary fiber (18%) and phenolic compounds (0.3–3%). They are also recognized for their health beneficial effects, such as anti-diabetic, anti-tumerogenic, atherosclerogenic effects, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. This review deals with the nature of polyphenols and dietary fiber of finger millet and their role with respect to the health benefits associated with millet.
The significance of this study to the sourdough baker:
We include Millet into our diversity blends. Millet contains a higher level of dietary fibre to feed our beneficial gut microbes, allowing them to produce the favourable short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and its antimicrobial effect may aid modulation of a balanced gut microbiome.
