Hyderabad: Including millets in your diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and helps in controlling the glucose level in the blood. The research suggests that diabetic patients and people who have reached the threshold of diabetes (pre-diabetic) should include millets in their diet. It can also be made a part of the diet as a precautionary measure to avoid the disease of diabetes.
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Millets proved to be suitable for diabetes patients
Research on millets and diabetes was led by the Smart Food Initiative of ICRISAT, which includes the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, the University of Reading, UK, and other institutions. ICRISAT issued a press release about the research on Thursday. Based on the research done in 11 countries has shown that diabetics who consumed millets as part of their daily diet saw their blood glucose levels drop 12-15 per cent, and blood glucose levels declined from diabetes to pre-diabetes levels. The research has been published in 'Frontiers in Nutrition'. Researchers reviewed 80 published research.
Eat as a precautionary measure to avoid diabetes
S Anitha, the lead author of the study and a senior nutrition scientist at ICRISAT, said, "Nobody knows that there were so many scientific studies undertaken on millets effect on diabetes. The benefits were often contested, and a systematic review of the studies published in scientific journals has proven that millets keep blood glucose levels in check, reducing the risk of diabetes."
The press release quoting NIN director Hemlata said that the health expenditure related to diabetes is USD 7 million. There is no solution and it requires lifestyle changes and diet is an important part of it. According to the International Diabetes Association, the number of diabetes patients is increasing worldwide and India, China and America have the highest number of people suffering from diabetes.