Thank you kumkum dr
This generation may be shocked if there was a time when rice was eaten only by Nombi. It is not paddy rice that our forefathers grew up eating for ages; They are what we call small grains today. It is small grain in name only. Whether it is placed on the ground or in the stomach, it is always a bountiful meal because of its benefits. Cereals are not a junk food item that was used in the past and has become obsolete today. It is the life-saving elixir found by our ancestors that has been abandoned by our generation. Small grains are not only eaten in our country.
The entire South Asian region, including Mongolia, China, and Russia, has been using small grains. It is these small grains that have evolved over time for hunter-gatherer communities and pastoral nomads and their herds. These fine grains from the tropical region have the character of this soil.
Nutritionists say that regional food is health for the people of that region. Also, when we eat food that our ancestors have been eating for ages, it also favors the good bacteria in our stomachs, so our digestive system works better. So, no matter how you look at it, small grains are our body’s best friend. Let’s bring back these small grains as our food habit and grow and get nourishment.
Small grain benefits
Starch is the main carbohydrate in small grains. Although it contains starch like all grains, it is not just starch like rice. These small grains are a compact food product full of essential protein, fiber essential for digestion, nourishing vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.
The level of sugar in the blood is measured by the glycemic index. Compared to the starch in rice, the glycemic index is very low because the starch in whole grains is less soluble in the blood. Thus, grains can be said to be the friend of diabetics.
How to eat small grains?
We should make it a habit to include small grains in our diet at least once a day. Start with at least two days a week. Small grains do not always have to be made with kali or kulho. Today, the habit of making idli, dosa, appam, idiappam, uthappam, kolkhukatta, biryani, pongal, vada is slowly increasing.
Children can be amazed by making such a variety of dishes. This way they get used to the taste of small grains. Sprouts, milk, reduced fiber and can be given to small children as ‘malt’. It is a very nutritious food. It is rich in all the nutrients that are suitable for growing children, thus preventing various problems caused by malnutrition, including anemia.
It is better to buy small grains and use them in moderation. Being organically grown there is a chance of cell or insect contamination when buying in bulk. The best method is to dry it in the sun at certain intervals. Although it is a rule to include some small grain in the diet daily, it can be introduced one day or two days in a week in the beginning. It can be increased gradually.
Instead of making only one of the small grains, you can alternate different types of small grains. As a result, they eat with enthusiasm as they get different types of delicious food and products.
Synopsis: Sarasu