What changes will happen to your body if you eat a bowl of millet porridge every day? Is millet porridge oil really comparable to "ginseng soup"?

You have heard the saying "eat more whole grains" a lot, but most whole grains are hard in texture, which is not very friendly to people with bad teeth or weak bodies. But millet is different. It is a "fine grain" among whole grains, which is especially easy to cook and chew. A bowl of hot millet porridge is a favorite of many people. What changes will happen to your body if you drink a bowl of millet porridge every day? Let's talk about it today~

How nutritious is millet?

Millet is an important food crop in my country and one of the earliest crops planted, with a history of thousands of years. It is small, golden in color, easy to cook and digest. Whether it is a child or a toothless grandmother, drinking a bowl of millet porridge is no problem. Millet is suitable for all ages and is very nutritious.

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1

Fat

Millet and rice are both staple foods that we eat every day. Their carbohydrate content is almost the same, but their fat content is very different. Compared with the rice we eat every day, the fat content of millet is as high as 3.1g/100g, [1] which is 5.2 times that of rice and also higher than other coarse grains, such as oatmeal, buckwheat, corn, etc. It can be seen that millet is really "very oily" among staple foods.

2

protein

Compared with rice, millet allows us to take in a little more protein. The protein content of millet is nearly 1.2 times that of rice. The ratio of essential amino acids in millet is relatively balanced, but the content of lysine and methionine is relatively low, which are limiting amino acids. In particular, lysine is the first limiting amino acid in millet. [2] Therefore, when eating millet, we should pay attention to food diversification. Eating it with beans, eggs, fish, etc. can improve the nutritional value of the diet. The protein of millet is extremely low in allergy, and its digestibility is higher than that of wheat and rice. It is very suitable for the elderly with weak digestive function and patients in recovery.

3

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has strong antioxidant properties. Millet is rich in vitamin E, 3.6 times that of rice.

4

Potassium and magnesium

The content of minerals potassium and magnesium in millet is higher than that in rice, both of which are nearly three times that of rice.

5

iron

Compared to rice, the iron content of millet is outstanding, at 5.1 mg/100 g. [1] This content is even higher than that of lean pork, 1.7 times that of lean pork. However, the iron in millet is non-heme iron, which has a poor absorption rate and cannot achieve the ideal iron supplement effect. To improve its absorption rate, you can also consume fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as bell peppers, kiwis, fresh dates, oranges, etc.

6

selenium

The selenium content of millet is very good, at 4.74μg/100g, nearly twice that of rice and higher than most staple foods.

Comparison of some nutritional components between millet and rice[1]

In addition, millet contains higher levels of B vitamins, carotene, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, etc. than rice. It also contains higher levels of millet polyphenols[3], which have antioxidant effects. It is important to note that when cooking millet porridge, do not add alkali, as this will destroy B vitamins.

Drink millet porridge every day

What changes will occur in the body?

Millet porridge is a standard breakfast for many people. Generally, 20 to 30 grams of millet are enough to make a bowl of millet porridge. Even for people with a large appetite, 50 grams of millet is enough. If you drink a bowl of millet porridge every day, in addition to being full, it also has many other benefits for the body.

▲Photo: 50g millet, 11cm diameter small dish

1

Helps control blood pressure

The potassium and magnesium content of millet is very prominent among staple foods, and both are helpful in controlling blood pressure. Especially in terms of magnesium content, eating 50g of millet can supplement 53.5mg of magnesium, which can meet 16% of the daily magnesium requirement of the general population. Epidemiological surveys have shown that magnesium intake is significantly negatively correlated with hypertension, and magnesium supplementation can reduce vascular tension and vascular tone. In addition, magnesium can also help lower serum cholesterol levels, lower blood triglyceride levels, lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, which can prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis. [4]

2

Enhance immunity

Among staple foods, millet has a good selenium content. Selenium has antioxidant properties and is important for maintaining cellular immunity and humoral immunity. It can increase the activity of lymphocytes, NK cells, and lymphokine-activated killer cells by upregulating the expression of interleukin-2 receptors, thereby improving immune function. [4]

3

Protect your eyes

Millet is yellowish in color and rich in carotenoids, which are beneficial to the health of our eyes and skin. The color of millet varies with different qualities. Generally speaking, the yellower the millet, the richer the carotenoid content and the better the flavor. [5] In addition, millet porridge with a high water content can also help us replenish water, which is very suitable for people who don’t like to drink water on a normal day.

Can drinking millet porridge help control blood sugar?

Although millet porridge is easy to cook and digest, it is still a coarse grain. Many people with high blood sugar think that drinking it can control blood sugar, and they eat millet porridge as their staple food. There are many studies on the relationship between eating millet and blood sugar. Most studies believe that millet food helps stabilize blood sugar after meals. One study showed that after a 90-day intervention of 80g of millet per day, the HbA1c concentration (glycosylated hemoglobin) in the blood of patients with type 2 diabetes decreased by 19.14%, and fasting blood sugar decreased by 13.5%. Similar effects were also seen in people with impaired glucose tolerance. After 12 weeks of intervention of eating steamed bread containing 50g of millet per day, the fasting blood sugar of people with impaired glucose tolerance decreased by 0.4mmol/L, the average blood sugar two hours after the meal decreased by 0.8mmol/L, the serum leptin level increased significantly, and the insulin index and inflammatory response decreased significantly. [6] However, patients with high blood sugar and diabetes should pay attention to the cooking method when eating millet. Millet porridge may not be friendly. The GI value is an effective indicator to measure the postprandial blood sugar response caused by food. The GI value of rice porridge is 69, the GI value of rice is generally between 80 and 90, and the GI value of refined wheat flour steamed bread is 85. As for millet, studies have found that the GI values ​​of different millet cooking methods vary greatly.

GI value of millet food in different cooking methods[6]

From the data in the table, we can know that millet rice without soaking and steaming for 20 minutes is a medium GI food. Long soaking and long steaming time will turn it into a high GI food. The GI value of millet rice made from soaked glutinous millet is higher than that of glucose. The GI value of millet porridge may be higher, which is related to factors such as the amount of water added and the cooking time. The GI values ​​of millet steamed buns and millet pancakes are not low. Therefore, if you like to eat millet and want to control blood sugar, it is recommended to eat millet rice without soaking. You can also eat less millet pancakes and millet steamed buns occasionally, and try not to eat millet porridge and glutinous millet rice. You should also pay attention to the combination. Eating some protein foods such as meat, eggs, beans and green leafy vegetables at the same time will help control blood sugar.

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Is millet porridge oil as nutritious as “ginseng soup”?

Rice oil generally refers to a layer of fine, sticky, ointment-like substance floating on the surface of rice porridge after it is cooked. Rice porridge will have rice porridge oil, and millet porridge will have millet porridge oil. Since millet has a high fat content, millet porridge oil tastes more fragrant. From a nutritional point of view, rice oil contains some starch, water-soluble protein, free amino acids, minerals, water-soluble vitamins and other nutrients, which are inherent in millet. There is nothing special about these, and no new special health care ingredients have been produced. It is a bit exaggerated to say that it is comparable to "Ginseng Soup". Don't expect to supplement much nutrition by drinking millet porridge oil.

Summarize

One bowl of millet porridge a day warms the heart, body and stomach. If you need to control blood sugar, you must pay attention to the cooking method and try to eat unsoaked millet rice. At the same time, you should also diversify your food. A reminder: millet is a staple food, and eating too much will make you fat!

References

[1] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[2] Huang Wei, Wang Dequan, Pei Jingjing, et al. Analysis of main nutrients and amino acid components of different millet varieties[J]. Northeast Agricultural Science, 2023, 48(01): 91-96. DOI: 10.16423/j.cnki.1003-8701.2023.01.021.

[3] Wang Yanan, Bai Yunfei, Liu Xintong, et al. Research progress on the effects of processing methods on millet polyphenol content[J]. Food Research and Development, 2023, 44(14): 219-224.

[4] Sun Changhao. Nutrition and Food Hygiene. 8th edition. People's Medical Publishing House. 2018

[5] Zhang Yizhen, Tong Yan, Wang Tao, et al. Correlation analysis between carotenoid content and taste quality in millet[J]. Grain and Food Industry, 2023, 30(01): 34-40.

[6] Zhao Wenqi, Fan Zhihong. Glycemic response of millet food[J]. Journal of the Chinese Cereals and Oils Association, 2021, 36(02): 180-186.

Author: Xue Qingxin Member of Chinese Nutrition Society Registered Nutritionist Health Manager Public Nutritionist

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center