1 Introduction

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) envisages healthy diets from foods which are more desirable and affordable in its Global Food policy Report, 2024. Currently, the world population is facing the twin problems of malnutrition i.e., under-nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies along with obesity. In countries like Africa and South Asia, more than two billion people cannot afford a healthy food [1]. As the food and nutritional security remain critical concerns in the world as a whole in the current era, millets offer a sustainable solution to the global challenge. The term "millet" originated from ‘mille’, a French word. Millets belong peculiarly to the Poaceae family with small seeded grasses that can thrive in critical agroclimatic situations [2]. They are course cereals that serve as fodder and also called by other names, such as “Cereals of the poor, Siridhanya, Nutri-cereals, Super foods and Next Generation Smart Foods” [3]. In fact, the millets were also called “orphan crops” by the Father of Green Revolution, Dr. M.S. Swaminathanan [4]. They play a notable role in India's ecological and economic stability. Cereal foods serve as vital parts of the food chain because they contain essential micro and macro elements and particularly non-nutrient bio actives. Millets have several recognized health benefits due to their potent mineral and vitamin profile as well as low glycemic index, dietary energy and fat. Epidemiological data show an important link between the consumption of millets and a reduced incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers [5]. Millets are often called to as "energy houses of nutrients," renowned for being an excellent source of retinol (Vitamin A), particularly abundant in yellow pearl millets. Additionally, millets are rich in essential micro nutrients such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu). They contain high levels of cystine, methionine, and other essential amino acids, contributing positively to human health. Moreover, millets are gluten-free and boast higher fibre and protein content compared to other cereals [6]. The limiting factors like water scarcity, elevated food prices, increasing global populations, changing climate and various socio-economic factors present significant threats to agriculture and food security across the world, particularly impacting impoverished communities residing in dry regions [7]. In recent years, the resurgence of interest in millets has sparked innovative research and development initiatives aimed at unlocking their full potential. From value-added products to policy advocacy, stakeholders across sectors are recognizing the critical role of millets in achieving sustainable development goals, alleviating hunger and ensuring good health and well-being. This overview delves into the profound significance of millets in ensuring food and nutritional security, throwing light on their diverse benefits and potential to transform agricultural landscapes and dietary patterns worldwide.

2 Global scenario of millets

The year of 2023 will be observed as the ‘Global Year of Millets’ because these millets are recognized as sustainable options for achieving food and nutritional security, garnering significant attention due to their health benefits and environmentally friendly characteristics[2]. However, the area and production of traditional millet cultivation in India has experienced a decline [8]. The growth rate of millet in terms of both area and production exhibited a negative trend, at a declining rate of 16.31% and 13.58% in area and production per year, respectively. Similarly, productivity showed a downward track until 2005 [9]. Approximately 97% of millets are both produced and consumed by developing countries, with a notable concentration in Africa and Asia. India holds the position as the largest grower of millets at global level, accounting for 26.6% of the world's production and 83% of Asia's millet cropping area [10]. These sorts of plants can be raised either as a sole crop or as an inter crop with pulses, oilseeds, spices, and condiments [11]. National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) has highlighted that the millets consumption was higher in the states of Karnataka (finger millet), Gujarat (pearl millet, maize), Maharashtra (sorghum) but inadequate among the states of Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu where the majority of popular cereal consumed is rice [12]. On estimating the future scenario of millets in India which is the largest grower of millets in the world, [8] found that there might be a net surplus of 3.48–3.81 mt in the case of bajra, and 0.14–0.19 mt in the case of small millets by 2029. But in the case of jowar and ragi there may be a net deficit in a range of 1.14–0.83 and 0.29–0.14 mt respectively, envisaging the important measures to be taken to ensure assured supply.

3 Types of millets

In India, varieties of millets are cultivated and consumed which encompass Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.), Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), Barnyard millet (Echinocloa esculenta A. and Echinocloa colona L.), Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. sub sp. italica), Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L. sub sp. miliaceum), Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum L.), and little millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth.)

3.1 Major millets

Major millet includes sorghum (Jowar), Finger millet (Ragi) and Pearl millet (Bajra) that are cultivated widely throughout the world.

3.1.1 Pearl millet

Pearl millet or Bajra (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is the frequently grown type of millet [13] and it is assumed to have originated as early as 5000 years ago in Africa [14]. Globally, it is the sixth most important cereal and fourth most tropical cereal after rice, corn and sorghum. It is also called as ‘cereal of sahel’ [15].

3.1.2 Finger millet

The probable origin of Finger millet or Ragi (Eleusine coracana L.) is said to the highlands of Ethiopia and Uganda. The ear heads of the crop bear a resemblance to the fingers of a human hand, hence earning it the name "finger millet” [16]. The crop is well-suited to tropical climates with intermediate altitudes ranging from 500 to 2400 m and experiences low to moderate rainfall between 500 and 1000 mm. It can survive dry and hot conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 35 °C, particularly in well-drained soils [17].

3.2 Minor millets

The group of minor millets includes proso millet (Panicumm miliaceum), kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea), little millet (Panicum sumatrense), and browntop millet (Brachiaria ramose) [18]. These millets can be cultivated for both food and fodder purposes [4, 9]. These can enhance the immune system of humans, serve as fodder for livestock, contribute to biodiversity enhancement, and support the livelihoods of farmers [19]. The appropriate blend of minerals, vitamins along with antioxidants found in grains of millet implies the potential optimization of immune system performance. The significant presence of resistant starch in millets guarantees a gradual and sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream, supplying a daily requirement of calories ranging from 2000 to 3000 per individual [20].

4 Agrarian importance of millets

Millets, are one of the oldest food crops and also small-seeded hardy crops that may be grown even in dry or rain-fed areas with less soil fertility and moisture conditions. It also adapts to degraded saline, acidic and aluminium toxic soils [21] (Yadav and Rai 2013). In semi-arid and tropical regions globally, millets hold significant agricultural importance due to their short life cycle, resilience against pests and diseases, and ability to maintain high productivity even under various stress conditions [3, 22] and it can be commonly cultivated in areas with low-fertility soil by tribal communities in rain-fed regions, and even in hilly areas. This highly advantageous characteristic of millets is particularly crucial in densely populated areas worldwide [23]. Millets can be cultivated in shallow, low-fertility soils, thriving in a pH range from acidic (4.5) to basic (8.0) [24]. Millets comes under the category of C4 cereals, which is well-known for their ability to efficiently utilize carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, converting it to oxygen. They exhibit high Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and require minimal inputs, making them environmentally friendly. Therefore, millets have the potential to alleviate climatic uncertainties, reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and play a role in mitigating climate change [25]. Millets can grow even in low rainfall regions with notable Water Use Efficiency.

(Table 1) presents the major and minor millets along with their respective growing conditions for comparison.

Table 1 Soil and other requirements for millets cultivation
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5 Millet as food

During the 1990s, Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda publicly declared ragi mudde (consisting of fingermillet balls served with sambar), as his favorite dish in Karnataka. This declaration sparked a nationwide trend, leading to restaurants offering the dish under the moniker "Prime Minister's Delight". Stories like these echoes across continents, where millets have been a dietary staple for centuries. But it's not just tradition that makes these grains special; it's their remarkable contribution to human health that demands attention. Likewise, Millets have gained interest as functional foods because of their health-promoting phytochemicals. Across various states in India, millets have long been an integral part of tribal food, including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Uttarakhand [26]. They offer a safe substitute for people with gluten allergy and celiac disease, being non-acid forming and non-allergenic, which makes them easily digested [7]. Numerous anti-nutritional compounds, including protease inhibitors, phytates, lectins, galacto-oligosaccharides, tannins, ureases, phenolics, and saponins, are found in millets. However, these anti-nutritional factors can be neutralized through various processing methods such as steeping, cooking, roasting, malting, germination, and fermentation [11].

A variety of conventional dishes and beverages can be prepared from millets, which includes bread, roti, porridge, snacks, baby foods, fast foods, millet nutrition powder, and millet wine [27]. The research findings of [28], states that processing plays a unique role in utilizing millets as food. Millets can undergo various processing methods such as sprouting, roasting, popping, salting, and fermenting to create products like ready-to-eat grains, porridges, and fermented foods [28] are listed in (Table 2). In various millet-growing regions of Tamil Nadu, traditional millet recipes include idli, samai dosa, pakoda, vaddai, adai, sweet halwa, and kolukattai are made from finger millet; kabab or burfi from foxtail millet and porridge, payasam and puttu from little millet.

Table 2 Millets with their uses
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In southern parts of Karnataka, both urban and rural populations commonly consume Mudde (thick porridge) made using finger millet. Incorporating 50–75% flour from barnyard millet is feasible for the preparation of idly, rotis, chakli, and dosa [28].

5.1 Millet—based snacks

Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and East Asia are home to a wide variety of traditional millet-based foods and beverages, including whole-grain snacks, flatbreads, steaming entrees, dumplings, porridges, and puffed products. Since most millets have a low gluten content, they need to be added as component in amounts ranging from 20% for bread to 50% for cookies [34]. Extrusion, baking, spray drying, gun puffing and popping, malting, instant mixing, and brewing are some of the food processing techniques used on millet grains to create a variety of millet products. These include instant mixes, convenient, ready-to-eat, and ready-to-cook products; novel food products, such as meal bars, pellets, muesli, edible films, roti/chapatti (unleavened bread), idli (fermented savory cake), dosa (fermented pancake), koozh, koko, togwa, dambu, chhyang, ogi, uji, and brewed drinks [35] which playa key role in daily food habits.

5.1.1 Puffed and flaked millet

The technique of popping or puffing cereals is practiced conventionally for preparing grains to serve as either a breakfast or snack cereal. These puffed grains may be eaten plain or seasoned with spices, salt, or sweeteners, offering a versatile and flavourful option for consumption [36]. The process of flaking involves pearling, hydrothermal treatment, flaking/rolling and blistering which bring in changes in the nutrient composition and phytochemical contents resulting in the ready cooking of flakes. These products have therapeutic effects. Phytochemicals in plant foods are believed to exert beneficial health effects by combating oxidative stress in the body [37, 38]. The process of milling resulted in the highest and lowest mineral contents in whole and polished grains, respectively, also dehulling of millets resulted in a significant impact on the total dietary fibre content. To prepare expanded flakes, foxtail millet and finger millet flour were cooked within the temperature range of 80–100 °C, with varying water levels (100 to 130 ml) and durations (1 to 3 min) to make the dough. Subsequently, the dough was extruded using a manual extruder and then flaked to a thickness of 0.6 mm. Finally, the flakes are roasted at temperatures between 90–110 °C for a duration of 5–15 min [39]. [40] The grains were conditioned for 2 h with a moisture content of 20% and then subjected to puffing in hot sand at temperatures ranging from 220 °C to 230 °C. A ready-to-eat (RTE) snack food was established by using barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) as the base ingredient and a thin rectangular-shaped pieces were created by steam-cooking cold extrudate (pieces of dough) and then subjected to puffing using the high temperature short time (HTST) puffing process. The dough consisted of barnyard millet, tapioca powder, and potato mashat at a ratio of 60:3:37 [41, 42]. Flaking significantly reduced the moisture, protein, crude fat and total minerals in sorghum [43].

5.1.2 Noodles and other food products

Noodles are highly favoured by any age group because of their extended shelf life and significant commercial value. Convenience foods, including noodles and pasta, are made by using a cold extrusion process, which, when dried, becomes brittle and stiff. Preparing these noodles is highly convenient and only takes a brief period. Noodles with various mixtures were manufactured, including those composed solely of finger millet (ragi), an association of finger millet and wheat at a 1:1 ratio, and a mixture of finger millet, wheat, and soy flour at a 5:4:1 ratio. Additionally, pasta formulations may incorporate with finger millet, soy flour, and refined wheat with compositions ranging from 50%, 40%, and 10% respectively [44]. Barnyard millet exhibited a relatively low carbohydrate content (58.56%) with a slow digestibility rate of 25.88% [28]. This health advantage of millet was utilized in the creation of value-added noodles with a low glycemic index using barnyard millet flour. This involved incorporating sago flour, pulse flour, and bengal gram leaf powder at varying levels to produce plain, pulse, and vegetable noodles, respectively [45].

Ladoo (sweet balls) and shankarpara (flakes) were prepared using foxtail millet (Setaria italica) or kanagini by replacing half of the refined wheat flour with foxtail millet flour. Kanagini ladoo had a protein content of 13.13%, ash content of 4.92%, and iron and zinc levels of 13.83 and 2.35 mg/100 g respectively [46]. As a result of their study, Srivastava produced popped grains from barnyard, foxtail, and little millet by utilizing common salt as the heating medium. This process involved placing millet and salt in an open iron pan at a ratio of 1:20 and heating them at temperatures between 240 °C and 260 °C for 15 to 25 s [47].

5.2 Vadagam

It is a traditional recipe typically prepared by mixing kodo millet flour, along with chili powder, cumin powder, salt and water, and making thin slices of the produce followed by sun-drying. It is used after deep-frying in hot oil as needed. Once prepared, the final product is sun-dried and stored in an airtight container to extend its shelf life [48].

5.3 Non-alcoholic beverages

‘Oshikundu’ from Namibia, ‘Kunun-zaki’ from Nigeria, ‘Malwa/Ajon’ from Uganda, and ‘Uji’ from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are the non-alcoholic drinks made from millets. ‘Jandh’ from Nepal, ‘Kodo ko jaanr’ from India, Nepal, and Bhutan, ‘Burukutu’ from West Africa, ‘Koozh’ and ‘Madua Apong’ from India, and ‘Xiao mi jiao’ from Taiwan are some of the alcoholic beverages [54].

5.4 Fermented foods

In addition to enhancing flavour, fermentation increases food value by adding protein, calcium, fibre, vitamin B, and, in turn, increasing protein digestibility while lowering anti-nutrient levels in food grains [56]. Some of the fermented food products prepared from millet and microorganisms used forfermentation are listed in Table 3.

Table 3 Different fermented foods made from millet
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6 Nutrient components of millets

According to the analysis of [64], millets are essential for maintaining nutritional security for people worldwide because they offer calories and protein. Millets have a high protein content and are also high in essential amino acids, excluding lysine and threonine [12], but comparatively high in amino acids that include sulphur, such as cysteine and methionine. Millets are remarkable with 60–70% starch, 7–11% protein, 2–7% crude fibre, 1.5–5% fat, and flavonoids. However, they are not given much importance or sufficient awareness. Additionally, millets are gluten free and filled with essential vitamins and nutrients such as iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, and magnesium, essential fatty acids, and amino acids [65, 66] reported that foxtail millet constitutes an excellent source of protein with a value of 14%, and brown top millet was rich in fibre and zinc contents of 16.08% and 66.10 mg, respectively. Kodo millet had an impressive iron content of 206.5 mg, and a high amount of calcium was observed in finger millet (3811.98 mg). Moreover, millets contain more lipids than sorghum, rice, and maize [67]. The nutritional contents of different millets are depicted in Table 4.

Table 4 Nutritional contents of millets
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[69] reported that pearl millet and finger millet are rich in micro-nutrients like calcium (10–348 mg/100 g), iron (2.2–17.7 mg/100 g), zinc (0.4 –2.8 mg/100 g), and phosphorus (189–293 mg/100 g), vitamins such as thiamine (0.15–0.60 mg/100 g), niacin (0.89–4.6 mg/100 g), and riboflavin (0.9–0.28 mg/100 g)(Table 5). Millets have essential amino acids which ensure their contribution to the nutritional security of mankind upon consumption [70] (Table 6).

Table 5 Nutritional profile of millets
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Table 6 Amino acid profiles of different millet grain varieties (pearl and finger millet)
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7 Health benefits of millets

Millets are called alkaline-forming foods. An alkaline-based diet is frequently prescribed for achieving optimal health, particularly when combined with digestive enzymes. The calming alkaline characteristics of millets aid in maintaining a balanced pH in the body, which is essential for preventing illnesses. Millet has many medical and nutritious functions [68, 71, 72]. Numerous studies have demonstrated the health-promoting properties of millets. Small millets such as kodo, foxtail, little, and barnyard are abundant sources of fibre, protein, and phytochemicals including flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which serve as potent antioxidants [73, 74]. Little millet, Kodo millet, and pearl millet have been found to be effective at controlling blood glucose and improving lipid profiles[74]. Regular intake of millets increases serum leptin, decreases insulin resistance and inflammation due to the presence of these bioactive components[75]. The high polyphenolic content within the seed coat of finger millet decreases the chance of diabetes and cancer and the abundance of fibre supports slow digestion and helps maintain blood sugar balance[29]. Barnyard millet sprouted seeds contain more amount of astringent, acidic, emollient, and stomach properties. They are used in treating conditions such as abdominal dyspepsia, impaired digestion, and nutritional stagnation. White seeds have refrigerant properties and are employed in managing cholera and fever [76]. The consumption of proso millet with other millets reduce the risk of type two diabetes mellitus [77,78,79], as whole grains serve as a rich source of this mineral. Additionally, the incidence of migraine headaches and heart attacks can be decreased, providing benefits to individuals with atherosclerosis and heart disease [79]. Foxtail millet is an essential source of crude fiber, helps in the digestive process by stimulating bowel movement and promoting a laxative effect and leads to a balanced digestive system [32]. Proso millet protein concentrate exhibits protective effects against D-galactosamine-induced liver injury in rats [80]. Other health benefits of millets include prolonging the duration of emptying the gastric and providing roughage to the gastrointestinal tract [81].The major benefits of millets for health are listed in Table 7.

Table 7 Health benefits of millets
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7.1 Millets for cardiovascular disease

Various factors, such as an improper diet, stress, smoking along with other factors cause impaired circulation in the brain and problems with the heart and blood vessels. The consumption of millets is linked to numerous health advantages, including improved digestive health, enhanced weight management and a reduced risk of heart disease. Millet grains contain good quantities of magnesium, potassium, lignans, antioxidants and fibres, offering potential benefits in lowering blood pressure and heart related issues [87]. According to [53], incorporating barnyard, finger and proso millets into the diet elevated the production of adiponectin and protein by fat along and triglyceride levels in individuals with high blood lipid content. Similar effects were also observed with lipid extracts of grain sorghum and phenolic extracts of little, pearl, proso, kodo, foxtail, and finger millets which exhibited inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation in humans in vitro. These effects resulted in inhibition ranging from 1.0% to 41%, with kodo millet displaying superior inhibition [7]. Little millet is employed in managing diabetic and cardiovascular disorders among patients, with the aim of controlling or reducing the blood glucose response [88,89,90].

7.2 Antidiabetic properties in millets

Diabetes is prevalent among adults aged 40 and above, marked by insulin resistance and its relative insulin deficiency. The natural inhibitors of alpha-glucosidase and pancreatic amylase play an essential role in managing postprandial hyperglycaemia and are safer than artificialagents. Small millets viz., barnyard millet, finger millet, kodo millet, foxtail millet and little millet are abundant in fibre, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, rendering them potent antioxidants and suitable for consumption by individuals with diabetes[4]. Research has proved that the intake of millets as whole grains is more advantageous and medically established to alleviate diabetic symptoms [7, 91]. The finger millet based diet ensures a low glycemic index due to its alpha amylase inhibition properties coupled with high fibre content. These characteristics lead to a reduced level of digestion of starch and its absorption contributes to better glycemic control [90]. Millets demonstrate effectiveness in regulating blood sugar and lipid contents. For instance, a food additive mixture containing foxtail millet was found to glycosylate haemoglobin, decrease blood glucose, homocysteine and blood lipid, and increase insulin levels people with diabetes and to have a lipid- lowering effect in pre-diabetic individuals [91,92,93,94]. [93] observed similar results in mice with diabetes. The consumption of finger millet helps regulate sugar levels in blood and improves antioxidant status, thereby enhancing the recovery rate of diabetic patients from skin wounds [94]. [95] reported that millet seed coat containing phenolic compounds effectively control the glycemic index paving the way for normal glucose homeostasis. The soluble and bound fractions of some selected cultivars of foxtail millet and little millet were found to regulate blood sugar levels after a meal [96].

7.3 Anticancer activity of millets

Millet grains are abundant in phytochemicals including phytic acid which decreases cholesterol, and phytate, and reduces the possible occurence of cancer [97]. The millet phenolics present in the millets can typically prevent cancer in-vitro [98]. [99] reported such results with breast cancer. An experiment conducted by [100] revealed that proso millet derived vanillin extract suppressed the growth of HT-29 cells. A similar extract from barnyard millet significantly reduced the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. In finger millet, differential influence of free phenolic compounds and bound phenolic compounds on proliferation of breast cancer and colorectal cancer cells were observed by [101]. The anticancer properties of the phenolic substances of millets which work especially against breast cancer and colon cancer were also documented by [102].

7.4 Anti-inflammatory properties of millet

Ferulic acid helps protect cells from free radical damage as a potent antioxidant and reduces inflammation. These antioxidants protect tissues by healing wounds. The roles of antioxidants present in finger millet in healing dermal wounds in diabetic rats and modulating inflammation have been reported [103]. The presence of bio-active compounds including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and lignin in millets contributes to their ability to mitigate inflammation and oxidative stress [104]. Hence, the polyphenols present in millets served as natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents, for managing certain diseases.

7.5 Millets and celiac disease

Celiac disease is immune-mediated and activated by gluten in individuals who are susceptible to this disease. Gluten-free millet is an alternative for people with celiac disease. Sensitivity to gluten, leads to irritation [7, 54].

7.6 Antimicrobial activity of millets

In- vitro evaluations were conducted on extracts of seed protein from millets to assess their ability to control the growth of microbes such as Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum. It was concluded that all the phytopathogenic fungi were effectively suppressed by the pearl millet protein extract [105]. In addition, millets, such as sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, and foxtail millet, have been reported to have potential antibacterial properties. Gram—negative and gram-positive bacteria (Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus sp., Bacillus cereus and Listeria ivanovii) [106] were effectively controlled by the ethanolic fractions of pearl millet. [107] reported the antibacterial activity of phytochemicals derived from sorghum bran against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, famous foodborne pathogens.

7.7 Phytochemical properties of millets

Millet plants are resistant to many abiotic stress factors. These plants are having high amounts of micronutrients and substances such as polyphenols, phytosterols, phytoestrogens, lignins, and phytocyanins as reported by several studies [108]. The highest flavonoid content was detected in foxtail millet (7.808 mg/g) and high alkaloids in barnyard millet (2.149 mg/g) and least in finger millet (0.058 mg/g). The contents of the bound phenolic fractions were greater than those of the free phenolic fractions. A greater total anthocyanin content was recorded in the finger millet, kodo and pearl millet varieties.

7.8 Prebiotic aspects of millet dietary fibre

The quantity of phenol compounds in millets is influenced by many procedures, including dehulling and decortication, malting, fermentation, and thermal processing. The antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella dysenteriae, Enterococcus sp. and Salmonella sp was reported previously [109]. The microflora present in the fermented products of millets have probiotic effects [110,111,112,113]. Sorghum grains produce certain biochemicals [112] including phenolic acids with health-promoting properties. It reduces the incidence of diet-related noncommunicable diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

7.9 Millets as weaning foods, health foods and enteral foods

Millets, including finger millet play crucial roles in various food applications, particularly in weaning foods, health foods, and enteral foods. Millets are often used in baby foods due to their remarkable nutritional scenario. They are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Finger millet, in particular, has high calcium content, which is beneficial for developing bones in infants and young children. Weaning foods made from millets provide a nutrient-dense option for transitioning infants from breastfeeding to solid foods. [113] formulated fortified instant weaning food containing essential macronutrients and micronutrients from Musa paradisiaca (banana) and Eleusine coracana which could be used for three months when stored in aluminum foil pouches.

Millets are a healthy food due to their numerous health benefits. Millets are suitable for individuals with gluten intolerance or diabetes since they are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index. Millets are also rich in antioxidants which reduce oxidative stress, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Incorporating millets into a diet can lead to an improvement of overall health. Foxtail millet grains possess good quantity of phenols and flavonoids, which could be added to make convenient food products for instant use for fulfilling nutrient requirements and managing health disorders [114].

Millets are used in enteral nutrition formulations for individuals who cannot consume food orally and who require tube feeding. Enteral foods made from millets provide a balanced nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Millets are easily digested and well-tolerated by most individuals, making them suitable for enteral feeding in clinical settings. [115] succeeded in preparing a blended food based on sorghum, soybean and sesame seeds for tube feeding of adults. Hence, millets, including finger millet, are versatile ingredients that play important roles in weaning foods, health foods, and enteral foods. Their nutritional composition, gluten-free nature, and health benefits make them valuable additves to various food products aimed at promoting growth, health, and nutrition in infants, children, and adults.

8 Future prospects

The future of millet-based food for promoting human health appears promising. As global awareness of food choices increases, millets offer a sustainable alternative that aligns with the principles of a healthy and environmentally conscious diet. Research on millets continues to uncover new health benefits and innovative ways to incorporate millets into dining and modern diets. The collaboration between the agricultural sector, food industry and public health initiatives will be essential for harnessing the full potential of millets for human well-being.

9 Conclusions

The incorporation of millet-based food products such as protein, calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), into international, national, and state-level community feeding programs holds promise for addressing prevalent nutrient deficiencies in developing countries. The overview of the significance of millets for food and nutritional security envisages their multifaceted role in addressing global challenges. Millets are resilient crops that offer sustainable solutions for agricultural production. Their rich nutritional content makes them invaluable allies for combating malnutrition and promoting public health, especially in vulnerable communities. By integrating millets into agricultural systems, we can foster resilience against climate change and enhance food sovereignty, empowering smallholder farmers and rural communities. The resurgence of interest in millets signals a promising shift towards more diverse, nutritious, and sustainable food systems. The significance of millets is that they invite collective action from stakeholders across sectors, including policymakers, researchers, farmers, and consumers. By understanding the potential of millets, we can pave the way for a more resilient, equitable, and nourished future for all.