Trichy :

Health benefits of millets seem to be slowly catching up with people in Trichy. Proof of it was the response which the traditional food fest, which recently concluded in city, received. The fest which attracted over 10,000 visitors, saw people thronging to know more about the cereal variety.

Probably, it’s the increased incidence of Type 2 diabetes among youth, and other health issues that has made people rethink about their food habits. Despite taking medicine for such diseases, the intake of junk foods is an obstacle. So, doctors these days advise people to look at the way their ancestors lived. Traditional food, including millets, used to be main part of their diet.

Kambu (pearl millet), Kezhvaragu (finger millet), Thinai (foxtail millet), Saamai (little millet), Makka Cholam (Corn Makka), Kuthiraivali (Barnyard millet), Panivaragu (Proso millet), Varagu (Kodo millet) are the various types of millets which are being promoted along with Kaikuthal arisi (hand-pound rice or brown rice) among the people. Doctors claim that millets, which are rich in vitamins, help improve the immune system. “We always advise our patients to have healthy food. People can take any millet variety which suits them,” said Dr SP Thiruppathy, former secretary of Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Chandra, a homemaker, who had put up a stall during the traditional festival along with her friends, said, “Her family were already using millets in their daily diet. It is not easy to switch to millet food from the contemporary food including junk. It will take some time, but once we get used to it, then there is nothing as tasty and as healthy as millet.”

In many cases, people avoid millets due to lack of recipes. Keeping this in mind, many recipe books were released in market which had millets listed as the main ingredient. “For the past two years, the response for millets has been good. The growing health consciousness makes millet a natural choice for people. Homemakers must make use of the recipe books to prepare variety of dishes using millets,” said Jambuga Ramakrishnan, co-ordinator of ladies club associations in Trichy.

Moreover, the awareness about the health benefits of millets is yet to reach the middle class and poor people, who still prefer contemporary food. “Millets produced in organic method is far better than the ones produced using fertilizers. People must realize they their intake of chemicals (Monosodium Glutamate) in the form of food is harmful before it becomes too late. The food was banned in China, the place where it was made. But here, we consume it not considering its ill-effects,” said G Sathiyabhama, joint secretary of International Naturopathy Organisation.

Until a few decades ago, a hand-pound rice or brown rice used to be an integral part of the diet of people in parts of rural Tamil Nadu. The innumerable health benefits of brown rice were well received by our ancestors. However, as generations passed, people started forgetting the values of healthy foods as junk foods started alluring taste buds. Fact is that, brown rice has now become a costly product which is available only in super markets. Moreover, the demand has come down drastically as people aren’t aware of the health benefits.

In order to promote the traditional food, the integrated child development services (ICDS) scheme conducted a nine-day ‘traditional food festival’ recently in the city. During the fest, millet varieties worth Rs10,43,702 were sold by the self help groups, which is a sign that magic of millets is spreading again among people.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy / by Gokul Rajendran, TNN / August 21st 2014