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Review
. 2024 Sep 20;260(4):101.
doi: 10.1007/s00425-024-04533-9.

Millets: a nutritional powerhouse for ensuring food security

Vikash Kumar  1 , Mohini Yadav  1 , Simon Kamwele Awala  2 , Johanna Shekupe Valombola  3 , Maneesha S Saxena  4 , Faheem Ahmad  5 , Saurabh C Saxena  6
Affiliations
Review

Millets: a nutritional powerhouse for ensuring food security

Vikash Kumar et al. Planta. .

Abstract

Millets are important food source to ensure global food and nutritional security and are associated with health benefits. Millets have emerged as a nutritional powerhouse with the potential to address food security challenges worldwide. These ancient grains, which come in various forms, including finger millet, proso millet, and pearl millet, among others, are essential to a balanced diet, since they provide a wide range of nutritional advantages. Millets have a well-rounded nutritional profile with a high protein, dietary fiber, vitamin, and mineral content for optimal health and wellness. In addition to their nutritional advantages, millets exhibit remarkable adaptability and durability to various agroecological conditions, making them a valuable resource for smallholder farmers functioning in resource-poor regions. Promoting the growth and use of millet can lead to several benefits that researchers and development experts may discover, including improved nutrition, increased food security, and sustainable agricultural methods. Therefore, millets are food crops, that are climate smart, nutritional, and food secured to feed the increasing global population, and everyone could have a healthier, more resilient future.

Keywords: Grain crop; Macronutrient; Micronutrient; Nutritional quality; Sustainable crop; Traditional crop.

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