Knowledge and Aptitude about Health Benefits of Foxtail Millet based products Among Women of Raipur.

Millets are coarse grains, from grass family. They are nutri-cereals, packed with nutrients like proteins, essential fatty acids, dietary fiber, B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. They have numerous health benefits including reducing blood sugar level, regulating blood pressure, etc. However, even with their numerous health benefits the consumption of millets have decreased over the years with increasing consumption of wheat, rice and processed cereals. Moreover, knowledge about some of the minor millets is even less. This study aimed at understanding the knowledge of millets, specifically foxtail millet, a minor millet, among the women of Raipur city; and circulating some traditional recipes that use foxtail millet. After the literature study 4 traditional recipes using foxtail millets were listed. A questionnaire asking general questions about millets was prepared. 30 women were selected as subjects. The subjects were asked to fill the questionnaire and then they were informed about minor millets, their benefits and the recipes. While majority of the population are now aware of millets after the year 2023 being declared as ‘The Year of Millets’, they are mostly aware of Major millets, and not of minor millets like foxtail millet. Only 20% of the sample population were aware of foxtail millet. More work should be done to aware the people of minor millets, their benefits and how we can include them in our diets.