Millet has been in heavy demand in the USA the last 5 years. Instead of consuming rice, people are moving towards millet, a yellowish grain which is easily available in your nearest supermarket. Millet grain is very similar to wheat and rice. But which one is better?
Let’s look at why this superfood is giving such heavy competition to the third most consumed crop in the world and understand why these two grains are similar yet different.
Millet has been gaining popularity since it has been crowned as the food of the year 2023 by the UN. Millet has been cultivated in India since 5000 years ago. It also comes in many varieties, of which foxtail millet is closest to rice.
This is why foxtail millet vs rice is a widely debated topic in the health industry. To compare the two, we need to compare their nutritional profiles.
Gluten
Millet does not contain gluten, but rice does. This makes millet healthier than rice because it is so much easier to digest. Gluten intolerant people cannot eat rice, but they can eat millet, so millet wins this round.
Carbohydrates
Millet has more than twice the carbohydrates of rice. This should make rice better, however, millet has a lot of fiber as well as some antioxidants which makes sure that the carbs are digested.
Rice does not have fiber or antioxidants, so the carbs remain undigested and do more harm than good.
Fats
Rice has little to no fat in it, but millet is rich in essential fat content. This may be a problem if the person already has a high-fat diet or high cholesterol. Eating millet completes 6% of the daily fat requirement, so rice is better for a low-fat diet.
Protein
Millet contains four times more protein than rice. Rice has 2.7g of protein, while millet has 11g. Protein is vital for a strong immune system and has no downsides to including it in your diet. Millet wins in the protein department.
Minerals
Millet contains minerals like iron, magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, and Copper which are negligible in rice. Rice does have 25% more calcium than millet, but loses to the mineral-rich millet overall. These minerals prevent many chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, and obesity.
Vitamins
Millets are richer in vitamins in general and complete 50% of the daily requirement. Rice not only lacks some essential vitamins, but also loses out in the vitamins it does contain.
These vitamins are further lost when we drain the rice’s water. The vitamins make sure that there are no gaps in your diet and that your body has everything it needs.
In conclusion, Millet is better than rice in terms of raw nutritional value and overall health benefits. But it should not completely replace rice in your diet because too much millet causes thyroid problems.
Eating rice regularly makes you overweight, so it's important to include both millet and rice in your diet for the healthiest lifestyle.
Would you switch to millet in your diet?
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