Summer Diet Tips: Why Millets Are a Smart Choice for Better Health
Lifestyle Desk: As temperatures rise, choosing the right foods becomes essential to keep the body cool and energized. Health experts suggest adding millets like ragi, jowar, and barnyard millet to your summer diet, as they help regulate body temperature and provide essential nutrients.
Summer Diet Tips: Why Millets Are Beneficial in Summer
Millets are rich in fiber, minerals, and hydration-supporting nutrients, which help:
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Maintain body temperature
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Improve digestion (often slowed during heat)
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Reduce fatigue and weakness
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Balance electrolytes lost through sweating
They are also environmentally friendly crops that require less water and grow quickly.
Summer Diet Tips: Cooling Properties of Millets
Contrary to popular belief, not all millets generate heat. Some varieties naturally help cool the body and maintain electrolyte balance. Nutritionists say choosing the right type is key to getting summer benefits.
Summer Diet Tips: Best Millets to Eat in Summer
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Ragi (Finger Millet): Rich in calcium and iron, helps reduce fatigue. Best consumed as ragi malt, ambali, idli, or dosa.
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Jowar (Sorghum): Does not increase body heat and helps replenish electrolytes. Ideal as roti or bhakri with curd.
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Barnyard Millet: Low in calories, easy to digest, and helps retain hydration. Can be eaten as khichdi or vegetable pulao.
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Kodo Millet: Packed with B vitamins and magnesium, supports electrolyte balance. Best consumed as porridge.
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Foxtail Millet: High in fiber, easy to digest, and provides sustained energy throughout the day.
Summer Diet Tips: Millet to Limit in Summer
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Pearl Millet (Bajra): Experts recommend limiting it during summer as it tends to increase body heat and is better suited for winter.
Summer Diet Tips: Tips for Better Consumption
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Soak millets for 6–8 hours before cooking to improve nutrient absorption
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Fermented dishes (like ambali) provide probiotics for better digestion
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Drink 2.5–3 liters of water daily to avoid bloating due to high fiber intake
Summer Diet Tips: Expert Take
Health experts emphasize that consuming millets in the right quantity and form can make it easier to cope with extreme heat while keeping the body nourished and hydrated.
