Background: ‘Unave marunthu, Marunthe unavu’ implies that diet can serve as medicine and highlight the significance of diet. In Siddha millets known as Siruthaniyangal explains about the general characteristics and therapeutic uses of millets. Millets, members of the Poaceae family, are hailed for their capacity to deliver high energy and vital nutrients, making them a potent ally in the battle against childhood malnutrition. Their innate characteristics, such as hypolipidemic properties, low glycemic index, and antioxidative prowess, offer formidable defense against various health afflictions. Embedded within the traditional dietary fabric of numerous cultures worldwide, millets stand as dietary staples for more than a third of the global populace. With nutritional values eclipsing those of rice and wheat by three to five times, millets emerge as a transformative force in fortifying global nutrition and health resilience. This review elaborates delicious recipes with millets for children especially school going to tackle the malnutrition and improve better growth and cognitive development.

millets, nutrition, smart recipes.

Received: April 24, 2024;  Accepted: May 24, 2024;  Published: June 20, 2024

How to cite this article: T. Priyanka, S. Simal, C. Shanmuga Priya and A. Satheesh Kumar, Nutrient rich millet based foods for children - A comprehensive review, International Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics 10 (2024), 13-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.17654/2347527724002

This Open Access Article is Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

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