Nutraceutical Importance of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) for Improved Human Health

摘要

Diet is a major focus of public health strategy aimed at maintaining optimum health throughout life thus preventing early onset of chronic diseases as well as promoting healthier ageing. Studies on the different properties of foods have shown that consumption of certain foods may provide greater health benefits. One such group of healthy food is the nutraceutical, which can be any substance that is a food or component of a food that provides medical, health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. They are often used in nutrient premixes or nutrient systems in food and pharmaceutical industries. Such foods items or food components that help in prevention or treatment of diseases are made from herbal/botanical raw materials. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is one of the oldest cereal grains in the Indian sub-continent having high nutraceutical value. It grows well in harsh environments and on poorly fertilized and dry soils where other crops give poor yield. It also grows wellin hot climates with short rainfall periods and cool climates with warm summers. A multitude of small farmers grow finger millet with limited water resources and in many countries this crop is often referred as "poor people's crop". Finger millet as compared to the other crops is a very rich source of calcium; the calcium content is thirty times more than that of rice and wheat. It is not only a rich source of calcium but contains also other micronutrients essential for good health. It can replace or complement traditional crops and, with vertical integration into agriculture and manufacturing, it will also have impact on rural economic development.