Millets National Media Portal
Millets National Media Portal
Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is considered the optimal millet for elderly individuals, primarily due to its exceptional calcium content and easily digestible carbohydrate profile. According to PMC-published research (Jacob et al., 2024), finger millet contains approximately 30 times more calcium than white rice, addressing one of the most critical nutritional needs of aging populations: bone mass preservation.
Why finger millet is ideal for older adults:
Bone protection: Calcium content (344–364 mg/100 g) helps reduce the accelerated bone loss seen in osteoporosis, which affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50 globally (WHO, 2024).
Blood pressure management: Potassium (408 mg/100 g) in finger millet supports healthy blood pressure, particularly important in elderly cardiovascular health.
Digestive ease: Proso millet is recognized for being easy to digest and highly alkaline — suitable for elderly individuals with reduced digestive enzyme activity.
Neurological health: Kodo millet's high lecithin and B-vitamin content supports aging nervous system function and may reduce cognitive decline risk.
Anti-diabetic benefit: Low-GI millets help manage insulin resistance, which increases with age.
Anti-osteoporotic evidence: A clinical intervention showed significant reduction in bone resorption markers among post-menopausal women consuming finger millet supplementation (Anitha et al., 2021).
Overall recommendation: Elderly individuals benefit most from a combination of finger millet (bone health), proso millet (digestive ease), and kodo millet (nervous system support).
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