Development and Nutritional Evaluation of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Based Convenience Mixes

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Authors

  • National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad ,IN
  • M.V. Centre for Diabetes, Bangalore ,IN

Abstract

Finger millet is grown mainly in South East Asia and in African countries and is an important crop in India. Finger millet occupies significant position in India more so in Karnataka in terms of production and utilization. Finger millet is the low cost and preferred nutritive food crop of the economically suppressed and physically hardworking people, because it is digested slowly (apparently due to its higher fiber content) and thereby furnish energy for hard work throughout the day. Finger millet contains 7.39 per cent protein, 3.6 per cent crude fiber and low fat content of about 1.3 per cent. In addition, finger millet possesses exceptionally high calcium i.e. 344 mg/100g and substantial iron content of 3.9mg/100g. Among vitamins, thiamine content of finger millet is more than bajra and rice (0.42mg/100g). Carotene content is better than rice while, carbohydrate content is slightly higher than pearl millet and is less than rice.