Department of Foods Nutrition & Dietetics Research, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Department of Food Science, M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Indian J Med Res. 2020 Oct;152(4):401-409. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_2309_18.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: : Millets are widely marketed as healthier alternatives to white rice (WR). This study was conducted with two aims: firstly, to look at the nature and quality of minor millets available in the Chennai market and secondly, to estimate the glycaemic index (GI) of unpolished forms of the two most widely available minor millets, i.e. little (LM) and foxtail millet (FXM).
: A market survey was conducted of 100 food stores in four zones of Chennai, south India. Morphological features of market millet samples were compared with that of unpolished millets under stereo-zoom microscope, and the claims declared on the pack were evaluated. A consumer perception survey was conducted among 20 minor millet-consuming female homemakers. Finally, the GI of unpolished LM and FXM was evaluated using a validated protocol in 12 healthy volunteers.
: Forty eight brands of minor millets were available, with LM and FXM being the most common. Most of the millet samples were identified as highly polished grains using stereo-zoom microscope. The product labels were misleading and showed no scientific backing for claims mentioned on the label. Most participants (12 of 20) were unaware of the fact that millets can also be polished like rice. Both LM and FXM exhibited high GI (88.6±5.7 and 88.6±8.7, respectively).
INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The availability and knowledge regarding unpolished millets was low. Both LM and FXM exhibited high GI. Hence, substituting millets for WR might be of limited benefit considering the glycaemic property in the prevention and management of chronic non-communicable diseases such as T2DM.
小米通常被宣传为比白米（WR）更健康的替代品。本研究旨在：首先，观察钦奈市场上小米的种类和质量；其次，评估两种最常见的小米，即小粒小米（LM）和粟米的未抛光形式的血糖生成指数（GI）。
在印度南部钦奈的四个区的 100 家食品店进行了市场调查。在立体变焦显微镜下比较市售小米样品的形态特征与未抛光小米，并评估包装上的声明。对 20 名食用小米的女性家庭主妇进行了消费者认知调查。最后，在 12 名健康志愿者中使用验证后的方案评估未抛光的 LM 和 FXM 的 GI。
有 48 种小米品牌，LM 和 FXM 最常见。大多数小米样品使用立体变焦显微镜鉴定为高度抛光的颗粒。产品标签具有误导性，并且没有科学依据支持标签上的声明。大多数参与者（20 名中的 12 名）不知道小米也可以像大米一样抛光。LM 和 FXM 的 GI 均较高（分别为 88.6±5.7 和 88.6±8.7）。
未抛光小米的供应和知识都很低。LM 和 FXM 的 GI 均较高。因此，考虑到小米在预防和管理 T2DM 等慢性非传染性疾病中的血糖特性，用小米代替 WR 的益处可能有限。
