Cereal is any grass cultivated (grown) to be utilized in the definition of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called kariopsis). The word cereal comes from Ceres, the name of the Goddess of Harvest and Roman agriculture.

Cereal grain crops, as you can see in the health benefits of millet cereal, are grown in greater quantities and provide more food energy around the world than any type of medicinal or ornamental plant.

In its natural, unprocessed form, whole grains, cereals are a rich source of :

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Carbohydrates
• Fats
• Oils, and
• Proteins.

Therefore, in some developing countries, grains such as rice, wheat, millet, or corn are used as daily food by the majority of the population. In developed countries, the consumption of cereals like health benefits of oatmeal for breakfast, is quite diverse but still substantial.

Among others, there’s the one called millet. Millets are gluten-free, rich in nutritious fiber grains, highly easy-to-soak seeds that are efficacious and easy to provide. It is considered one of the lowest allergens found today.

It strongly resembles almost in terms of size and shape but higher fibers make it easy to digest. The reason why it is included as one of the superfoods is because of its healthy nutritions, including Proteins, Potassium, Phosphorus, and lots of Vitamins.

Giving Millet to Your Baby

Millet is very safe for babies when properly prepared. Fortunately, millets contain a lot of antioxidants, minerals, and proteins altogether.

It is also easy to digest and is usually considered gluten free. Your baby can start eating millet in about 6 months.

It is important to remember that any new potions, including millet, should be included into your child’s diet. Start them with a spoonful and increase gradually.

Health Benefits of Millet for Babies

• Smoothens Digestive System

According to the Journal of Range Management at JSTOR, millet can help to smoothen the digestive system. It also helps eliminate digestive problems in infants such as constipation, excess gas, bloating, and cramping.

Smoother digestion can help optimize the health of the baby’s kidney system, liver, and immune system, because the system of these organs is closely related to the metabolic activity of the body.

Moms can also consider the health benefits of mesclun salad, since it can bring similar results as well.

• Muscle Recovery

When the baby starts to grow, his muscles will be used very extra. This can lead to muscle fatigue.

According to FirstCry Parenting, one of the healthy protein sources that can help the baby’s muscle recovery from such fatigue is millet.

• Facilitates Fat Metabolism

Another benefit of millet for babies, as quoted from the FirstCry Parenting website, is to help the metabolism of fat in the baby’s body.

The main mineral involved in the breakdown and metabolism of fats is Phosphorus. Where Phosphorus is also important in repairing damaged tissues and most types of millet.

However, the health benefits of aronia berry juice, can also give you similar benefits. Moms can use this as an alternative for healthy drinks.

• Prevents Iron Deficiency

During the growing period, babies need food intake containing a variety of nutrients to support their growth and development. One of the nutrients that is quite important at this time is iron.

It is not uncommon for toddlers to experience iron deficiency due to incorrect parenting patterns or even due to complications during pregnancy. Iron deficiency in toddlers can cause serious problems for the growth process in the future.

About 70% of the iron in the body manifests in hemoglobin which is responsible for the transportation of oxygen and food reserves in all cells through the blood.

Iron in the body is divided into two parts, namely iron that plays a role in the metabolism and function of enzymes, as well as iron as a reserve of the body used for food reserves and transportation in the body.

In addition, iron in the body is also needed in the growth process. Iron is needed in greater quantities when the growth process takes place rapidly, i.e. during infancy and adolescence. Therefore iron deficiency can interfere with the growth of the child.

Fortunately, millet can help you with this. It’s  also revealed that millet is a source of iron that can help overcome and cure iron deficiency anemia in infants.

• Prevents Asthma

Research shows that millet can significantly improve the quality of life of people suffering from asthma since childhood.

Although some evidence is still a controversial topic, it is proven that wheezing and asthma attacks significantly appear to be reduced (over 15%) in infants and children who consume grains such as millet.

Grains such as wheat are common allergens associated with asthma and wheezing, but millet does not have the same components so it does not have the negative effects as it does when consuming wheat.

Moms can also approach the benefits of rosemary oil to get the best results.

• Good for Bones

Millet contains a very high proportion of calcium. Just like milk, the calcium content in millet is actually pretty noticeable.

As moms know, calcium is a very important intake to help support the growth and development of baby and children’s bones. By including millet to your baby’s diet, their bones strength and development can be highly supported.

Tips on Making Delicious Millet Menu

In order to be more friendly toward your babies, you need to create a delicious millet menu. In general, making them is pretty easy, so be sure to follow along!

Millet Porridge

In order to cook this, you need two simple ingredients :

• 3 tablespoons of millets
• 1 cup of Water

In a saucepan, boil a cup of water for some minutes, then add some millets. Stir continuously until it is smooth.

Then, cover and let it boil for several hours. Let it cool to room temperature and serve it to your baby.

You can also add other ingredients like olive oil or butter to make it more pleasurable to eat.