This Underrated Grain May Help Manage Blood Sugar & Prevent Diabetes

Based on the review, eating millets may actually reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. On top of that, researchers found it helped manage blood glucose levels for people with diabetes.

Millets have a relatively low average glycemic index (GI), especially when compared to other grains. (A food’s GI basically gives a number to how much and how quickly a food will spike blood sugar.) With a GI of 52.7 on average, that’s significantly lower than rice, corn, and refined wheat. According to the research, those levels remained low to medium, regardless of how the grain was cooked.

Plus, the researchers found diabetic people who ate millet on a daily basis saw a decrease in blood glucose levels, with some even getting into the prediabetes range. They observed similar benefits in people with prediabetes.

As lead author of the study Seetha Anitha Ph.D. states in a news release, “This systematic review of the studies published in scientific journals has proven that millets can keep blood glucose levels in check and reduce the risk of diabetes. It has also shown just how well these smart foods do it.”