Author(s):

Vinay Chamoli, Anoop Badoni, Naveen Bahuguna and Naman Joshi

Abstract: Millets are one of the major and important sources of food in the different parts of the world. India, China, some countries from Africa like Nigeria, Egypt, Niger and Burkina, are major millets producing countries. Some of the millets, which are growing in different parts of the world, are Finger Millet (<em>Eleusine coracana</em> (L.) Gaertn), little millet (Panicum <em>sumatrense</em>.), foxtail millet (<em>Setaria italica</em>), Pearl millet (<em>Pennisetum glaucum)</em> and proso millet (<em>Panicum miliaceum</em> L.). Finger millet is one of the most important crops, which stands among the rice, oats and maize. It is a good source of dietary fiber, protein, calcium, minerals, phytates and some amino acids like riboflavin, thiamine, leucine and isoleucine etc. The presence of such important substances in the finger millet makes it nutritive and useful for health benefits. It has also anti diabetic, antiulcer and antioxidant properties, which makes it useful for patients. Finger millet has good grain quality, which makes it suitable for processing. It is used for milling, wetting, and dehulling operations as well as for fermentation, malting, glaking and roasting purposes. Finger millet can also be used as a substitute of rice in human feeding. In order to know about the significance of nutritional status, health benefits and processing status of finger millet, study of different characteristics of nutritional status as well as health properties, processing properties is required. The future of finger millet is really bright due to different properties. Finger millet and other millets are really good substitute crops in comparison to paddy, wheat, maize, oats and barley.

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