ISSN: 2574-2701
Authors: Farhan Mohiuddin Bhat*, Mamta Chandel, Nilakshi Chauhan and Yadwinder Singh Dhaliwal
Cereals are the staple food item of Indian dietary and are good sources of calories, protein, micronutrients, dietary fiber and resistant starch, coupled with low glycemic index. Due to all these properties they play a vital role in managing all the metabolic diseases. Whole grain cereals are associated with several health benefits than their processed or refined fractions. Cereals are rich sources of bioactive compounds, polyunsaturated fats like omega-3, linolenic acid, soluble and insoluble fibre, and resistant starches. The presence of phytochemicals in cereals such as phenolic acids, flavones, anthocyanins, lignans, and phytosterols makes them ideal for the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals due to their antioxidative, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities. Millets are three to five times nutritionally superior in comparison to widely promoted rice and wheat in terms of macro as well micro nutrients and are considered to be the least allergenic crops and are rich sources of proteins, calcium, phosphorus, iron. A cereal based formulation forms an important part of folk medicine since prehistoric times in China and India due to their nutritive and pharmalogical value and are used in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicines for treatment of various ailments. Barley acts as a functional food due to its content of so many health promoting components that have shown positive health effect such as β- glucan. The beta-glucans have been approved in many countries as health benefitting soluble fiber due to its role in lowering postprandial blood glucose and the risk of cardiovascular diseases by reducing LDL cholesterol content. The bioactive compounds with widely variations in their chemical structures, properties and functions are often produced in small quantities either as primary metabolites or secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, polyphenols, vitamins, and alkaloid. These compounds are used for the formulation and fortification of functional foods and pharmaceuticals.
Keywords: Phytochemicals; Nutraceutical; Cereal; Grains; Phytosterols
