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Millet (Bajra) for Babies - Health Benefits and Recipes
Every doctor or nutritionist will say that the diet your baby is on is instrumental in their development, this is because what you feed them is crucial and their nutrition can impact numerous parts of life like their physical health for the present as well as for the future. This is why putting them on a diet that is both nutritional and healthy at an early age is very important. Millets are one of the healthiest ingredients for an adult or baby to have in their diet, it is also one of the most versatile ingredients to cook with. You can make many things from this superfood like millet upma or millet porridge for babies.
What is Millet?
Millets are a gluten-free, rich in fiber grain that is nutritious, highly digestible grain that is both nutritious and easy to prepare. This grain is considered one of the least allergenic foods available today. It very closely resembles barely in terms of size and shape but is higher in fiber making it easy to digest. Millets are also considered superfoods because it is additionally rich in Vitamin B, Protein, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus.
What Kinds of Millet Available in India?
One of the reason you can use millets with versatility is due to the number of dishes that can be made with this superfood, you can make anything from millet idlis to millet cereal for babies, this is because there are a number of varieties of millets, here are the ones easiest to find in India:
1. Foxtail Millet
Known as Kakum orKangniin Hindi, foxtail millets are extremely commonly found in India, this type of millet is great for controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Here are the nutritional facts for foxtail millets:
2. Pearl Millet
This is the most commonly found millet in India and is known as Bajra. This type of millet is renowned for its ability to help manage and prevent type 2 diabetes. It is also extremely rich in magnesium.
3. Finger Millet
Known as Ragi, this millet is extremely popular in Southern India, specifically the farming state of Karnataka. It is common to use finger millet for babies due to its digestibility and nutritional value.
4. Kodo Millet
Rich in a type of antioxidant known as polyphenol and fiber while also being low on fat, this millet is commonly used to manage diabetes. It is known as Kodra or Varagu.
5. Little Millet
Known for its ability to help fight stomach diseases and diabetes, this type of millet is also rich in iron, fiber and antioxidants. It is known as Kutki or Saamai.
6. Barnyard Millet
Commonly called Jhangora or Kuthiravali, this type of millet is extremely rich in fiber, phosphorus and calcium.
7. Sorghum Millet
Commonly called Jowar, this millet is considered one of the easiest available and popular millets in India, it is rich in unsaturated fats, protein, calcium and minerals like phosphorus and potassium. It is also high in macronutrients and antioxidants.
Here is a nutritional chart for all the millets mentioned above:
Crop / Nutrient
Protein(g)
Fat (g)
Fiber(g)
Minerals(g)
Iron(mg)
Calcium(mg)
Calories (kcal)
Pearl Millet
10.6
4.8
1.3
2.3
16.9
38
378
Finger Millet
7.3
1.5
3.6
2.7
3.9
344
336
Foxtail Millet
12.3
4
8
3.3
2.8
31
473
Kodo Millet
8.3
3.6
9
2.6
0.5
27
309
Little Millet
7.7
5.2
7.6
1.5
9.3
17
207
Barnyard Millet
11.2
3.9
10.1
4.4
15.2
11
342
Sorghum
10.4
3.1
2
1.6
5.4
25
329
Proso Millet
12.5
2.9
2.2
1.9
0.8
14
356
Rice
6.8
2.7
0.2
0.6
0.7
10
362
Wheat
11.8
2
1.2
1.5
5.3
41
348
Is Millet Safe for Infants?
Millets are extremely safe for infants when prepared correctly, it is extremely rich in antioxidants, protein, vitamins and minerals. Millets are also easy to digest and is commonly considered gluten free, this makes it extremely rare that your child is allergic to them.
When Can Your Baby Eat Millet?
Your baby can start eating millets at around 6 months, it is important to remember that any new ingredient, millets included, should be eased into your child’s diet. Start them off with a spoonful and gradually increase quantities.
Which Millet is Good for Babies?
Most millets are great for babies, it is however recommended that you feed your child pearl millet, foxtail millet or sorghum millet as they are the easiest to prepare and digest. Remember to talk to your nutritionist and doctors for more precise information on what millets can be fed to your child specifically.
Health Benefits of Millet for Babies
Millets have immense nutritional value and thus have numerous health benefits. Here are a few of these.
1. Helps Digestion
One of the most important nutrients that helps with digestion is fiber, most millets are rich in fiber. Millets also are known to have antioxidants and properties that help combat and prevent stomach bugs.
2. Strong Bones
One mineral most millets are rich in is calcium, this plays a huge part in developing strong healthy bones in your baby.
3. Muscle Recovery
As your baby grows, their muscles are used in different ways, this can cause muscle fatigue. Protein is important for muscle recovery and millets are a magnificent source of protein and the healthiest source of protein for babies.
4. Helps Metabolic Rates
A key mineral involved with breaking down and metabolizing fats is Phosphorus, this is essentially also important in repairing damaged tissues. Most types of millets are rich in phosphorus.
5. Prevents Anemia
Millets are rich in iron, this helps prevent your babies from becoming anemic.
6. Weight Management
Millets are a rich source of healthy carbohydrates called complex carbohydrates, this keeps your baby full for longer because it takes longer for the body to break these carbs down. This also helps weight management.
How to Select and Store Millet as Baby Food?
It is recommended that you stick to organic ingredients that are prepared fresh. Ensure that any food is stored in hygienic conditions; do not feed your child stale food. It is recommended that millets specifically are not exposed to direct sunlight and are stored in a clean, dark and cool environment. Do not store millets in the refrigerator if it is not yet cooked.
Millet Recipes for Your Baby
Millets are extremely easy to prepare. This is why cooking millet for your baby is extremely easy, here are a few recipes:
1. Millet Porridge
Millet porridge is an easy to make and healthy dish for your baby.
What You Will Need
Finger Millets – 3 tablespoons.
Water – 1 cup
How to Prepare
In a saucepan, boil a cup of water
Add millets
Stir continuously till it is smooth
Cover and let it boil for 10 mi
Let it cool to room temperature and serve
2. Millet Cereal
Another easy to prepare dish, here’s how you make it.
What You Will Need
Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
Sorghum Millet – 1 cup
Water – 2 cups
How to Prepare
Heat a pan with the olive oil on a low flame
Toast the millets till they brown
Boil water separately, add to the millets and stir till it is fluffy
Add vanilla, cinnamon or veggies
Serve at room temperature
3. Millet Stew
Stews are extremely healthy for your child, here’s a really cool recipe for millet stew.
What You Will Need
Diced Veggies – 1 handful
Foxtail Millets – 1 cup
Pear Juice – ¾ cup
Water – 1 cup
How to Prepare
To make this stew, simply add water to a saucepan, add all the ingredients, bring to a boil on a low heat. Serve at room temperature.
4. Millet Salad
Salads are a great lunch on a hot day for your child, here’s a simple but tasty salad recipe.
What You Will Need
Sorghum Millet – 3 tablespoons
Green Veggies – 1 cup
Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon
How to Prepare
To make this dish, add olive oil to a pan and heat on a low flame, then lightly toast all the veggies and millets for 10 minutes and serve at room temperature.
It is extremely important to incorporate other healthy ingredients to your child’s meal plan, millets are superfoods but they cannot be the entire diet for your child. To better understand the nutritional requirements of your child and how to incorporate millets to their diet, please consult your dietician or nutritionist.
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Apple Puree for Baby
6 Months Old Baby Food Ideas
Fiber Rich Foods for Babies
Quinoa for Babies Read more
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Primary Infertility - Causes & Treatment
If you or your partner have been trying to conceive for over a year without success, then one of you might be suffering from infertility. Due to our fast-paced, stressful life, many couples suffer from infertility or experience difficulty in conceiving a baby. Read on to know more about primary infertility.
What is Primary Infertility?
When a couple is unable to conceive in spite of having unprotected sex for 12 months or more then it is termed as primary infertility.
Primary Infertility and Conception
Primary infertility happens when a couple has never conceived earlier and has been unsuccessful in making a baby. If a couple has conceived in the past but are currently unable to conceive again, then it is termed as secondary infertility.
Causes of Primary Infertility
Causes of infertility in a couple can be broadly classified as:
1. In Men
Causes of primary infertility in men can be due to the following reasons
Low sperm count.
Sperm mobility issues.
Abnormal functioning of the sperm.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Chain smoking.
Age
Infection in the testicles.
2. In Women
Causes of primary infertility in female can be due to the following reasons
Lack of ovulation or difficulty in ovulation
Hormonal imbalance
Cysts in the ovaries or PCOS
Excessive alcohol consumption
Unable to produce a mature egg
Age
When a mature egg fails to get attached to the lining of the uterus.
Primary Infertility Treatment
Primary infertility treatment differs on a case to case basis. Many factors affect the line of treatment used for primary infertility like the age of both the partners, primary infertility tests, the exact cause of infertility, and how long the couple has been trying to conceive. The primary infertility treatments include:
1. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
ART can be considered as an option when a woman is unable to get pregnant naturally and with the help of fertility drugs. ART helps in artificial implantation in women through the following methods:
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): IVF is a procedure wherein a woman’s egg is externally fertilized with a man’s sperms, and then the embryo is transferred to the woman’s womb within 3-5 days of fertilization.
Vibratory stimulation or electric ejaculation: Vibratory stimulation is a painless and non-sedative procedure adapted to collect the sperms of men with spinal cord injuries who cannot experience natural ejaculation. Electric ejaculation is used for men who do not respond to vibratory stimulation process. The collected sperm is then transferred to the woman’s uterus for fertilization.
Assisted hatching: Assisted hatching is the latest technology adopted by fertility specialists for couples who have failed the IVF cycles once or twice, and with poor embryo quality. This procedure provides advanced assistance to the embryo to attach itself to the outer lining of the uterus by piercing the outer layer of the embryo.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): This procedure involves direct injection of a single sperm of the male partner into the eggs of the female for fertilization. Just like IVF procedure, in ICSI, the sperm and egg are collected from both the partners. The only difference is the fertilization process as in IVF the sperms and egg are mixed naturally, and in ICSI the sperms are injected into the egg using a needle.
The success rate of ART procedure depends on factors like age, and overall medical health of both the partners. Women under the age of 35 have high chances of success rate through ART as compared to those above 35 years of age.
2. Fertility Drugs
Fertility drugs help women with ovulation disorders to by stimulating the ovaries to produce a good quality egg. The following drugs are most commonly used to treat infertility:
Clomiphene Citrate: Commonly known as Clomid this drug is used to induce ovulation in women who do not ovulate due to a medical condition like PCOS.
Metformin Hydrochloride: This tablet is generally accompanied with Clomid to induce ovulation in women with PCOS and insulin resistance.
Follistim: This medication is used to stimulate the ovaries to produce more follicles which thereby results in more production of eggs. It is also available under the brand names of Gonal, Bravelle, Puregon, etc.
Side Effects of Primary Infertility Treatments
The major side effects caused by primary infertility treatments include:
1. Stress and Mental Fatigue
Infertility treatments can be really taxing on our mental health and causes a lot of stress, mood swings, headaches, restlessness and depression. This might be caused due to the hormonal imbalance or the medication involved.
2. Multiple Births
Every infertility treatment carries a risk of multiple births, i.e. twins or in rare cases triplets.
3. Birth Defects
Infertility treatments can cause premature delivery accompanied by major birth defects in the babies like cerebral palsy, nervous disorder or heart or gastrointestinal defects.
4. Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome
Infertility treatments like IVF can cause OHSS in women which results in enlarged ovaries. OHSS causes bloating, pelvic discomfort, dehydration, difficulty in urinating, etc. depending upon its severity.
5. Low Birth Weight
Many times the treatment results in premature births and very low birth weight of the baby.
Why is it Important to Talk Openly with Your Doctor?
Each case of infertility is different from the other. Hence it is extremely crucial, to be honest with your doctor about all your symptoms and problems. The doctor needs to know all the details regarding your reproductive health including any previous miscarriages, or abortions if any. This helps in diagnosis and formulating a correct treatment for infertility.
As a couple, you need to be patient and supportive of each other. Stress and depression will only worsen the matter. Meditation, yoga and breathing exercises are considered to be highly effective when fighting against infertility as well as a great measure to combat stress.
Also Read:
Ayurvedic Treatments to Cure Infertility
Unexplained Infertility
Acupuncture for Infertility Read more
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Befriending your Kids: Is It Easy?
‘My parents are so cool, I can get sloshed with them’, ‘My folks are so uptight I can’t speak to them about anything’ – there is a vast gap between the two. The trick is to find the midpoint with care, lest the fragile egos we are working with get hurt. Neither end of the spectrum is advisable, and a mid-point is always the most difficult to find and then follow.
‘I will not leave you alone even if you want me to – like your friends. I will hound you and get the truth out of you.’ – some wise mom said this on the internet, and this set the ball rolling on this piece.
Let’s face some truths about friends as thought of by your kid – they accept me for who I am, they let me come around at my own time, don’t judge me by my messy room, don’t watch every step I take with starry eyes. Given that there are no expectations in friendships, are we willing to accept such an equation with our kids? Can we ever be anywhere close to being our kid’s friend? Let’s find out.
Friends Accept us for who we are
Kids think that friends do not demand that they strive harder and harder, and aim for the best. They are content to let each one take the lead on their life. However, from a parent’s perspective, does that go against the whole point of egging their children to achieve perfection? Maybe, maybe not. If we are our little one’s friend, won’t we automatically be expected to adhere to the same parameters as set by their peers?
Leave Me Alone
Friends take this three-word phrase very seriously. We do that with ours, so how different can our kids and her friends be? But, can we do that with our little one? Can we leave her alone when we know something is obviously bothering her? As a parent, it is our job to probe until we get to the bottom of the issue and help them get over it.
Doing The Chores
That’s an automatic no-no. We are never asked to partake in household chores by our friends, and we don’t ask them either. However, again from a parents perspective, it’s a different matter. We believe that by asking them to participate in household activities, we are teaching them important aspects of life such as responsibility, community living and so on. As a parent, it is our duty to impart these values in our kids – a friend has no such responsibilities.
A Friend – A Role Model?
As parents, we all hope that we are role models for young ones to follow. But as a friend we automatically lose that right. None of us look at our friends as role models – we all just hang out together living our own lives. While the title of ‘the’ role model is heavy to carry, being one of them is a good place to be in. And as a friend, we may not be in a position to have such expectations of our kids.
As parents, we can’t have the best of either world. We are constantly picking and choosing the best of the opportunities presented in the world we inhabit. We may choose to be our kid’s friend or be the one who controlled every nitty-gritty detail of their life. Alternatively, you may choose to be the person they look upto and be assured that they can come to you when it is a matter they are not able to resolve. The choice is yours. Read more
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