Why should I consume multigrain foods made with millets?

• Millets are a group of small seed grasses grown in semi dry areas of Asia and Africa. These crops are naturally pest-resistant and have smaller water footprint than wheat. Millets are nutritionally rich alkaline foods with antioxidant properties. They promote good digestion, control triglycerides and cholesterol, help optimize kidney, liver and immune system health, clean up toxins, and aid in managing diabetes and other lifestyle disorders. Each millet has its own unique benefits and a taste, which can accentuate the flavor of any meal.
• Since we often don’t eat protein-rich foods on regular meal basis, getting enough protein can be a challenge. Earthspired products provide a convenient way to consume the good quality, complete proteins that your body needs. Specially formulated with selective millets, amaranth and soya, we help ensure that each meal/snack of the day provides some protein. However, it works best when combined with proteins from other sources as legumes, lean meats, low fat milk, and eggs.

How can the Earthspired multigrain flours and products be used for specific health conditions?

Earthspired represents a multigrain product range comprised of millets and amaranth without any additives or preservatives. We have specially formulated our flours to provide health benefits according to specific nutritional requirements.

• For diabetic or pre diabetic conditions - Special Unrefined Multigrain Flour with high dietary fibre, low glycemic index, and seed mix that regulates blood sugar levels.

Are these multigrain flours for any specific age groups?

No, these can be used by anyone and have multiple uses.

What constitutes a healthy diet?

The golden rule is to control portions. Have frequent small portions, choose foods rich in fibre and complex carbohydrates. Complete 30-45 min of physical activity daily. Drink 10-12 glasses of water daily. Regularly monitor blood sugar levels. Avoid fasting and feasting. Consume Fenugreek seeds, cardamom seeds, and flax seeds regularly to help regulate blood sugar levels.

Can these products help in weight loss?

Yes, we make all of our products with millets and amaranth, which are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre, and protein that can help reduce weight. When consumed, they provide sustained energy for the entire day and while reducing portion sizes.

What are low glycemic foods?

The glycemic index (GI) measures how foods with carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates with low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose. Low glycemic foods include some millets, chickpeas, soya bean and other legumes, barley, sweet corn, apples, oranges, carrots, fibrous fruits and vegetables which can become a part of a healthy diet.

What are complex carbohydrates?

Complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and legumes are longer chains of sugar molecules, which usually take more time for the body to breakdown and use. Foods with complex carbohydrates also have more vitamins, fibre and minerals than foods with simple carbohydrates.

What is the difference between Earthspired and other premium healthy flours and cookies?

Earthspired products are multigrain and prepared with a mix of ingredients to provide you with a nutritionally balanced product. They include complex carbohydrates and high dietary fibre which also supports digestive health and relieves mid-meal hunger pangs. The cookies also are environment friendly and do not use any additives or preservatives, while the flours can be used in various dishes to provide more taste and health benefits.

What goes into the cost of an Earthspired product?

• The price of the Earthspired range has been designed to support small and marginal farmers as well as the women who process the raw materials. We pay a higher premium to the farmers who harvest these quality products to ensure their success. Apart from this, Mrida also supports more livelihood opportunities in rural villages to assure that an environment friendly, socially responsible and a healthy product reaches you.

Will Earthspired flours bake into breads and chapatis the same as wheat flour?

Since there is a high percentage of millet in our flours, they are high in dietary fibre. Millets don’t contain gluten, which is what provides dough with elasticity. Thus the rotis/chapatis may not be as soft as you are used to. But the formulations have been designed to provide ease of use, better taste, and excellent nutritional composition. To get some of the benefits of multigrains with the convenience of wheat flour, you can also mix the desired flour (except gluten free) with 20% wheat flour initially and gradually increase the ratio of multigrain. Take a look at the instructions on the back label for preparing softer chapatis.

Are you going to come up with more products in the future?

Yes, at Mrida we are constantly working on our linkages with farmers. Product development is a continuous activity, and innovative new products catering to health and wellness market are in development to be launched soon.

Can high protein supplements/powders be harmful?

Yes, consuming high-protein supplements on unmonitored regular basis may lead to intestinal discomfort and indigestion, nausea, diarrhoea, irritability and headache. Your body doesn’t ordinarily convert much protein into fat, but if you consume more protein than you need, you are probably feeding your fat cells. A constant high protein diet (beyond 1.6g per kg body weight) also may be harmful and result in liver and kidney damage. High protein diet is sometimes recommended in case of injuries and pregnancy, but only when prescribed by a dietician, doctor, or nutritionist. Therefore, you should try to consume protein from natural sources and avoid supplements and concentrates to satisfy your body’s needs.

How much protein should I consume? How do I maintain good protein in a day's diet?

Adults should consume 1g per kilogram of body weight daily. If you are physically active, you can consume up to 1.4g per kilogram of body weight. Children have higher protein needs since they are still growing and developing. Maintaining good proteins means including low fat protein sources in your diet as eggs, lean meat, poultry, dairy, legumes and tofu. Earthspired multigrain protein flour provides 23% more protein than regular flour, making good protein consumption easy. Earthspired snacks and cookies are also rich in protein and complex carbohydrates and make an excellent pre- and post-workout snack.

What is Gluten, who should avoid it, and what does gluten-free mean?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. For those with a gluten intolerance—Celiac Disease—eating gluten may cause inflammation that damages the small intestine and prevents the absorption of some nutrients. However, people without a gluten allergy, such as those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), have found benefits in a low gluten diet. Gluten free products need to have less than 20 gluten particles per million and should promote digestive health, provide protein, vitamins and minerals for healthy growth. A gluten free diet can include millets (jowar, bajra, ragi, thennai), amaranth, poultry, fish, pulses, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. However, wheat and its products such as wheat flour, suji, daliya, breads, barley, and rye should be avoided.

Will I lose weight If I eat a gluten free diet?

Yes, you may lose weight, at least initially, for two reasons:

1. When you choose a gluten free diet you switch to whole grains other than wheat like millets and amaranth which have complex carbohydrates and high fibre and reduces your portion sizes. Complex carbohydrates provide sustained energy levels which also make you feel active and light without hunger cravings.

Is the entire Earthspired range Gluten free?

No, there are two gluten free flours, the Gluten Free and Gluten Free High Protein Flours. The entire range of cookies and puffed nacks is gluten free.

How are Earthspired products good for someone with diabetes?

Weight gain from eating too much of any food can increase the chance of a prediabetic or diabetic condition. For people with diabetes, it is important to maintain consistent blood sugar levels. Earthspired Special Unrefined Flour is made with millets and other ingredients to keep a low glycemic index and regulate blood sugar. A single portion of Earthspired cookies (2 cookies) provides around 5-6 g of sugar which is recommended depending on the condition of diabetes. Since these are complex carbohydrates combined with fibre, our cookies are preferable to the cookies made from refined flour. Moreover, using Earthspired products high in protein and fiber can help reduce portion sizes, which is required to control blood sugar. While eating well can help, you should continue to monitor blood sugar levels regularly.

Does eating high amounts sugar causes diabetes?

Sugar doesn't cause diabetes. Consuming too much sugar can make put on weight. Weight gain from eating too much from any food can increase chance of a person getting into prediabetic and then diabetic condition.

Are carbohydrates bad for diabetes?

The type and amount of carbohydrate are both important. Complex carbohydrates from whole grains, millets, amaranth are good and don’t raise the blood sugar levels. Vegetables, fruits, legumes and low-fat dairy products, with an emphasis on foods higher in fibre and lower glycemic index is advised over other sources, especially those containing sugars.