Millets

Religion and cultural traditions are integral parts of humanity. These practises have a significant impact on human lifestyles and the health of the community. Fasting is an important aspect of religio-cultural practise that is found in varying forms across the world. In India, religions of their origin also advocate ritual fasting as a part of the expression of their faith in the god. Fasting is the voluntary reduction of all or some types of foods, drinks, or both for a certain period of time. It is practised by people of all religions. Fasting is proven beneficial for human health as it gives the digestive tract a break from regular meal consumption. There are several ways to fast, including whole-day fasts, time-restricted feeding, and alternate-day fasting. There are various millets, such as Amaranthus paniculatus, Celastrus paniculatus, Echinochloa frumentacea, Euryale ferox, and Fagopyrum esculantum. The grains of these pseudocereals are used as food during fasting. In addition to this, starch obtained from Cycas revoluta, commonly known as sabudana, flour obtained from dry fruits of Trapa natans, and dry rhizomes of Maranta arundinacea plants are used during fasting. The food products prepared during the fasting periods are very good sources of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and dietary fiber and contain various types of minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus, which are essential for human health. The food products prepared from these pseudo cereals are gluten-free and good for human health too; therefore, these foods are also included in the traditional dietary system. The objective of this review paper is to provide complete and updated information for the researchers about the major plants, their products, their nutritive values, and their impact on human health that are used during fasting times during various festivals, with special emphasis in Rajasthan (India).