Traditional food consumption in the modern era: assessing the millet consumption behaviour among south Indian urban women

Once a staple food in India, after many decades of being ignored and considered as food fit for cattle, now millet is back and is considered one of the humble superfoods of the Indian diet. The hectic lifestyle of urban Indians has a direct influence on food choices. A balanced nutritional diet and regular exercise are recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) to avoid any health risks. Participation of women in the workforce has left Indian women managing multiple roles and responsibilities that have negative consequences on their health. Modern-day working women are notched low in terms of nutrition due to a lack of knowledge, and awareness and ignoring health-related issues. In terms of nutritional values, millet is considered five times higher than rice and wheat. Even after contributing 10% to India's food basket with an annual production of 18 million tonnes, it is not used in the same quantity. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the level of awareness of millet grains and their nutritional benefits among urban women in South India. For the purpose of the study, a sample of 400 women respondents was selected using non-probability i.e. Convenience Sampling Technique. The study found that the majority of respondents consume millet for maintaining overall health. On the other hand, the study has proved that, in spite of having awareness about millet, people still show their reluctance towards its consumption due to inhibiting factors like “Lack of awareness about nutritional benefits” and “Non-availability” and “Expensive than rice and wheat”.