UNIT 11 SELECTION, PREPARATION Selection,

Preparation and
AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF Nutritive Value of
Cereals and
CEREALS AND MILLETS Millets

Cereals and millets form the main food item in our daily diet. In this unit, you
will leam about the proper selection and nutritive value of these foods. Ragi,
bajra, jawar and kodri are called millets though they are all seeds of grass
family like the other cereals. You will also become familiar with the variety
of cereals/millets consumed in our country, the ways in which they are
incorporated in our diet, the care that is taken in their preparation and ways of
improving their nutritive value.

Structure
11.0 Objectives
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Selection of Cereals
11.3 Nutritive Value of Cereals
11.4 Common Cereal Grains

11.4.1 Wheat

11.4.2 Rice

11.4.3 Bajra and Jowar

11.4.4 Maize

11.4.5 Ragi

11.4.6 Kodri

11.4.7 Extruded Products

11.5 Sprouting, Parching and Fermentation of Cereals

11.6 Let Us Sum Up
11.7 Glossary
11.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

11.0 OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, you will be able to:

• list the criteria for selection of cereals;

• list the nutrients provided by cereals; and
• describe the uses of different cereals.

11.1 INTRODUCTION
In the earlier units, you have studied the functions and composition of food
101
\
Process of Food and its classification into various food groups. We will now learn about the
Selection and
Preparation-I
nutritive value of various foods, their selection and use in our day-to-day
meals to add to our understanding of foods. As we all know, chapatis, puris,
paranthas, bread, rice, idli, dosa are some of the food items that we consume
daily. As mentioned at the beginning of unit 11. These are made from cereals
which are an important part of our diet. You may already know that cereals
and millets are seeds of the grass family. The main cereal grains used as food
are rice, jowar, bajra, barley, maize, ragi and kodri. We also use them to
make flour, bread, breakfast foods, extruded products and various kinds of
starches. Cereals form the bulk of our diets because:

• they are a source of energy and other important nutrients to the body,
• their cost of production is low and so they are not expensive,
• they have a bland, mild taste which is acceptable to young and old
people alike,
• these combine well with all other foods such as dhal, vegetables, meat or
fish. Some of them like ragi, bajra, jowar and kodri can grow under
extreme drought and poor irrigation conditions. Therefore, they are
easily available and comparatively cheaper than other cereals. In this
unit, we shall be studying about the nutrients provided to us by cereals
and the preparation and selection of cereals commonly used in our
country.

11.2 SELECTION OF CEREALS

It is important to select the cereals wisely before purchasing them. For proper
selection, keep the following guidelines in mind :

• Grains should be clean and free from dirt, grit, gravel, etc.
• They should not be infested with moulds, insects or fungus.
• Grains or flour should preferably be bought from Co-operative Stores.
Grahak Sanghs or any other Co-operative Organisations to ensure good
quality materials.
• Whole wheat is usually ground for use by the families themselves. This
helps to prevent the purchase of adulterated flour from the market.
• Maida should be free from insects, lumps and moulds.
• Puffed rice and chirwa should be crisp and not have gravel, grit and sand.
• Good quality dhalia is free from moulds and bad odour.
• Select according to your needs. Thin long varieties of rice are used for
making pulao, while short varieties are suitable for khichri, idli, dosa,
etc. Finer varieties of suji are suitable for halwas while larger particles
are better for upma.
• Bread should be fresh and wrapped in a hygienic package. Good quality
bread is soft and has a baked flavour.

102 \
Check Your Progress Exercise 1 Selection,
Preparation and
1) List the criteria you need to keep in mind while selecting: Nutritive Value of
Cereals and
a) Whole grains. Millets

b) Bread.
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………

11.3 NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CEREALS

Cereals are a valuable source of many nutrients to the body. We will briefly
discuss these nutrients one by one.

Energy : As you have read in Unit 5, cereals have a high energy value. This
is due to 65-78% starch present in them. In our Indian diet, a major portion of
the energy is provided by the cereals.

Proteins : Cereals contain 7-12% proteins. Cereals and their products

provide half or more of the proteins in the Indian diet. However, the protein
of cereals is better used if other protein foods like dhals, milk, meat, egg, etc.,
are eaten along with cereals. This is the reason why combinations like roti
and dhal, rice and dhal, parantha and curds, rice and curds, etc. are so
commonly used. These combinations are more beneficial to the body than
consuming cereals alone.

Minerals and Vitamins : Cereals provide us with important minerals like

iron. They are also a good source of B-complex vitamins. Ragi is especially
rich in calcium. When whole grain cereals like wheat are milled and refined,
the outer layer is removed. This leads to a loss in the mineral and vitamin
content of the grains. So refined cereal products like maida have a lower
content of minerals and vitamins than whole cereals products like atta.

Fibre : Whole cereals are rich in fibre because of their outer covering. Fibre
absorbs water, swells and helps to eliminate the waste products from the
gastro intestinal tract smoothly, thus preventing constipation. When atta is
sifted, the fibre particles and some of the minerals and vitamins are removed.
We should therefore avoid sifting out atta as far as possible.

EAT MORE OF WHOLE GRAIN CEREALS. THEY ARE MORE

NUTRITIOUS THAN REFINED ONES

103
\
Process of Food Check Your Progress Exercise 2
Selection and
Preparation-I 1) Cereals are an important source of the following nutrients:
a) ……… b) ……………. c) …………. d) …………

11.4 COMMON CEREAL GRAINS

11.4.1 Wheat
This is the most widely used cereal all over the world. It may be consumed in
different forms like:

• Whole cracked wheat as in porridges or other breakfast foods.

• Whole wheat flour (atta) in the form of chapatis, puris, paranthas.
• Semolina i.e. suji or rava in the form of uppama, kesari.
• Refined wheat flour (maida) as in cakes, cookies, bread, biscuits.
• Extruded products like macaroni, spaghetti, noodles.

When wheat is ground into whole wheat flour (atta), no part of the grain is
separated. In the making of refined wheat flour i.e., maida, the outer fibrous
covering is removed. That is why maida is finer, softer and whiter than atta. It
is therefore important in bread-making, but is less nutritious as some of the
minerals and vitamins are lost along with the outer husk. The baking quality
of wheat is due to the formation of an insoluble protein called gluten during
dough preparation. Gluten is important in giving the texture to foodstuffs
made from wheat. When bread dough is kneaded, gluten is formed and the
strands stretch, forming a net-like structure in which the starch granules are
embedded. This structure helps the dough to rise during yeast fermentation
and thus makes the bread soft. Chapatis, puris, paranthas are common
preparations made from whole wheat flour. To get a good product, you must
knead the dough well and leave it covered for some time with a wet cloth
before making these preparations. This allows the gluten strands to form and
so the chapatis are soft, smooth and puff up well. If the dough is used
immediately, the puffing quality is affected and the edges are cracked. Also
chapatis made from other grains like maize flour do not puff up due to lack of
gluten as compared to those made from wheat flour. Certain varieties of
wheat called the ‘hard’ varieties have a higher percentage of gluten. They are,
therefore, more suitable for making bread and chapatis while the ‘soft’
varieties are better for cakes and biscuits.

Practical Activity 1
a) List five preparations made from some form of wheat which you have
consumed in the last two days.
…………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
104 \
b) Make some dough of whole wheat flour, leave half of it covered with a Selection,
Preparation and
wet cloth. Knead again after about half an hour and make chapatis. Use Nutritive Value of
the other half immediately for making chapatis. Note the difference in Cereals and
Millets
the texture and puffing of chapatis.
…………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
11.4.2 Rice
Rice is another cereal that is widely used. It is simpler to cook and soft
compared to other cereals. Rice has an attractive appearance and a bland
flavour, it blends easily with many other foods and is used in the preparation
of a variety of snacks.

When rice is harvested, the grains are called paddy. They have a fibrous husk
or outer covering which is not eaten. This may be removed by hand pounding
or milling. When rice is milled it gets cleaned and the outer husk is removed.
It is then sieved and polished. Polishing reduces the mineral and vitamin
content of the grains. So polished rice has less nutrients even though it has a
refined appearance and does not spoil easily by insects. Parboiled rice (sela
rice) is prepared by soaking the paddy in hot water and then steaming it for
some time. It is then dried and the husk is removed. The water used for
steeping paddy dissolves vitamins and minerals present in the outer layers
and carries them into the grain. Thus valuable nutrients which would
otherwise be lost in milling are retained in the grain. Parboiled rice is
therefore more nutritious than ordinary rice. It also has a better cooking and
keeping quality. Rice flakes and puffed rice are processed rice products. Rice
flakes or chirwa are made after soaking the paddy in hot water, parching it
(explained in subsection 11.5) by roasting and then flattening it by force
while hot to form flakes. Roasting helps to toast the grain, resulting in partial
cooking. Therefore, rice flakes need very little time to cook and are used as a
snack. Puffed rice or murmura is a ready -to - eat rice product.The simplest
way of cooking rice is to wash, soak and boil it in water. However, you
should take care not to scrub it a lot during washing and not to throw away
the water in which it has been soaked. This will help in preventing losses of
minerals and vitamins. For good results, cook rice in just sufficient water (2
cups water for 1 cup rice) so that all of it is absorbed during boiling. Bring it
first to a boil and then let it cook on slow heat till tender. Do not allow the
rice to boil vigorously throughout as it will get lumpy, burnt and dry on top.
When rice is cooked with water, the starch granules inside it absorb water
and swell up, causing a change in texture and colour. This process is called
gelatinisation and helps to keep the grains separate. Adding a little fat during
boiling keeps the grains separated, and adding a little lemon juice improves
its colour. You can also cook rice by pressure cooking to save time and fuel.
As rice ages, it cooks better. New rice tends to become sticky and therefore
requires less water to cook than old rice. However, this does not happen in
105
\
Process of Food the case of parboiled rice even if it is new. You can use rice along with other
Selection and
Preparation-I
foods to make a variety of preparations like pulaos, khichri, idli, dosa, sweet
rice, kheers, phirnis, etc. Rice flakes and puffed rice are commonly used to
make poha, bhelpuri, etc.

USE MORE OF PARBOILED RICE. IT IS CHEAPER AND MORE

NUTRITIOUS THAN MILLED RICE

Practical Activity 2
List five preparations in which you use different forms of rice.
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………

Check Your Progress 3

1) What points will you keep in mind in the preparation of rice?
…………………………………………….………………………………
…………………………………………….………………………………
…………………………………………….………………………………
…………………………………………….………………………………
…………………………………………….………………………………
11.4.3 Bajra and Jowar
These are millets mainly used for making bread known as roti or bhakari.
You may also parch, or ferment them (as explained in 11.5) and make them
into several other products. As they are easily digestible, they are commonly
used for feeding small children.

11.4.4 Maize
It is extensively used in many parts of India. It is usually eaten as such when
it is raw and tender. It is also available as maize flour and breakfast cereal
like cornflakes. Corn oil and corn starch made from maize are also used in
cooking.

11.4.5 Ragi
Itis grown and mainly used in the South as ragi roti and ragi balls. Ragi flour
is mixed with water to form a paste. It is then mixed with steaming rice,
cooked and made into balls. These balls are then consumed with curry. Ragi
is especially rich in calcium and therefore important for feeding of infants
and children.

106 \
11.4.6 Kodri Selection,
Preparation and
Nutritive Value of
It is a millet consumed in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. It is dehusked and Cereals and
boiled like rice or ground into flour. Millets

11.4.7 Extruded Products

They are products like macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, etc. These are cooked by
boiling in plenty of water. The excess water is then drained away. You can
eat them along with other foods like vegetables, dhals, meat and eggs.

11.5 SPROUTING, PARCHING AND

FERMENTATION OF CEREALS
You can improve the nutritive value of cereals by the process of sprouting,
parching and fermentation.

Sprouting: Makes the grains easily digestible. It also increases the amount of
B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. For sprouting, soak the grains in water
for 12-14 hours, drain away the water and then allow to sprout while moist.
When the sprouts come out, dry the grains in the shade, roast lightly and use
as such or after grinding.
Parching: Soak the grains in water and then roast them in a hot iron pan
containing heated sand. The grains puff up due to the heat of the sand. The
sand can be sifted and reused. Puffed rice and popcorns are parched cereals
that we commonly eat.
Fermentation: Also makes the cereals easily digestible and richer in B-
complex vitamins. Idli, dosa, bhatura, kulcha are fermented cereal
preparations which are popular. To make idlis and dosas you can prepare the
fermented mixture by soaking rice in water for 10-12 hours, grinding and
then mixing it with ground pulses. Then allow it to stand overnight after
adding salt. The mixture will rise and become lighter. In winter, the process
takes longer. So keep the ground mixture in a warm place. For bhaturas and
kulchas, maida is mixed with curd and salt and the mixture is allowed to
ferment.

SPROUTED AND FERMENTED CEREALS HAVE A BETTER

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Practical Activity 4
List two preparations used in your region in each of the categories given
below:

a) Sprouted cereals
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
107
\
Process of Food b) Parched cereals
Selection and
Preparation-I ……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
c) Fermented cereals
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………

Practical Activity 5

1) List the cereals that are commonly consumed in your region.

……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
2) What are the preparations made from these cereals which should be
included in the daily diet?
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………

11.6 LET US SUM UP

There are a variety of cereals used in our country. They form a major part of
our diet and are the main source of energy. They contain some protein and
some important minerals and vitamins. We use cereals in several different
forms in our meals. Whole grain cereals are more nutritious than refined ones
and their use should therefore be encouraged.

11.7 GLOSSARY

Bhelpuri : Preparation of puffed rice mixed with sev, onion

and chutneys.
Chapatis, puris, : Common North-Indian preparations made from
paranthas atta and used in main meals.
Dough : A mixture of flour and liquid kneaded into a thick
ball after letting it stand.
Extrusion : Thrusting out shape by forcing through die.
Grit : Very small gravel material.
Idli and dosa : Common South Indian preparations made from
fermented mixture of rice and pulse.
Infested : Spoilt by the presence of insects, etc.
Parboiled : Soaking paddy in hot water and steaming so that
vitamins and minerals from the outer layers are
carried into the grains and therefore not lost later
in milling.
Poha : Preparation made with rice flakes combined with
108 \
 other foods like vegetable, nuts, etc. Selection,
Preparation and
Polished rice : Rice without husk processed to remove some of Nutritive Value of
the outer layers. Cereals and
Millets
Refined : Removing the outer fibrous coating of the grains
for further processing.

11.8 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

EXERCISES
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) a) Grains should be free from dirt, grit, moulds, insects and fungus. To
get good quality grains, they should be bought from a reliable
source.
b) Bread should be fresh and soft, with a good flavour and wrapped in
a hygienic package.

Check Your Progress Exercise 2

1) a) Carbohydrate, b) Protein, c) Minerals like iron and calcium, d) B-
complex Vitamins.

Check Your Progress Exercise 3

1) a) Rice should not be scrubbed a lot while washing. The water in which it is
soaked should not be thrown away. It should be cooked in sufficient water
(2 cups water for 1 cup rice), so that all of it is absorbed in boiling. After
the boil, the heat should be reduced. A little fat should be added while
boiling to keep the grains separate.

109
\