Ragi is a nutritious grain that is widely used in India and other parts of South Asia. It is a highly nutritious grain that is packed with essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Ragi has a high protein content, making it a great source of energy for those looking to stay healthy and fit. In addition, it is low in fat and has a low glycemic index, making it an ideal choice for those who are looking to lose weight or manage diabetes. The grain is also known to have a number of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, improving digestion, and helping to regulate blood sugar levels. In this post, we’ll discuss the various health benefits, how to use it in your diet, and some delicious recipes for incorporating it into your meals.
Ragi Nutrition Facts and Calories Chart
Ragi is an incredibly nutritious grain, packed with essential vitamins and minerals. It is high in fiber, calcium, and iron, which can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Ragi is also an excellent source of B vitamins, which are vital for energy metabolism and nervous system health. Additionally, it contains phytonutrients, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. All in all, it is a great choice for a healthy and balanced diet. Nutritional value per 100 g ragi:
- Biotin: 0.2 μg
- Calcium: 332 mg
- Carbohydrates (Carbs): 68.8 g
- Chloride: 32 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Choline: 10.2 mg
- Chromium: 0.3 μg
- Copper: 0.3 mg
- Dietary Fiber: 7.3 g
- Energy (Calories): 119 kcal
- Fat: 2.3 g
- Iodine: 0.9 μg
- Iron: 3.2 mg
- Magnesium: 114 mg
- Manganese: 0.8 mg
- Molybdenum: 0.9 μg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.7 mg
- Phosphorus: 255 mg
- Potassium: 269 mg
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Saturated fat: 0.3 g
- Selenium: 0.4 μg
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Sugars: 0.5 g
- Vitamin A: 0 μg
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic Acid): 37 μg
- Vitamin B12: 0 μg
- Vitamin C: 0 mg
- Vitamin D: 0 μg
- Vitamin E: 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K: 3.2 μg
- Water: 9.7 g
- Zinc: 0.7 mg
Ragi in India
It is famous grain in south part of India, specially Andhra Pradesh. Grains looks similar to mustard seeds. Plant grows well in hot whether areas. Plants can grow with seeds or saplings.
- Scientific Binomial: Eleusine Coracana
- Common English: African Millet / Coracan / Natcheny
- Ayurvedic: Madhuuli / Markatahasta-trna
- Unani
- Sanskrit: Madhulika / Mattakam / Nrutyakundala
- Hindi / Urdu: Mandua / Mandwa / Marua / Maruwa
- Bengali: Marwa
- Marathi: Nachni / Nagali
- Telugu: Tamidalu
- Tamil: Kezhvaregu / Iraki / Keppai / Kel-varaku / Aariyam
- Gujarati
- Kannada: Ragi
- Malayalam: Ragi
- Oriya
- Punjabi / Sindhi
- Assamese
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Manipuri
- Dogri
- Bhojpuri
Health Benefits
Millets are good for arthritis, to balance sugar level, strengthen the reproductive system, strengthen the liver and have high nutritional profiles. Celiac disease is an intestinal disorder caused by the intolerance of some individuals to gluten, a protein found in some cereal grains such as barley, rye and wheat. Symptoms of celiac disease are weight loss, diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain and anemia. Malnutrition usually accompanies this disorder because of the greatly reduced absorption of nutrients. Besides rice and corn, millet is the only other cereal grain that can be safely consumed without a sufferer experiencing further health problems. Not only for eating, flour is very useful as beauty product. You can make ragi face pack at home easily. It helps to clean the face and get rid of acne, pimples, black heads, wrinkles as it removes dead cells from skin.
Traditional Recipes
Ragi can be used in multiple ways in every day diet. To keep your self fit and fine, it very important to have nutritious diet. Indian meal is full with nutrients and tasty too. From sour to sweet, salty to spicy all varieties are available in Indian diet. Ragi is great for those who want to reduce weight and for those women, who are suffering from prolonged back pain. Interesting fact about grain is that it won’t get spoiled easy. Shelf life of grains is long, so can be stored in large quantity whenever available.
- Ragi Flour: Here is a quick DIY homemade flour recipe. To make flour there are two ways. You may simply grind finger millets grains directly in floor mill. Another method is hard but most appropriate. In this method soak cleaned and neatly washed ragi overnight. Next day drain the water and spread ragi under sun for 1 day. If sunlight is not available you may dry them in shadow. Dry 1-2 days, till completely dry. Once dried, roast for 2-3 minutes to make grains crunchy. Grind into mixer and ragi flour is ready for use. Store in clean dry jar for longer shelf life.
- Ragi Malt (Nachani Satva): Sprouted ragi malt makes great baby food. Malt flour is easily available in Indian market. You can just buy it and make delicious healthy recipes with it. But if you want homemade DIY malt flour recipe, then please mention in the comment and I will post it separately. Though it is little tedious job to make malt at home, buy readymade flour or sprouted ragi malt.
- Kheer / Porridge (Nachni Pej): Ragi kheer is easy to digest and comes at number one spot when it comes to patient food. For patients recovering from measles and herpes, cooked ragi dishes are recommended.
- Ladoo: These laddu are not only tasty but equally healthy. Dry roasted ragi flour in clarified butter and binding with sugar, is ultimate combination. Health cautious can substitute sugar with jaggery. Jaggery is good source of iron as that of ragi.
- Nachani Papad: It is easy way to store and use ragi through out year. Dry roasted or dip fried papadam goes well as side dish with any food combinations. Children loves to eat these papad.
- Bhakari: Though roti, sabji, rice and dal are common recipes, bhakari getting more popular in diet. Especially ragi bhakari (Indian bread) is in huge demand. Rice, jowar, bajara can be used to make bhakari but ragi is most nutritious amongst all. Though jowar is easy to digest, it could lead to constipation as it is dry in nature.
- Chakli / Murukku: Ragi chakli is best tea time snack. Children loves dip fried food, so this is healthy alternative for chips and fries. The difference while making ragi chakali than normal chakli is that, before kneading the dough, we have to add 1 part wheat flour in nachani flour. Mix both the flours. Boil water in pan and add flour. Switch off the gas and keep pan covered for an hour. Now make chakli as usual by adding spices.
Apart from these traditional recipes, popular recipes includes – ragi idli, dosa, amboli, kanji (ambil), chilla, semiya (vermicelli), chakli, ragi flour idiyappam, mudde, soup, java, biscuit, dhokla, thalipith, halwa / sheera, upama, sprouted ragi khichadi, nachni barfi, ragi burelu, puttu, milkshake, madua baadi and pitha.
Side Effects and Disadvantages
There are no known side effects of ragi or finger millet. In fact it is best option for those who are looking for gluten free diet. Those who are allergic to gluten from wheat, rye and rice, can substitute it with ragi.
FAQs.
Q. What are benefits of ragi flour or malt?
Ragi flour is best alternative for wheat flour. It is gluten free and can easily replace rice and wheat. Ragi is high in fiber, iron, amino acid, niacin, protein, carbohydrates, thiamine, riboflavin and calcium. It contains 11gm fiber, 0.19 mg riboflavin, 1.1 mg niacin, 328 Cal, 8 gm protein, 350 mg calcium, 3.9 mg iron, 75 gm carbohydrates and 0.42 mg thiamine per 100 gm. Ragi is good for heart and diabetic patient. As it is high in iron, useful for anemic patients. Malt and daliya is healthy diet for lactating women. It is also helpful for growing children, sports players, and laborer.
Q. What is ragi malt made of?
Ragi is suitable for all ages – from babies to old age. Grains are loaded with calcium, iron, protein, carbohydrates. For busy lifestyle a quick ready to eat instant food can be made using ragi grains. This instant food can be prepared by mixing roasted finger millet grains (60 g) with roasted green gram dal (15 g), roasted groundnut (10 g) and sesame seeds (5 g). The mixture is pounded to obtain a flour. When required, the powder is mixed with boiling water or milk to the desired thickness. Jaggery or salt are added to taste. This is best breakfast for those who wants to loose weight. The ragi instant food gives 16 g protein, 369 cal and 8% NDP cal per 100 g.
Q. How to eat ragi? Can it be eaten daily?
Yes, it can be eaten everyday with no side effects. Grains can be eaten in many different forms. Few popular forms are mentioned here.
- Sprouted: This form is useful to make khichadi, upma or salad toppings. Sprouted is most nutritious version of ragi. Sprouting recipe is same as other DIY sprouting method. Soak grains overnight. Drain water next time and keep seeds in clean muslin cloth. Keep the pot at warm place. Depend upon the whether sprouting may take 12 hours to 25 hours. At warm whether places sprouts grow fast.
- Flour / Atta: With flour we can make traditional India dishes like roti, papad, malt, kheer, bhakari, mudde and ladoo. Apart from this flour can be used in making idli, neer dosa, dhirade, healthy drink, pancake, cake, Indian noodles, chomai, hittu, murukku, finger millet java, masala flatbread, uppumavu, milkshake and many more.