To lose weight, people, without complete knowledge, start following special diets, which although may aid weight loss, but can also affect overall health in a negative manner. Hence, it is important that instead of switching to a specific diet, we eat nutritious foods and exercise. Regarding the former, one such healthy food is ‘Ragi’, or finger millet.
Ragi is extremely nutritious and can also help you shed some kgs and improve overall health. Here are a few things you must know about Ragi.
What Is Ragi?
To begin with, Ragi is a fibrous millet, which can be used as an alternative to rice, wheat or barley. It contains amino acids such as isoleucine, tryptophan, valine, methionine and threonine. Ragi is also considered a part of the vegan diet. It is beneficial for people who are sensitive to gluten as it is gluten-free. Therefore it is also considered a good alternative to wheat.
Ragi Is An Ideal Morning Breakfast
Ragi consists of vitamin C, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, iron, calcium, antioxidants, protein, fiber, adequate calories and good fat are found in ragi. Nutritionist Divya Sharma suggests that eating ragi-based foods such as ragi upma, idli or chapati, the first meal in the morning can help in keeping the body energized throughout the day.
Ragi is rich in dietary fibers and since they do not digest quickly, ragi-based foods keep our stomach full for long hours. Therefore, we do not feel hungry for a long time and it also helps in weight loss, since unhealthy snacking in between two meals is lessened. It is important to note that eating ragi at night is not considered good especially for those who have weak digestion, as it takes time to digest.
Ways To Consume
Ragi is usually consumed in grinded or sprouted form. You can make chapatis or parathas out of ragi flour. But since making chapatis with pure ragi flour is difficult, you can add a little wheat flour to it. Apart from this, you can also make idli, uttapam and upma with it. Also, since ragi grains are small in size, it is difficult to polish or process them, which is why there are lesser chances of its adulteration.
What Are The Benefits?
- There are various amino acids found in ragi, as mentioned above, which keep our skin, teeth and gums and hair healthy.
- Ragi is loaded with antioxidants, which help in relieving stress. Its regular consumption can also help with the problems of anxiety, depression and insomnia.
- Ragi is a natural source of calcium and its regular consumption not only strengthens bones in growing children but also improves bone density in the elderly, which helps lessen the symptoms of osteoporosis.
- Because of plenty of fibers, ragi is considered beneficial for weight loss, diabetes and obesity.
- Ragi is rich in iron, which is why it helps in increasing the hemoglobin levels in the blood.
