Ragi for weight loss

Since ancient times, this amazing cereal ragi has been overshadowed by other known cereal crops such as wheat and rice in India’s food and nutrition landscape despite it being the highly prized healthiest grain consumed in ancient agricultural systems dating back over the 2000 years span of time.

Since Ragi is found to be rich in protein, iron, calcium, and amino acids, it is called a “Superfood”. Due to its high fibre content, it provides a feeling of fullness and resists overeating hence helping in providing a healthy digestive tract.

6 Ragi benefits for weight loss

Gluten-free

The best part about including ragi in your diet is that it is gluten-free. Gluten is a major contributor to weight gain. Gluten-free foods, especially those that are high in fibre, aid in weight loss, particularly in the stomach area. It is an excellent source of nourishment for celiac disease sufferers. When it comes to people who are attempting to lose weight, ragi is an excellent source of fibre. It aids in the management of diabetes in the body while also ensuring that the individual is healthy and strong. Ragi also helps to prevent weight, increase energy, enhance digestion, and avoid chronic diseases. Ragi should be consumed regularly, particularly by breastfeeding moms.

Combats deficiencies

Inflammation and anemia are caused by an iron deficit in the body. Ragi is high in vitamin C, which aids iron absorption in the bloodstream. This aids in the natural treatment of anemia. Ragi seeds and sprouts also aid in iron absorption, as well as weight control and inflammation reduction in the body.

Induces sleep

A good night's sleep and a calm mind aid with weight maintenance. Ragi is beneficial to one's cognitive wellness. It aids in the treatment of anxiety, sleeplessness, headaches, and depression by calming the nerves. The presence of tryptophan, an amino acid, aids in nerve relaxation.

Manages cholesterol

Ragi aids in the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol. Not only may including ragi in your daily diet lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, but it can also lower your risk of stroke. Ragi, in its raw form, aids in the prevention of plaque development and vessel obstruction. As a result, the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke is greatly reduced.

Helps in digestion

Ragi is high in dietary fibre, which aids digestion and helps to reduce constipation and other digestive issues. Dietary fibre helps to keep the stomach full and prevents overeating. Furthermore, it is gluten-free, which is a significant benefit.

Great source of proteins and amino acids

The building blocks of the human body are proteins, and Ragi is a great source of natural protein. It's also high in amino acids, which help the body function properly and play a key part in tissue repair. Ragi is also abundant in minerals like calcium, iron, and riboflavin, all of which are extremely important to our general health. Valine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Methionine, and Tryptophan are the essential amino acids found in Ragi.

How to eat ragi for weight loss?

There are some distinct ways by which you can easily incorporate this amazing cereal into your diet-:

You can make a delicious ragi soup which is both fulfilling and healthy for your weight loss diet plan. It is a well-balanced cuisine with not a single unhealthy ingredient and does not contribute minutely to your calorie chart.
You can also make a mixture of ragi cereal with a bunch of green veggies and fresh spices to replace the normal flattened white rice from your diet.
You can also make tasty ragi dessert balls with a bunch of other important ingredients such as dates, almonds, organic honey, cocoa powder, and peanuts
You can also make a delicious ragi chapati as an alternative to the usual wheat chapati while trying to lose weight.
You can even make tasty ragi cookies by using grounded ragi flour instead of your usual white flour with a bunch of healthy substitutes and ingredients.
You can also make a delicious savoury porridge made with ragi as it is one of the best recipes you can get on your weight loss chart.

5 Ragi recipes for weight loss

Healthy recipes using ragi for weight loss:

1. Ragi porridge

This is a nutritious and delectable breakfast recipe that your kids will enjoy as well! It's also gluten-free and easy to stomach. It is one of the most effective weight-loss recipes.

2. Ragi mudde

These nutrient-dense balls, also known as ragi balls, are typically served with sambar or another curry.

3. Ragi cookies

These crunchy cookies are a healthy snack recipe that also happens to be delicious.

4. Ragi idli

Another great breakfast option for reducing weight and kicking off your day with a healthy boost

5. Ragi Rotis

Ragi can also be consumed in the shape of soft rotis, which are as simple as to prepare.

Is ragi good for weight loss?

When you are seriously trying to lose some extra weight, the first thing that you must consider is to maintain your diet plan.

In recent health studies and also many dieticians have already stated that your diet contributes approximately twice as much as the exercises in losing the extra weight. You have to make some good healthy and nutritional choices for yourself on this journey of losing weight.

As we know that grains cover most of your daily intake but you cannot make their regular intake on a diet plan as they have abundant carbs content which will harm your aim of losing extra calories some millet like the amazing ragi is a lifesaver in such a situation.

As we are well aware, millet like ragi is a grain packed with numerous essential nutrients, has high fibre content, and on the contrary low carbs content which makes it the perfect choice for the weight loss diet.

Oats vs ragi for weight loss

Oats

Oat in the form of flour is generally gluten-free and is made from rolled oats. Oats flour is an excellent source of fibre, beta-glucan, and other important vitamins and essential minerals which are the best option to go on a weight loss journey.

This oat flour is also considered best for those people that are suffering from high blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels. Oats can be a good option when you are trying to shed extra kilos as it promotes the feeling of fullness for a long duration and prevents you from the habit of overeating. But at certain times, oats are found subjected to gluten content from cross-contamination so you must be extra careful while buying oats flour for weight loss.

100 gram of these oats usually contains:

Calories: 389
Protein: 16.8 grams
Carbs: 66.4 grams
Sugar: 0 gram
Fibre: 10.5 grams
Fat: 6.8 grams

Ragi

Finger millet or known as ragi is another highly healthy and nutritious food and it is recommended for those people who are suffering from diabetes problems, anemia, and for weight loss. Ragi is rich in Vitamin D, iron, calcium, and phosphorus and it also contains a better amount of essential amino acids than any other known cereal. Ragi is also a gluten-free grain to go for. Daily consumption of ragi cereal can improve your bone and skin health. Ragi is also known to increase satiety and helps you in keeping feeling fuller for a longer period of time hence helping you a lot on your journey of shedding extra weight. Along with this, ragi is also rich in high dietary fibre content and in parallel has a low-fat content.

175 grams of cooked ragi contain:

Calories: 208
Carbs: 40 grams
Fibre: 2.4 grams
Protein: 6.2 grams
Fat: 1.8 grams

Take Away

Ragi is an extremely beneficial cereal crop that may be consumed by individuals of all ages. It is a true superfood, rich in all important nutrients such as dietary fibres, proteins, iron, calcium, antioxidants, and vitamins, as well as being gluten-free and hence suitable for individuals with special cereal and gluten allergies.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does ragi reduce belly fat?

Ragi, when consumed on regular basis and in moderation, may help you in shedding the extra weight and maintaining an overall healthy weight due to its high fibre content and tryptophan content.

2. What happens if we eat ragi daily?

Regular consumption of this amazing millet ragi can help you in reducing the risk of diabetes. This is because of the presence of polyphenols and the high dietary fibre content that are prevalent in ragi.

3. Can I eat ragi at night for weight loss?

Yes, definitely ragi can be easily consumed even at night as it encourages your body to a good sleep which also results in optimum rest and in turn weight loss.

References

Significance of Finger Millet in Nutrition, Health and Value added Products: A Review