Following a recommendation from the Indian government, the United Nations declared 2023 the International Year of Millets. Millets have also been referred to as ‘nutri-cereals’ and include Sorghum(Jowar), Pearl Millet(Bajra), Finger Millet(Ragi), Foxtail Millet(Kangani/Kakun/Korra) and Buckwheat(Kuttu). Millets are a great way to alleviate concerns about food security and nutritional deficiency.
Among the list of millets, Finger Millet(Ragi) has recently surged and has been able to vindicate its spot as the Indian superfood. Ragi was widely consumed and played an important role as a staple nutritious food in local food culture. However, consumption trends from the National Sample Survey Organization(NSSO) indicated that the per capita consumption of this crop reduced drastically during the past few decades owing to farm policies, which were predominantly centered around Minimum Support Prices(MSP) and Public Distribution System(PDS) for Rice and Wheat. However, on a positive note, there has been an increasing drive towards the adoption of Ragi as a staple food by health-conscious consumers. It is locally referred to by various names – Ragi(Kannada/Hindi/Telugu), Mandua/Mangal(Hindi), Mandia(Odia) and Nachni(Marathi).
It is loaded with essential macro and micronutrients that certainly make this a superfood.
Nutritional Value Per 100gm:
- Energy – 320 Kcal
- Protein – 7gm
- Carbohydrates – 67gm
- Dietary Fibre – 11gm
- Calcium – 364 mg
- Iron – 4.62 mg
Benefits of Ragi:
- High Protein
- High Fibre Content
- Good for Weight Loss
- Prevents Skin Damage
- Boosts Hair Growth
- Boost Production of Mother’s Milk
- Prevents Diabetes
- Gluten-Free
- Improves Cardio-Vascular System
- Treats Anemia
There are umpteen recipes to incorporate Ragi into our daily diets – Ragi Malt, Ragi Ladoo, Ragi Halwa, Ragi Pakoda, Ragi Dosa and Ragi Cookie- to name a few. Â
Side-effects of Consumption of Excess Ragi:
Overconsumption of Ragi can lead to the rise of Oxalic Acids in the body which might lead to aggravation of Kidney Stones problem. But this problem occurs only if we consume Ragi excessively. There is no side-effect in moderate consumption.Â
