Ragi is the food of choice when you want to start a proper diet for weight loss. We always heard that Ragi benefits from weight loss, but do we know what it is and how it works?

Ragi is a cereal known as finger millet and scientifically known as Eleusine coracana. It is an annually cultivated cereal crop, vastly found in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia, such as Ethiopia, India, And Sri Lanka. In India, consumed in South India, where it is locally known as Ragi, in Maharashtra, it is called-Nachni, and so on. It is a popular food in the Indian food and nutrition scene for a long time. They were a highly regarded nutritious yield in ancient agricultural practices more than 2000 years ago.

Nutritional facts about Ragi

Ragi is one such rare cereal that doesn’t need to be polished and consumed in its purest form with all its goodness intact. It is a powerhouse of health-benefiting nutrients that miraculously keep our health at normal. Here are some nutrients that are present abundantly in ragi:

1. High in protein – Eleusinian and Methionine
2. Carbohydrates 
3. Dietary fibres 
4. Vitamins – B complex vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and folic acid 
5. Minerals – calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus
6. Amino acids – isoleucine, tryptophan, valine, methionine, and threonine

Ragi recipes for weight loss 

One of the best benefits of ragi is weight loss. Many people know the numerous benefits of ragi. However, they don’t know how to consume it properly. Some of us may find it tasteless at first, but later it can be impressive by trying the below recipes – 

1: Ragi buttermilk malt 

It is one of the tastiest options when you want to satisfy your taste buds and lose weight too. Take 1 tablespoon ragi flour and mix it with half a cup of water. Make a smooth blend & add in half a cup of water with the ragi blend. Cook this blend and allow this mixture to cool down. Then take one glass of spiced buttermilk and add 3 tablespoons of coriander leaves chopped, 2 green chillies chopped,  ½ teaspoon roasted cumin, and black salt as required. 

2: Ragi roti 

It is an alternative to our regular wheat roti when you are trying to lose weight. An amino acid present in ragi called tryptophan helps in curbing appetite. You can stuff this roti with carrots, sesame seeds, and spices. Ragi roti is a healthy as well as delicious Indian bread to prepare for a meal. It is also rich in fibres that keep you full for longer.

3: Ragi ladoos 

Yes, ladoos! Sweet ladoos can also help you to lose weight faster, but when you make them from ragi. It is one of the yummy and best recipes of ragi. 

Take 1 cup of ragi flour and roast the flour and keep stirring it. Once done, you can keep the flour aside. On the other side, blend 1 cup deseeded dates, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup peanuts, and 1cup dry roasted almonds. Add this dry fruit powder to ragi flour and mix it well and roll the ladoos.

4: Ragi upma

Confuse about a healthy breakfast? While upma is made from flattened rice, it also can be made from Ragi to give it a healthy dimension.

Take 1 cup of flour, some veggies like chopped onions, carrots, beans. To begin with, take a pan over medium flame and heat some oil. Then add some curry leaves and mustard seeds along with one whole dried red chilli. Next, add in 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste sauté and then add in the chopped veggies.

5: Ragi soup

Ragi season can make you crave some warm and healthy dishes. Ragi soup is the best option for your cravings that can keep you healthy and satisfied too. It is a balanced health food that is perfectly oil-free and does not add to your calories while you enjoy its yummy taste. 

Take the water in a deep pan, bring to boil, and add onion and garlic, followed by carrots, cauliflower, and green peas. Let it boil for 10 minutes. Heat the oil and add the tempering ingredients to it. Then add it to the soup. Follow it up with the milk and Ragi flour dissolved in plain water. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.  

6: Ragi mudde

Ragi Mudde is a traditional Karnataka dish made using  ragi flour  (millet flour). It is very good for weight loss, diabetic-friendly, child-friendly and can be served for most meals.  

Take water in a saucepan and add the ragi flour to it. Mix well with a small whisk. In another pan, pour some slurry, bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat. Sprinkle the remaining ragi flour evenly on the pan and let it cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat. Following this undisturbed cooking period, stir the mixture well with a wooden stick while ensuring that there are no dry flour specks or lumps visible. Once the mixture clumps together, steam it by taking the pan off the stove, covering it and letting it rest for 5 minutes. After this, transfer the mixture to a plate sprinkled with water and knead it to a smooth dough. Portion the dough and make medium-sized balls and serve with rasam, sambar or any of your favourite chutneys or lentil dishes.

These are some delicious and healthy recopies that you can try at your home. Incorporate this nourishing food crop, as sprouted seeds or in the form of ragi flour, to effortlessly prepare standard Indian recipes like Rotis, upma and ladoos. It will help to obtain the benefits it provides for physical and mental health.

Weight loss journey should be taken up under a medical supervision as although there might be many home remedies for weight loss, a person usually encounters weight loss plateau (calories burned is equal to calories you eat) and only a medical guidance would be helpful in such cases.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.

Also Read: Amla Juice for Weight Loss: The Science-Backed Method for Success

Side effects of Ragi

Despite the fact that ragi provides numerous health benefits due to its high nutritional content, overconsumption of ragi foods can lead to a variety of health issues, including the following:

One of the main reasons why ragi is beneficial for weight loss is due to its high fibre content. Research shows ragi is a rich source of dietary fibre. Fibre takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, keeping you feeling full for longer. As a result, it can prevent overeating and lower your calorie intake

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

• Ragi foods can raise potassium levels in the body if consumed in excess. It can produce tingling, nausea and chest pain, among other things.
• Ragi has a high protein content, which is bad for patients with kidney disease. This makes it difficult for the body to absorb excess protein.
• Ragi gets digested slowly. Excessively consuming ragi can cause severe constipation.

Read more about: Is Oatmeal Good for Weight Loss? A Science-Based Exploration

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