Poha: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects By Dr. Smita Barode
By Dr Smita Barode +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr Smita Barode
Last updated: Oct 23, 2024 Published on: Dec 7, 2022
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By Dr Smita Barode +2 more
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The Indian food map boasts of a wide variety of mixtures and savoury snacks. If you look closely, you might find poha or flattened rice in most of them. These snacks are good to munch on as tea-time snacks or while watching movies or games. However, it is important to know what goes inside our bodies!
Poha is also known as flaked rice. It is made from rice (Oryza sativa) and is one of the major food products of India. It is known by different names all over India, like avalakki in Kannada, poha in Hindi, aval in Tamil and atukulu in Telugu. It is crunchy in texture and is available in various thicknesses as thick, medium, thin and very thin. Poha is one of the main items used as a breakfast in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan. It also used in various important religious ceremonies performed in India.1 Let’s find out in detail about poha.
Did you know?
The nutrients in poha are as follows:
Nutrients present in 100g of poha.2
Poha might have the following properties:
Poha, also known as flattened rice or flaked rice. When rice undergoes processing, it loses some of its nutrients. The process of flaking might alter the content of phosphorous, phytin and dietary fibre, but the iron and calcium content does not change.3 So, poha might have the following potential uses:
Nutrient-rich poha contains a large amount of energy-rich carbohydrates which provides nourishment to our bodies. It might help fuel the body with vigour and help in the functioning of brain. However, more research is needed to prove these effects of poha on the body.1
Flattened rice or poha is low in sodium which might be good for people with elevated blood pressure. It might help maintain normal blood pressure. However, these effects need to be further researched. Kindly consult a doctor if you notice fluctuations in blood pressure as it is a serious condition and needs expert medical advice.1
Heart diseases are caused due to regular intake of a diet high in fats, sodium and cholesterol. Poha might help against heart diseases as it is low in fats, sodium and cholesterol. However, more research is required. Therefore, kindly consult a doctor if you suspect a problem with your heart .1
Poha might be good for loose motions. It might also be considered as a medicine for loose and watery stools with mucous (dysentery). The husk of rice, from which poha is prepared, might also help in formation and passing of urine by acting as a diuretic. In addition, poha might also help against indigestion, may increase appetite and be effective against other stomach conditions. This might be due to the presence of resistant starch in it, which does not get digested in the intestine, ferments and might increase the good bacterial count in the intestines. This might further aid digestion and stop constipation. However, these effects need to be properly explored by scientific research. Therefore, kindly consult a doctor for digestive problems.1,4
Poha contains no fats in it. So, it might not increase cholesterol levels of the blood. Moreover, it contains resistant starch which is an indigestible substance similar to fibre, which might help lower the blood cholesterol level. However, the mechanism of action by which resistant starch lowers cholesterol needs to be further explored by research.1,4
Poha, like rice, contains insoluble fibre which might help against various kinds of cancer. The insoluble starch in poha might help in warding off cancer cells. However, much more comprehensive research is required on humans to prove this hypothesis.1
Though there are studies that show the potential uses of poha in various conditions, but these are insufficient and there is a need of further studies to establish the true extent of benefits of poha on human health.
I believe that poha might be a yummy choice for those who need to stay away from gluten. You see, rice is part of a special group of cereals or pseudocereals that are gluten-free. And that’s great news because it means poha made from rice may be a fantastic option for those who can’t eat gluten.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)
Poha or flattened rice can be used in many ways. It can be used to make a popular savoury Indian breakfast by the same name using onions, peanuts, turmeric and coriander. It can also be used to make a variety of foods like pickles, halwa, pongal, idli, cutlet, samosa, upma, vada, dosa and salads. It is also used to make homemade namkeen. You can also simply eat it with curd or milk. It is a very versatile rice product.1,5
You must consult a qualified doctor before taking any herbal supplements. Do not discontinue or replace an ongoing treatment of modern medicine with an ayurvedic/herbal preparation without consulting a qualified doctor.
Let me share some fascinating information with you. Did you know that red rice flakes, made from red rice, are not only tasty but also super healthy? They are packed with wonderful nutrients that might do wonders for our bodies. One of the great things about red rice flakes is the presence of antioxidants in their unpolished husk. These antioxidants may help improve your metabolism and even guard you against colon cancer.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
Poha is a food product that is consumed regularly by many people. It does not have any specific side effects. However, too much of any food can affect the body negatively. So, ensure that you take poha in reasonable food quantities. Moreover, more research is needed to fully explore the side effects that poha might have.
Poha is generally considered to be safe for consumption for most people. However, there is insufficient data regarding the effects of poha on children, elderly individuals, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Therefore, they should consult a doctor before consuming poha.
Poha might interact with certain drugs and alter their activity. However, such reactions have not been explored scientifically. Therefore, there is a need for more research. So, if you are undergoing treatment for any condition and are on medication, you should ask your physician if it is safe for you to eat poha.
Poha might help against heart diseases, digestive problems, cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer. It might also provide energy to our body and help in the brain functioning. However, these effects need to be proved by further research. Therefore, kindly consult a doctor for the above-stated conditions.1
There is insufficient data regarding the effects of poha on weight loss. Therefore, there is a need for more research. Kindly consult a doctor for advice on healthy weight management. Do not make drastic changes to your diet on your own.
Flattened rice, also known as poha, might help in lowering blood pressure as it does not contain sodium in it. Kindly consult a doctor if you notice fluctuations in blood pressure.1
Poha might help against constipation and loose motion. It might also help in better digestion. These effects might be due to the presence of resistant starch in poha, which is an indigestible substance that ferments in the intestine and might help increase the number of good bacteria.
Poha is available in various thicknesses (thick, medium, thin and very thin). You can use it to make savoury dishes, pickles, snacks, laddus, dosa, idli, upma, etc. You can also eat it with milk or curd. 1,5
1. Indian Institute of Food Processing technology. Model Detailed Project Report PUFFED / FLAKED RICE [Internet]. Tamil Nadu; Available from: http://www.niftem-t.ac.in/pmfme/dpr-price.pdf
2. FoodData Central. Thick Poha [Internet]. U.S. Department of Agriculture. [cited 2022 Sep 28]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2265565/nutrients
3. Oghbaei M, Prakash J. Effect of primary processing of cereals and legumes on its nutritional quality: A comprehensive review. Cogent Food Agric [Internet]. 2016;2(1). Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2015.1136015
4. The Johns Hopkins Patient Guide to Diabetes. What is resistant starch? [Internet]. [cited 2022 Sep 30]. Available from: https://hopkinsdiabetesinfo.org/what-is-resistant-starch/
5. ARUN K, ARUN A, VIJAYALAKSHMI S. A Research on Reminiscence and Acclimation of Oryza Sativa Flakes Snacks Among Adolescents. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci J [Internet]. 2017 Dec 24;5(3):330–7. Available from: http://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume5number3/a-research-on-reminiscence-and-acclimation-of-oryza-sativa-flakes-snacks-among-adolescents/
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can poha be taken daily as meal 2 times per day instead of rice meal