Ancient Or New Age? The Power of Ragi Decoded

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• ANCIENT OR NEW AGE? THE POWER OF RAGI DECODED

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Turns out the new age mantra of Millets such as
Ragi as wonder food is not so new age after
all. Evidence unearthed in Cishan, North China ,
puts millet cultivation as far back as 8300- 6700
BC, more than 10,000 years ago. Our own Yajur
veda identifies Black Ragi( Shyaamaka aka Finger
millet) .Thus, the use of Ragi in India dates
back to 4500 BC at least. So, why the sudden
spurt of interest in all things Millet? Changes
in lifestyles have made us sedentary. We simply
do not do enough physically either because there
is no need to or there is no time to.
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Add to this changes in food habits and eating
patterns . Compound it with the advent of fast
food oozing fat and bursting with carbs. You now
have a time bomb waiting to blow! The intensive
use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have
not made things any easier on general health
either. Respiratory problems, allergies and even
some cancers are some of the unfortunate outcomes
of modern cultivation methods. The more
enlightened of us have thus turned to Organic
farming and products . The composition of Ragi,
or Finger Millet, is what makes it a super food
today. Make it organic to reap the full benefits
of Ragi.
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Bust that gut Ragi is 88 carbohydrate. But this
is no reason for an OMG moment . Its complex!
Complex carbs are more nutritive as they contain
mostly fibre and starch. They digest more slowly,
thus they give you a feeling of fullness and curb
your appetite. The other payoff of these complex
carbs is that they help manage post meal blood
sugar spikes. They are slow to digest and are
released slowly into the bloodstream as a result.
Ragi is ideal for preventing and managing Type 2
diabetes. 100 g of Ragi also contains only 1.5 g
of fat. This makes Ragi a low calorie energy
giver. The high fibre content of Ragi is
especially good for bowel movement. It promotes
regularity and bulk.This is of special importance
in the elderly who face difficulty because of
degenerating pelvic muscles , limited mobility or
inadequate fluid intake. The traditional Ragi
Kanji can be either sweet or savoury and it will
aid in adding fibre as well as liquid to a
diet.
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No Bones about it Ragi is Calcium rich. Calcium
is needed to build bones and maintain bone
strength .As you age, it is calcium that protects
you from Osteoporosis, the wearing away and
thinning of bone matter. Healthy teeth need
adequate amounts of Calcium. Ideally, our teeth
must last till we do. Eating is not only
essential but undeniably pleasurable. Calcium
also helps blood clot, regulates your heart
rhythm, sends neural messages, contracts your
muscles the list goes on.
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Leave Cholesterol at the curb Ragi is a
storehouse of many vitamins Thiamine,
Riboflavin and Niacin. Niacin, in particular aids
in Cholesterol control. This is necessary to
guard against heart disease. Cholesterol in
humans is of 2 types LDL which is the villain
and HDL which is the Hero. The main goal of
cholesterol treatment is to lower LDL and
increase HDL. Niacin increases HDL cholesterol.
It also lowers Triglycerides or fats in the
blood. Proteins viz amino acids hard to
pronounce but you need them! Ragi contains
Tryptophan, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine and
Methionine amino acids.Methionine is important
for the growth of blood vessels and helps in
eliminating fat from the body.
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Gluten free nothing to sneeze at Ragi is gluten
free. Gluten is a protein found in wheat , Barley
and Rye. There are people who are sensitive to it
and this may manifest as nasal and eye
irritation, nausea, difficulty in breathing and
diarrhea. Organic Ragi flour makes a good
substitute for wheat. Queen of the Millets Not
only is Ragi beneficial if included in your diet,
it is very versatile. Bring out the chef in you.
The internet is flooded with recipes, creative ,
simple, challenging , traditional, not so
traditional, downright futuristic.. Your kitchen
awaits. Reap the goodness of Organic Ragi
flour. Unleash your creativity.
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Thank You..