Organic Ragi Flour/ Finger Millet( Nachni) ( Pack of 500gm)

The common English name of Ragi is finger millet, owing to the appearance of the head of the grain comprising five spikes and thus, resembling the five fingers attached to the palm of the hand. This variety of annual grass grows up to a height of 1 to 2 m, belonging to the Gramineae botanical family. Leaves measure between 30 and 70 cm, being narrow and green. The straight or sometimes curved branches hold seeds arranged in florets, which can be brown, red or purple in colour. Widely distributed across several states in India, its local names include “Ragi” in Kannada, Hindi and Telugu, “Nachni” in Marathi, “Madua” in Bengali and “Kezhvaragu” in Tamil.

Finger millet crops are drought-resistant, tolerating slightly acidic to alkaline soils as well. This makes it ideal to propagate these plants through the year, in different geographical terrains across India, be it in the mountains or the plateaus. Upon developing, the seeds of the ragi plant are dried, cleaned and stored as grains. Thus, commercially available ragi is either in the form of salubrious super-grains or threshed under high pressure and sold as flour, after applying various processing techniques such as milling and malting.

The humble millet ragi, is, in fact, an ultimate super-food! Buy our nourishing ragi products today, to enhance overall health!

Due to the immense popularity of other cereal crops such as rice and wheat, ragi had taken a backseat in the Indian food and nutrition scene for a long time, although they were a highly regarded nutritious yield in ancient agricultural practices more than 2000 years ago.

In the past three to four decades, thanks to in-depth research and the thrust by the UN FAO (United Nations Food And Agriculture Organisation) on incorporating millets in the daily diet, to tackle malnutrition and a myriad other commonly occurring ailments, ragi has made a significant comeback as a frontrunner, for maintaining optimal health.

Ragi Nutrition Content:

Ragi displays a rather impressive nutritional profile, encompassing all the essential macronutrients – carbohydrates, fibers, fats and proteins, along with noteworthy levels of key micronutrients – vitamins and minerals. It has negligible levels of cholesterol and sodium, to promote heart wellness. In addition, ragi contains considerable quantities of vitamins C and E, to boost immune, skin and hair health.

The B complex vitamins – thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid as well as calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus are also found in ample amounts in ragi flour, truly justifying its status as a wholesome breakfast cereal and a superfood.

The nutrition values in a 100 g serving of ragi flour, according to the nutrient database of the U.S.D.A (United States Department Of Agriculture) are as follows:

Ragi Calories – 385

Macronutrients:

Total Fat 7%

Saturated Fat  3%

Polyunsaturated Fat 5%

Monounsaturated Fat 2%

Cholesterol 0%

Sodium 0%

Total Carbohydrates 25%

Dietary Fiber 14%

Sugars 2%

Protein 10%

Micronutrients:

Minerals:

Calcium 26%

Iron 11%

Potassium 27%

Vitamins:

Thiamine 5%

Riboflavin 7.6%

Niacin 3.7%

Folic Acid 3%

Vitamin C 7%

Vitamin E 4.6%

Ragi is, in fact, a favourable fibre rich Indian food, that serves as an alternative to other routine cereal and grain crops in the Indian diet regime such as rice, wheat or barley. It has the distinction of being a relatively rare plant source of crucial essential amino acids namely isoleucine, tryptophan, valine, methionine and threonine, thus complementing both vegetarian and vegan diets.

Ragi Health Benefits:

Holistic Breakfast Food

Ragi comprises a vast array of key nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, iron, calcium, antioxidants, proteins, fibers, sufficient calories and useful unsaturated fats. Following a deep sleep at night, the stomach and intestines display peak levels of metabolism in the morning. Hence, having ragi-based foods like ragi upma or ragi parathas for breakfast activates the digestive juices and ensures complete assimilation of nutrients found in ragi, which are absorbed into the bloodstream and transferred to vital organs in the body namely the heart, brain, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Supplies Essential Amino Acids

Ragi is composed of certain key amino acids, making it a unique plant-based source of high-quality proteins. It offers methionine, a sulphur-based amino acid to revive skin and hair health, valine and isoleucine which repair injured muscle tissues and threonine, to enable the proper formation of teeth and enamel and protect the mouth from gum disease.

Supports A Gluten-Free Diet

A significant number of young adults and older people tend to develop intolerance towards the gluten proteins in cereals like wheat, which, unfortunately, is a regular ingredient in Indian dishes. Ragi, being organically gluten-free, can easily be substituted for wheat, to prepare chapatis, dosas and sweets or mithais, and is often recommended for patients with celiac disease.

It is important to keep in mind though, that the best time to consume ragi is in the morning, for being fiber-rich, its digestive process is more elaborate and it is usually not okay to eat ragi at night, especially for those with digestive problems and gluten allergies.

Fortifies Bone Density

Finger millet, being a fantastic source of natural calcium, strengthens bones in growing children. It also restores optimum bone density in older people, assisting in alleviating osteoporosis symptoms. While younger people can consume ragi daily, middle-aged and older adults need to eat measured servings of ragi, to augment bone health, while steering clear of gastrointestinal and kidney disorders.

Keeps Blood Sugar Levels In Check

Finger millet, although being high in calories and carbohydrates for instant energy, also comprises a plethora of phytates, tannins, polyphenols – plant chemicals that slow down the digestion process. This lowers high blood sugar in those with diabetes mellitus, making ragi a valuable addition to a diet for diabetes. Also, owing to its low digestibility and rich fiber content, ragi is the top food of choice for adults, for accelerating weight loss and managing other lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity.

Treats Anemia

Iron deficiency anaemia affects countless Indian men, women and children every year, leading to excessive fatigue and low productivity levels. Ragi is a powerhouse of iron, serving as a boon for people who experience low haemoglobin levels in the blood, thus effectively treating anaemia. Also Read: Anemia: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Boosts Nervous System Function

Eating ragi in controlled portions on a daily basis assists in enhancing nerve impulse conduction, activating memory centres in the brain and relaxing the mind, due to elevated levels of the amino acid tryptophan. As the tryptophan brings about an equilibrium in the levels of serotonin – a neurotransmitter, ragi helps in treating anxiety and insomnia, by maintaining good moods and promoting sound sleep.

Augments Heart Health

Ragi is completely devoid of cholesterol and sodium, so recipes made with ragi flour can safely be consumed by those with heart ailments. Furthermore, the abundance of dietary fibers and vitamin B3 or niacin helps to enhance good HDL levels and diminish bad LDL levels. This averts plaque and fatty deposits in heart vessels, easing cardiac muscle function and improving heart health.

Ragi For Pregnancy And Lactation

Sprouting some ragi grains overnight and consuming them the next morning has massive benefits for the health of pregnant and lactating women. Due to the immense iron and calcium content in ragi, it is ideal to stimulate milk production and balance hormonal activities in expecting women and young mothers.

Contributes Towards Child’s Nutritional Needs

The comprehensive nutritional content in ragi makes it a perfect food for meeting a growing child’s ever-expanding nutrient requirements. A kanji or malt made with ragi flour is often fed to infants and young kids, particularly as a weaning food in the southern states of India. Owing to its starchy content, ragi does increase weight in young children, assisting in their routine development.

Ragi For IBS

IBS refers to irritable bowel syndrome, a commonly occurring intestinal disorder that causes unbearable pain along with abnormal bowel movements, diarrhoea, flatulence and constipation.

Ragi is blessed with the goodness of dietary fibers, with quantities higher than many other kinds of cereal such as wheat, barley and oats. Eating foods with increased fiber content positively influences bowel movement, regulating faecal bulk and promotes optimal passage of food and other materials within the intestines. In this manner, consuming a meal with ragi porridge for breakfast stimulates healthy metabolism, remedies IBS symptoms and even assists in averting the risk of colon cancer.