Health Benefits Of Finger Millet For Weight Loss: In this article, read about how finger millet supports weight loss, nutrients, and recipes.
Table of Contents
What is mean by Finger millet?
The name “finger millet” comes from how its seed head looks. The finger millet plant’s grains grow on five branches, which spread out from a central stalk. Like the fingers of a hand. This arrangement inspired the name “finger millet.” It is gluten-free millet. The color pigment of finger millet is very beneficial for our health. It has good fiber content, low calories, and very little fat. A majority of people call finger millet as Ragi only.
Finger millet’s scientific name is Eleusine coracana.
Finger Millet (Ragi) Nutritional Information (Per 100g)
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value (Based on 2000 Calorie Diet) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 101 kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 20.6 g | 7% |
| Protein | 3.5 g | 7% |
| Total Fat | 1.3 g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2 g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.6 g | 14% |
| Sugars | 0.6 g | – |
| Calcium | 35 mg | 4% |
| Iron | 3.9 mg | 22% |
| Magnesium | 44 mg | 11% |
| Phosphorus | 115 mg | 16% |
| Potassium | 195 mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 3 mg | <1% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.1 mg | 8% |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.1 mg | 7% |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1.6 mg | 8% |
| Folate | 13 mcg | 3% |
| Vitamin E | 0.1 mg | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.9 mg | 6% |
Common names
Common names of Finger Millet (Ragi) in various languages and regions:
| Language/Region | Common Name |
|---|---|
| English | Finger Millet, Ragi |
| Hindi | Ragi, Nachni |
| Tamil | Ragi, Kezhvaragu |
| Telugu | Ragulu, Nachelu |
| Kannada | Ragi, Mandika |
| Malayalam | Ragi, Kurakkan |
| Marathi | Nachni, Ragi |
| Bengali | Ragi, Kodo, Kodo Dhan |
| Gujarati | Ragi, Madra, Nuchni |
| Punjabi | Ragi, Chhajra, Madra |
| Swahili | Mtama, Porridge Millet |
| French | Millet Finger |
| Spanish | Mijo, Mijo de Dedos |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Finger Millet |
Top 10 Health Benefits
- Providing not only nutrients to our body but also bone strength.
- It relieves leg pain and joint pains.
- Control diabetes. When sugar levels are continuously fluctuating, it is very beneficial.
- Used in weight management.
- For easy digestion.
- Reduce iron deficiency.
- Reduces negative bacteria in our body.
- Reduce constipation.
- Reduce bad cholesterol in our body.
- Reduce migraine headaches, stress, and anxiety.
Who should not eat?
- Take in small quantity who are having thyroid problems.
- Who are having kidney stones, eat in less quantity.
Health Benefits Of Finger Millet For Weight Loss
Finger millet is very helpful in weight management. It has 10% fiber per 100 grams. It is beneficial for digestion and keeps your stomach full. It contains less carbohydrates compared to white rice. It has negligible fat. It is rich in calcium. So it is the perfect choice for a weight-loss diet.
How to Use Finger Millet for Weight Loss
Weight Loss Recipes:
- Ragi Java: Prepare a healthy porridge with ragi flour and water. Add a pinch of salt or jaggery as per the taste. It is a light breakfast or snack that provides low carbs.
- Ragi Roti: Instead of regular wheat roti, make roti’s with Ragi flour. Eat Roti’s for dinner. Pair them with vegetable curry or dal.
- Ragi Dosa or Idli: Mix Ragi batter with regular Idli batter. Make Idli’s. These Idli’s have calories. It is a tasty option for meals.
- Ragi can be a better substitute for sprouts. It provides similar benefits for weight loss.
Include ragi in at least one meal a day to get its benefits. This versatile super millet is very easy to digest. It keeps you energetic and supports managing weight effectively.
Finger Millet(Ragi)-Recipes
1. Idli Recipe
Ingredients:
- Ragi flour: 1 cup
- Idli rice: 1 cup
- Urad dal (split black gram): ½ cup
- Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
- Salt: to taste
- Water: as required
Steps:
- First, Soak urad dal, idli rice, and fenugreek seeds in water for 6 to 7 hours.
- After grinding them into a soft batter. Add salt to the batter.
- Take another bowl. Mix ragi flour with enough water to make a smooth paste.
- Keep overnight or for 8–10 hours.
- Mix it with the idli batter and mix well.
- Take an Idli maker and put Idli batter on all plates.
- Steam for 10 to 12 minutes. The Idli’s were cooked.
- Serve hot with any chutney and sambar.
2. Roti Recipe
Ingredients:
- Ragi flour: 1 cup
- Onion: 1 small (finely chopped)
- Green chili: 1–2 (finely chopped)
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves: a handful (chopped)
- Salt: to taste
- Water: as required
Steps:
- Take a bowl. Mix ragi flour, chopped onion, green chilies, cumin seeds, coriander leaves, and salt.
- Add water and mix into a soft dough.
- Make the dough into small balls.
- Take each ball, sprinkle some ragi flour to prevent sticking, and make rotis.
- Heat a flat pan and cook the roti on medium flame.
- Flip on both sides until brown dots appear.
- Serve hot with any vegetable curry.
Enjoy these nutritious recipes for a healthy, balanced diet!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are finger millet and ragi both the same?
Answer: Yes. In India, most of people called finger millet as Ragi.
2. Can I eat ragi daily?
Yes. every day, you can replace your dinner or breakfast with ragi java or roti.
3. What are the side effects of ragi?
Answer: People who have kidney stones and Thyroid issues, by eating Ragi, their problems will increase.
4. Ragi is a millet or not?
Answer: yes. Ragi is a 100% millet.
5. Is ragi is heat to our body?
Answer: Ragi is a cooling grain. It helps lower body heat. It is very good for summer. It cleans the stomach. Avoid eating too much ragi in winter.