Ragi is a tropical annual grain crop, scientifically known as Eleusine coracana, that is primarily grown in Ethiopia, India, and Sri Lanka, among other tropical areas. Because it is so full of nutrients, ragi bread has several positive health effects, including improving digestion, lowering the risk of heart disease, delaying the ageing process, and controlling diabetes.
Reasons To Add Ragi In Your Healthy Routine
Crops of finger millet are drought-resistant and also tolerant of slightly acidic to alkaline soils. This makes it possible to reproduce these plants throughout the year across India’s various geographical terrains, including the plateaus and mountains.
The ragi plant’s seeds are grown, then dried, cleaned, and kept as grains. As a result, when ragi has through various processing methods including milling and malting.
Health Benefits of Finger Millet Bread/ Ragi
Ragi is rich in several essential elements, including vitamin C, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, iron, calcium, antioxidants, proteins, and fibre. It also contains enough calories and healthy unsaturated fats. The stomach and intestines show their highest levels of metabolism in the morning after a night of deep sleep.
As a result, eating ragi-based foods for breakfast, such as ragi bread sandwich, ragi upma or ragi parathas. It stimulates the digestive system and ensures complete absorption of the nutrients in ragi. The bloodstream transports these nutrients to the body’s vital organs, including the heart, brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys..
Ragi is a special plant-based source of high-quality proteins because it contains a number of essential amino acids. It provides methionine, an amino acid based on sulphur to restore the health of skin and hair, valine, and isoleucine to heal damaged muscular tissues. And threonine to promote the development of teeth and enamel and guard against gum disease.
Sadly, wheat, a common ingredient in Indian cuisine, causes a considerable percentage of young adults and older persons to acquire intolerance .
In addition to chapatis, dosas, sweets, and mithais, ragi bread can replace wheat in baking to make chapatis, dosas, sweets, and mithais.
The ideal time to eat ragi bread is in the morning because it is high in fibre and has a more involved digestive system. Ragi is typically not a good idea to eat at night, especially for people with digestive issues and gluten sensitivities.
Finger millet, a wonderful source of natural calcium, helps growing children’s bones. Additionally, it helps older individuals regain their ideal bone density, easing the symptoms of osteoporosis.
Ragi can be consumed daily by younger people, but middle-aged and older folks must consume it in moderation to support bone health and prevent gastrointestinal and kidney problems.
Finger millet contains a lot of phytates, tannins, and polyphenols, which are plant compounds that slow down digestion even though it is heavy in calories and carbohydrates for quick energy. Ragi is a helpful addition to a diabetes diet since it decreases high blood sugar in people with diabetes mellitus.
Ragi bread is also the best food for adults to speed up weight reduction and manage other lifestyle conditions like diabetes and obesity because of its high fibre content and limited digestion.
Deficiency in iron Every year, many Indian men, women, and children are affected by anaemia, which causes extreme weariness and low levels of productivity. Ragi, which is rich in iron, is a blessing for those who have low blood levels of haemoglobin .
Due to elevated quantities of the amino acid tryptophan, eating ragi in moderation on a regular basis helps to improve nerve impulse transmission, activate memory centres in the brain, and calm the mind.
By preserving positive moods and encouraging restful sleep, ragi aids in the treatment of anxiety and insomnia because the tryptophan brings about an equilibrium in the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter.
People with heart conditions can safely eat meals cooked with ragi flour. Ragi is entirely free of salt and cholesterol. Additionally, dietary fibre in abundance and vitamin B3 (niacin) aid to raise good HDL levels and lower bad LDL levels.
This prevents plaque and fatty buildup in heart arteries, enhancing cardiac health and cardiac muscle function.
For the health of pregnant and nursing mothers, sprouting some ragi grains overnight and eating them the next morning offers enormous advantages. Ragi is the best food to boost milk production and regulate hormonal activities in pregnant women and new moms because of its enormous iron and calcium content.
Ragi bread is the ideal food for supplying a growing child’s escalating nutrient needs because of its broad nutritional profile. Infants and young children are frequently given a kanji or malt made with ragi flour, especially in the southern states of India as a weaning diet.
Ragi does cause young infants to gain weight because of its starchy content, aiding in their usual development.The dietary fibre content of ragi bread is higher than those of wheat, barley, and oats.
Eating meals with more fibre regulates faecal bulk, improves the flow of food and other materials through the intestines. It has a good impact on bowel movement. So, eating a meal that includes ragi porridge for breakfast promotes a healthy metabolism, treats IBS symptoms. And it helps lower the risk of colon cancer.
Ragi Bread Sandwich Recipe
A quick and delicious ragi sandwich that is easy to prepare. Having a sandwich as an appetizer or meal is a common food item. When it comes to sandwiches, there are countless varieties to choose from.
However, this recipe for a ragi sandwich is fairly straightforward and doesn’t require any unusual or complicated ingredients. It made use of ragi bread & common vegetables. There is no grill or oven used to make this sandwich. You can eat this for breakfast, lunch at school or the office, a snack in the evening, or even dinner.
Ingredients
Ragi Bread slice
mint chutney.
2 finely sliced carrots and 1 thinly sliced cucumber
2 cut pieces of tomatoes
green chilies
sliced onions
Salt as per taste
How to Make Ragi Bread Sandwich
- Apply butter or ghee on ragi bread slice
- Apply 1 to 2 tablespoons of mint chutney.
- Place three to four slices of cucumber and carrot on it.
- Keep one extra slice of bread on top of the carrots and cucumbers.
- Arrange the tomatoes and onion slices.
- Add salt, pepper, and chopped green chilies.
- Add a few coriander leaves, then top with another slice of bread.
- Once pressed firmly, cut into squares.
- Add tomato ketchup to serve.
