Cereal which Delights me 'Raagi'

Raagi is the cereal which I started consuming in my everyday food, because of its nutritional value and health concerns. After all having junk our body needs something nutritious to balance it out. First time I came to know about Raggi when my aunt was feeding her baby with Raagi porridge instead of cerelac…!! According to traditional belief among people of Karnataka, they consider Raagi as complete food and substitute of milk…!!

Finger millet or African millet is known as “Raagi” in southern part of India.
Botanical name- Eleusine coracana

Raagi is an annual plant widely grown as a cereal in the arid areas of Africa and Asia. Finger millet is originally native to the Ethiopian Highlands and was introduced into India approximately 4000 years ago. It is very adaptable to higher elevations and is grown in the Himalaya up to 2300 meters altitude.

Ragi is the main food grain for many peoples, especially in dry areas of India and Sri Lanka. Grain is higher in protein, fat and minerals than rice, corn etc. When consumed as food it provides a sustaining diet, especially for people doing hard work. Straw makes valuable fodder for both working and milking animals. Grain may also be malted and a flour of the malted grain used as a nourishing food for infants. Ragi is considered an especially wholesome food for diabetics.

Ragi has the highest Calcium content and good fiber content. This is a very good source of calcium for growing children and aged people who need calcium supplement. Finger millet is especially valuable as it contains the amino acid methionine, which is lacking in the diets of hundreds of millions of the poor who live on starchy staples such as cassava, plantain, polished rice, or maize meal.

Nutritive value of Ragi per 100 g-

• Protein 7.3 g
• Fat 1.3 g
• Carbohydrate 72 g
• Minerals 2.7 g
• Calcium 344 g
• Fibre 3.6 g
• Energy 328 KCal

Beer-
Some minority used Finger Millet flour to made alcohol (BacHa alcohol is a good drink of H'mong minority).


Folk Medicine-
The leaf juice has been given to women in childbirth, and the plant is reported to be diaphoretic, diuretic, and vermifuge. Ragi is a folk remedy for leprosy, liver disease, measles, pleurisy, pneumonia, and small pox.

Cuisines-

• Raagi Soup
• Raagi Roti
• Raagi Dosa
• Raagi Popcorn
• Raagi Health Drink
• Raagi porridge
• Raagi Mudde
• Raagi Idli

Through my personal experience, I would like to suggest usage of Raagi, as it keeps face pimple/ acne free, and it will not add extra pounds. I usually intake it as porridge preparation of it takes hardly takes 5 mins. Just take 3-4 spoons of flour add 3-4 cups of water boil it for 4-5 mins add sugar for taste and 20 ml of milk before taking it off from the flame. Eat it warm, its really really delicious.