If you’re struggling with any kind of nutritional deficiency, then ragi can help you deal with it in more ways than one. Not to mention, eating ragi for diabetes also has tonnes of benefits.

Health store shelves are laden with ragi products today. Ragi biscuits, ragi bread, ragi cereals, ragi noodles, and what not is available everywhere. You know why? Well, that’s because even these big FMCG brands have understood the benefits of ragi to the fullest.

Although the products are a little dense to eat, they are super healthy for all.  

Ragi has a vast number of nutrients. It contains a variety of macro and micronutrients and also essential fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Here’s the nutritional value of ragi per 100 gms: 

Total Fat	1.92g
Saturated Fat	0.7g
Polyunsaturated Fat	2g
Monounsaturated Fat	0.7g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	5mg
Potassium	40mg
Carbohydrates	80g
Dietary Fibre	11.18
Sugars	0.6g
Protein	7.16 g
Folates	34 mcg

Due to the presence of more potassium, folates, and proteins, ragi is the perfect food for those of you who are looking to shed all that unwanted fat. And have you noticed that ragi has ZERO cholesterol ? That’s another reason to add this healthy option to your diet.

Ragi: the ultimate superfood for diabetics

According to Dr Vaishali Sawant, assistant medical director, Vedicure healthcare and wellness, the minerals and vitamins in ragi can help prevent diabetes. Magnesium found in ragi is known to gradually increase insulin sensitivity and hence combat insulin resistance seen in type 2 diabetes. 

Besides this, it has a good amount of dietary fibre which helps to keep your digestive system in check, and this helps with weight maintenance. Therefore, it reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Fibre also helps to reduce digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.

Polyphenols are micronutrients found in ragi that help to control diabetes, due to its high antioxidant levels. 

It also helps in controlling sugar levels. 

“The thing with ragi is that you should know how and how much to consume for better results. So, 10 to 20 grams of ragi can be consumed daily or on alternate days to gain benefits. So, you can soak ragi for 12 hours. Let it germinate by tying it in a thin cloth for 2-3 days. Dry the germinated grains and remove the roots. Let them dry, then roast them, and in the end grind to a fine powder. Your ragi is ready to consume,” explains Dr Sawant. 

Ragi is multi-faceted; you can consume it in a variety of ways, such as ragi ladoo and ragi malt. 

Here’s a quick way to make ragi malt

Take a pan, put it on medium flame, add one cup water and almost three tablespoons of ragi powder. Keep on stirring the mix to avoid any lumps. 

You need to stir the mix until the mixture turns into a thick paste. Now add rock salt (as per taste) or jaggery (as per taste) to your liking. Next, add some dried fruits of your choice and serve it in a bowl and enjoy your bowlful of nutrition. If you like veggies, then don’t shy away from putting your favourite boiled veggies in this ragi malt to make it more wholesome.

“The best time to consume ragi is in the morning. It is a wholesome breakfast option and will help you stay energised all day long,” concludes Dr Sawant.