Ragi, also known by other names like nachni, finger millet, mangal, kodra, mandia and so many more, is renowned for its versatility and nutritive value. It is becoming a standard part of the Indian diet slowly after being overshadowed by rice for a long time. Ragi is a great source of calcium, protein, fibre and various other nutrients, just like its other traditional millet brethren.
Every mom wants to give something healthy to her kids, and kids want something yummy when it comes to snacks, so ragi in a tasty avatar becomes the ideal choice for both moms and kids!
Team Soulfull shares seven reasons why ragi needs to be the next go-to snack for children.
Want it sweet? You got it! Want it savoury? No problem! From a solid mudde dessert to a milk drink, mid-day dosas for a taste of home to millet waffles for a trip abroad, ragi can be anything you want it to be! If you don’t have time to cook amazing dishes, you can also opt for ragi snacks.
2. Great Source Of Calcium
Other cereals pale in comparison to ragi when it comes to this all-important, bone-building element. Ragi boasts 344 mg of calcium per 100 gm (around four rotis), which is more than double the amount that chickpeas provide, and almost thrice that found in cow’s milk! Growing kids need a lot of daily calcium – ranging from 700 mg (for infants) to 1,300 mg for teenagers. Along with healthy meals, a ragi-based evening snack will help meet this target and help avoid later problems like osteoporosis and fracture risk.
100 gm of ragi flour gives you 7.2 gm of protein, roughly 1/5th of a pre-teen’s daily requirement. While this amount is largely the same as that of other grains like wheat or barley, it has the advantage of being gluten-free, an important consideration for parents whose kids might have an intolerance to gluten. Plus, as Indians typically don’t have as much protein as they should, especially in vegetarian households, having a snack base that provides a decent amount of protein is a plus.
4. Helps You Relax
Ragi is packed with several amino acids, including tryptophan, which has the property of increasing the body’s level of serotonin, a precursor to the hormone melatonin, that helps regulate sleep.
Like other whole grains, ragi has fibre-dense bran that also retains a lot of nutrients (something that’s lost when polished, as in the case of white rice). But back to that fibre and why it’s important: It aids digestion, and helps one feel fuller for longer. So a ragi-rich evening snack can prevent overeating during dinner. Soluble fibre also reduces blood cholesterol, not something you want associated with kids!
6.Can Easily Be Made Into Healthy Baby Food
In India, ragi is widely used to feed babies (remember ragi kanji?). We’ve mentioned some of the benefits earlier – the high calcium, good protein and excellent nutrient value of ragi are all beneficial for toddlers. Ragi’s versatility means it can easily be mixed with milk, or made into a nice, tasty porridge.
A ragi recipe can be as simple or complex as you want it to be! To make porridge, all you need is ragi, salt, water and optionally, milk. Ragi mixed with oats and semolina can make for delicious idli or dosa. To cool down, you could just add ragi to buttermilk – something even babies can have!
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7 Reasons Ragi Makes For The Perfect Healthy Snack For Kids - Femina
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