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Including Ragi In Your Diet For Weight Loss
Healthy Ragi Halwa For Your Dessert Cravings - 24 Mantra Organic
Healthy Ragi Halwa To Satisfy Your Dessert Cravings
Recipes
2.09.2020
Ragi, like jowar, bajra and brown rice is a grain that has been a traditional part of Indian cuisine centuries. Also known as finger millet or nachni, it is an unprocessed, wholegrain rich in nutrients and fibre. Ragi is said to have originated in Africa. Today, it is cultivated and consumed across Africa and Asia.
Organic ragi is gluten-free and rich in unprocessed carbohydrates. It has a low glycemic index, which makes it especially suitable for people with gluten intolerance, diabetics or just anyone trying to eat healthier. It is also fairly slow to digest and keeps you satisfied for a longer period of time.
The large percentage of dietary fibre present in ragi flour also helps maintain good health and may even help losing weight. Fibre is essential for proper digestion and keeps you feeling full for a long time.
Ragi is also rich in several essential vitamins and minerals. It is rich in iron, Vitamin C and calcium. According to the National Institute of Nutrition in India, 100 grams of ragi contains up to 344 milligrams of calcium. This makes it one of the best sources of calcium outside of dairy products. Indeed, ragi is often fed to babies and children who are lactose intolerant as a substitute for milk.
According to a study done in 2014, ragi is rich in essential amino acids like methionine, valine, isoleucine, tryptophan and threonine. This makes ragi an especially beneficial source of protein for vegetarians and vegans.
Organic ragi has health benefits in addition to these as it is free from harmful chemicals and pesticides. Buying organic ragi supports small farmers and promotes indigenous agricultural practices. It is also ecologically beneficial as the organic farming does not use water, fertiliser and pesticides to the extent that commercial farming does.
Despite its nutritious properties, organic ragi is not as popular as it should be. However, this can easily be remedied! Here we have a delicious ragi halwa recipe that packs a healthy punch while fulfilling your dessert cravings! Let’s take a look at how to make ragi halwa below.
Nutritional Information For Ragi Halwa (Per Serving)
| Total No. of Calories per serving | 568 |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates and Sugar | 75 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 61 g |
| Sodium | 59 mg |
| Potassium | 455 mg |
Note: This ragi halwa recipe gives four servings.
List Of Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll be needing for a lip-smacking ragi halwa recipe are as follows –
- 1 cup of organic ragi flour (also called nachni or finger millet flour)
- 6-8 tablespoons of ghee
- 2 cups of hot milk
- 1/2 cup sugar or jaggery powder
- 1/2 teaspoon elaichi powder (cardamom)
- 15 sliced almonds
- 5-6 chopped cashews
- 15 sliced pistachios
- Small pinch of salt
How To Make Ragi Halwa
And here’s your ragi halwa recipe –
- Heat ghee in a pan over low flame.
- Add the ragi to the pan. Add it in small amounts, waiting till each batch that is added absorbs ghee properly.
- Maintaining the heat on low, stir the ragi and ghee for approximately 4 minutes.
- Once the mixture starts to simmer with small bubbles, add sugar. Mix well. You can also use jaggery powder in place of sugar. In fact, it might taste better as jaggery adds a distinct flavour that sugar does not have.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk separately. It is necessary that the milk is hot when it is added to ragi.
- As the ragi mixture simmers, add the hot milk slowly. Keep stirring till the mixture thickens. The amount of milk can be adjusted if the mixture looks too dry.
- Add a small pinch of salt (optional). Add elaichi powder and mix thoroughly.
- Turn off the gas once the halwa reaches the desired consistency. You’ll know it’s done when the halwa starts to move away from the edges of the pan and towards to centre of the vessel.
- Once fully cooked, allow it to rest for around 5-10 minutes.
- Garnish with sliced almonds, pistachios and cashews. The cashews can be stir-fried in ghee until golden before garnishing for added flavour. You can also add a drizzle of ghee as garnish to enhance the taste.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Conclusion
The various health benefits that organic ragi offers makes it a superfood that must be tried by all! Ragi is perfect for people of all ages, body types and health needs. Buying organic ragi is also beneficial for the environment!
Next time you want to eat something sugary, you needn’t sacrifice your health. With this ragi halwa recipe, you can enjoy the nutrition that ragi provides and satisfy those dessert cravings as well!
References:
- https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/ragi-halwa-recipe/
- https://www.sharmispassions.com/ragi-halwa-recipe-easy-ragi-halwa-recipe/
- https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/benefits-of-ragi-a-wonder-grain-1400676
- https://www.24mantra.com/blogs/health-and-nutrition/ragi-nutritional-value-and-health-benefits-of-the-ancient-grain/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262732070_Significance_of_Finger_Millet_in_Nutrition_Health_and_Value_added_Products_A_Review
Try 24 Mantra Organic’s Ragi flour and enjoy the taste of Ragi Halwa recipe.
