Ragi is a type of millet that is extremely popular in India and is actually associated with weight loss. Ragi is found in wheat, barley, rye and is used in preparing various foods such as chapati, idli, dosa, vada and many other main course recipes. Also known as finger millet, ragi is actually the base of Indian lunch menus.
There is always something special about a weight loss journey and not everyone’s weight loss journey can be the same. For example, Shehnaaz Gill went for a calorie deficit diet, Kelly Doty concentrated on ignoring junk food, Aashika Bhatia focused more on her diet, Emma Hunton worked very hard in gyms and so on. You always need to look for inspiration that will keep you motivated throughout your journey.
The main funda of weight loss is maintaining a proper diet and performing high-intensity workouts on a regular basis. Weight loss is all about losing double calories to that of the calorie you intake from food on a regular basis.
The ratio of calories lost to that of calories gained on a regular basis should be 2:1. As a result both diet and intense physical workouts become the two most important factors.
Having said so, ragi is highly nutritive in nature and actually helps in weight loss. It has a relatively low fat content. Before jumping straight into the point of how and why ragi helps in weight loss we will check the nutritional information of ragi.
Nutritional information of ragi
100g of ragi contains the following nutritional information
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Calories | 354Kcal |
| Total fat | 3.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 80g |
| Protein | 13g |
| Sugar | 0.6g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7g |
| Dietary fiber | 2.7g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 5mg |
| Potassium | 40mg |
Along with this, ragi is also rich in certain amino acids such as tryptophan, methionine, valine, isoleucine and threonine.
How does ragi help in weight loss?
Still unsure of the fact of how ragi helps you to lose weight? Let’s exactly show you how will ragi help you in your weight loss journey.
1. Suppresses appetite
Ragi is a crop that actually suppresses your appetite. It contains the amino acid tryptophan that is responsible for suppressing your appetite. Controlling your appetite plays a major role when it comes to losing. Cutting down junk foods, concentrating on low-carb fruits and vegetables and suppressing your random hunger pangs will definitely help you to lose weight. This is where eating ragi helps you. It sort of suppresses your random hunger pangs.
2. Low calorie and low fat
Ragi is a type of millet that is low in calories and fat. 100g ragi contains approximately about 354 calories which is considerably low compared to other main course Indian foods. Moreover, it is also low in fat content which makes it one of the top choices for foods that help in weight loss. Need a food that has low calorie and fat content but will keep you full for a long time? Ragi is your answer.
3. Maintains proper digestion
Ragi contains a good amount of dietary fiber. We know how foods rich in dietary fiber help in supporting your digestive system and maintaining proper bowel movements. The process of digesting foods is a complex process and uses up a lot of calories. The entire process of digestion uses up energy and this will indirectly contribute to losing weight. Weight loss requires the loss of calories, be it via exercises or intense workouts. This is exactly how ragi being a millet that supports digestion will indirectly help you in weight loss.
4. Metabolism of fat molecules
Ragi contains an adequate amount of Vitamin C which in turn helps in oxidizing fat molecules. Various researches show that body mass is negatively related to vitamin C status. Individuals with appropriate vitamin C levels metabolize 30% more fat after a moderate exercise session than those with inadequate vitamin C in the body.
According to a 2005 research published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association, vitamin C insufficiency can delay fat mass reduction and individuals with increased vitamin C consumption have lower body mass indices (BMI). The authors of the study found that increasing vitamin C consumption may boost fat burning during even moderate-intensity exercises.
These two pieces of evidence are enough to show how Vitamin C can help you with weight loss. Ragi being rich in Vitamin C will definitely help you to burn fat quickly.
5. Helps to sleep well
Foods that contain ragi will definitely help us to sleep well. This is the sole reason why we feel sleepy after having ragi chapatis at night. Now, weight loss has a direct connection with deep sleep. Less sleep or disturbed sleep will lead to weight gain. But foods rich in ragi will help you have a good night’s sleep which will support your weight loss journey.
6. Gluten-free in nature
Is gluten directly related to weight gain or weight loss? Well, the answer is not always. But yes, a gluten-free diet will definitely help you lead a healthy life. Ragi is gluten-free in nature and will help you to live a healthy life. There are no authoritative pieces of evidence that show that a gluten-free diet will help you in weight loss. So yes, consuming foods rich in ragi may not directly help you to lose weight but will definitely help you lead a healthy life whatsoever.
So yes, consuming ragi foods will definitely support your weight loss journey. Maybe it won’t directly help you to lose weight but indirectly it will support your weight loss journey. Additionally, it is a millet that is moderately low in calories, fat and carbohydrates. So yes, it is indeed a great choice for people who are trying to lose weight.