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HEALTH BENEFITS OF RAGI

DIETARY FIBER AND ITS ROLE IN HUMAN HEALTH

The dietary fiber in Ragi play a key role in controlling and regulating the release of blood sugar.This means that this grain is valuable both in prevention and management of Diabetes Mellitus.Dietary fiber also plays an important role in prevention of cardio-vascular diseases. The World Health Organization defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. The most common health consequence of being overweight or obese is cardiovascular disease — mainly heart disease and stroke. The more overweight a person is the more likely he/she is to develop heart disease. Increased weight is a determinant of higher levels of triglycerides, elevated LDL (commonly known as bad cholesterol) and low HDL (commonly known as good cholesterol). However, even a slight reduction in weight (5- 10 per cent) can reduce a person’s risk of heart disease. Dietary fibre in whole grains acts as a sponge, absorbing water and thus increasing the "bulk’ of the food. It promotes satiety and as a result one tends to eat less, resulting in weight loss.

Low fat content of Ragi together with its dietary fiber and higher amounts of carbohydrates which are available in the form of non-starchy polysaccharides makes this grain nutritionally dense and important for its hypocholestrolemic and hypoglycemic effects (Vanithasri et al., 2012; Banusha & Vasantharuba, 2013).

Constipation is a condition that is generally aggravated by a sedentary life style, lack of exercise and deprivation of fiber rich diet. Chronic fiber deprivation can lead to intestinal diseases such as hemorrhoids and irritable bowel syndrome. The link between colon and rectal cancer and low consumption of fiber is the focus of researchers today.

Thus a few Ragi rotis, a Ragi mudde or a bowl of Ragi porridge will not only fuel a person with enough energy but also take care of digestion, heart, arteries and blood sugar.

ROLE IN PREVENTING MALNUTRITION

The grain’s protein content is comparable to that of rice. However, some Ragi varieties have shown double that level.

More importantly, this protein content is quite unique. The main protein fraction is eleusinin, which has a high biological value, meaning that it is easily incorporated into the body. There are also significant quantities of tryptophan, cystine, methionine and total aromatic amino acids, all crucial to human health. This high protein content makes Ragi a very important factor in preventing malnutrition. This millet can be an especially good source of protein for vegetarians because of its methionine content that constitutes about 5% of the protein.

ROLE IN DIABETES MELLITUS MANAGEMENT

The rapid rise in the prevalence of diabetes has led to a great demand for foods containing complex carbohydrates with high dietary fiber levels and beneficial phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals are a varied group of chemical compounds derived from plants, which are considered to be important factors in our capacity to combat disease. All these components are usually found in the outer layer of the grain or the seed coat, and so, it is generally a good idea to consume whole grains.

The Ragi grain’s seed coat is rich in polyphenols as compared to grains such as barley, rice, maize and wheat. It has 40 times the phenolic content of rice and 5 times that of wheat. Among the millets, it is comparable to foxtail millet, and second only to kodo millet. Research studies have also shown that Ragi controls blood glucose levels, and hyperglycemic and oxidative stress. It has also shown promise in accelerating wound healing among diabetics.

ANTI MICROBIAL PROPERTIES

Ragi has been found to act against a number of bacteria including Bacillus cereus, which causes food poisoning, Salmonella sp., which causes a typhoid-like fever, and Staphylococcus aureus, one of the primary causes of skin and soft tissue infections such as abscesses, furuncles, and cellulitis.

ROLE AS AN ANTIOXIDANT

Ragi is also rich in antioxidants, which are compounds that prevent excessive oxidation. The phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins present in finger millet seed coats have very effective antioxidant properties thus protecting our body against cell damage which could cause ageing and cancer. Research evidences indicate that, people on millet-based diets have lower incidences of esophageal cancer than those on wheat or rice diets.

Thus this extremely nutritious millet is a valuable food source of several nutrients essential to the human body. A super grain that made a comeback in recent years, Ragi can be a valuable part of our diets in a variety of food forms ranging from a simple porridge to a chocolate cake.

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