Medically Reviewed by Dr. Apoorva T, MHM. | Written by Shifa Fatima, MSc. | Reviewed: April 5, 2022
Ragi or finger millets have been grown in tropical regions for thousands of years. Millions of people have been using them in their foods as a staple part of human nutrition. This comprehensive guide explores whether ragi is good for diabetes, its nutritional benefits, glycemic index, and how diabetic patients can incorporate it into their diet.
Ragi has a glycemic index (GI) score that ranges between 54 and 68. The amount of glycemic index you get from ragi depends on whether you use it whole grain or in atta (flour) form. Upon cooking, the glycemic index comes down to 55, which falls in the low category and is considered safe for people with diabetes.
Ragi is packed with essential nutrients as compared to other millets. It is a healthy alternative to routine cereal and grain crops like rice and wheat because of its richness in nutrients. Ragi is high in calcium, iron, essential amino acids, dietary fibre, high-quality protein, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, and phosphorus. Due to its richness in calcium, it is excellent for bone health.
Ragi also comprises phenolic compounds and phytochemicals which are helpful to carry out high antioxidant activities in the body. It has zero cholesterol which makes it a great diet option for people with heart ailments and also supports weight loss.
| Nutrition | Value |
|---|---|
| Energy | 336 kcal |
| Protein | 7.7 gm |
| Fat | 1.5 gm |
| Fibre | 11.5 gm |
| Carbohydrate | 72.6 gm |
| Calcium | 350 mg |
| Iron | 3.9 mg |
| Magnesium | 137 mg |
| Phosphorus | 283 mg |
| Manganese | 5.94 mg |
| Potassium | 408 mg |
Ragi has been in existence for thousands of years and has always been the primary source of nutrition for people all over the world. It is a superfood for all categories of people including children, pregnant women, and elderly people as it is packed with essential nutrients like calcium, phytochemicals, and phenolic compounds.
As the ragi glycemic index is low and it is rich in fibre, amino acids, and minerals, it is a boon for people with diabetes and heart ailments. It is also helpful for people struggling with obesity and various metabolic diseases.
Ragi is basically cultivated in dry and hot climatic conditions and is also grown in places of high altitudes. Ragi is drought-tolerant and can be grown throughout the year. There are various types of ragi available depending on the size of the grain, which generally varies from 1 mm to 2 mm in diameter. Ragi is also found in different colours ranging from brown to white and red to black.
Ragi is useful for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Ragi is a rich source of fibres that help keep you fuller for a long time. Patients with diabetes often experience hunger problems, which can be easily managed by ragi since it is a good source of fibre. It has a low glycemic index that helps in preventing spikes in blood sugar levels.
Recommended Consumption: Consuming ragi about 50-60% from 15-20% total carbohydrate consumption is recommended for people with diabetes. This can help keep their diabetes at bay.
Inflammation occurs when our body sends inflammatory cells and cytokines to fight against harmful foreign particles entering our body. While normal inflammation is healthy, chronic inflammation can be problematic. In the case of diabetes, internal inflammation occurs in the body for a long time, often due to obesity.
It is observed that the level of inflammatory chemicals is higher in people with diabetes compared to people without diabetes. Oxidative stress is also one of the factors that may lead to diabetes. In this condition, the body is not able to balance free radicals and antioxidants.
How Ragi Helps: Ragi can be used to reduce weight, which is the prime cause of inflammation. It also has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help combat oxidative stress.
Slow Digestion: Finger millet has carbohydrates and calories in high amounts for instant energy. However, it also has a plethora of phytates, tannins, and polyphenols which are useful to slow down the digestion process. This helps reduce sugar levels in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Polyphenols: These micronutrients are present in plant-based products and have various health benefits, including benefits for diabetes patients due to their high concentration of antioxidants.
Protein and Creatinine Regulation: Increases in the level of albumin (protein in the human body) in urine and creatinine in the blood indicate complications in people with diabetes. Research with diabetic rats given finger millet seeds for 6 weeks showed a reduction in albumin and creatinine secretion in blood and urine, respectively. Studies on humans need to be conducted to confirm these effects.
Fiber Benefits: Being higher in fibres (which help stabilize sugar), ragi tends to have less impact on blood sugar levels of people with diabetes compared to other millets. Eating ragi even when you don't have diabetes will help prevent it because precaution is better than cure.
Ragi is a wonder food immensely packed with nutrients and offers numerous health benefits to all those who consume it. There are various ways and different recipes that make it easier for everyone to include ragi in their daily diet plan. Ragi is multifunctional and is filled with amazing properties such as anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-ulcer, anti-microbial, antioxidant, and anti-tumorigenic properties.
Ragi benefits for diabetes are significant as it is rich in phenolic extracts which help manage hyperglycemic conditions. It helps reduce the spike in blood sugar levels. The ragi glycemic index is comparatively low compared to other cereals and grains, and the presence of dietary fiber in ragi maintains the digestive pace and keeps you fuller for a long time. This in turn keeps mid-meal cravings at bay, subsequently keeping blood sugar levels in control.
Gluten is an element that usually leads to allergies and indigestion problems. Ragi is gluten-free and is great for people who are gluten intolerant. It can be substituted for wheat, and various dishes like chapatis and dosas can be prepared using ragi. Ragi flour for diabetes instead of wheat flour is highly recommended for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
As ragi is rich in dietary fibre, it helps in preventing gastrointestinal disorders, coronary heart diseases, colon cancer, and diabetes. Ragi also prevents constipation as the fibre present in it acts as a laxative that stimulates bowel motility. The fibre increases the satiety level, preventing hunger pangs and thereby contributing to weight loss.
Ragi has a high calcium content (350 mg per 100 gm) and is good for growing children to strengthen their bones and make them strong. Even in older people, it helps in restoring optimum bone density, alleviating the symptoms of osteoporosis.
Ragi is one of the few sources of vitamin D apart from sunlight and is good for bones as well as skin. It helps in regulating calcium and phosphate which are responsible for keeping the teeth, bones, and muscles healthy.
Ragi is filled with phytochemicals and antioxidants which have extensive anti-carcinogenic properties and help in the prevention of cancer. It contains ferulic acid which has wonderful blocking effects on induced carcinogenesis, thereby preventing cancer.
Ragi is known to be the powerhouse of iron (3.9 mg per 100 gm) and therefore serves as a boon for people who are anaemic by increasing the haemoglobin level in the blood.
Ragi has zero cholesterol and is also devoid of sodium. This makes it highly recommended for people with heart ailments. Due to the presence of vitamin B3 and niacin, it helps increase good cholesterol and reduce bad cholesterol levels. This enhances cardiac muscle function and improves heart health.
Ragi has antioxidant properties and can inhibit collagen crosslinking that helps in reducing the stiffness of elastic tissues in blood vessels, tendons, and skin, thereby delaying the ageing process.
Ragi for diabetes can be one of the most helpful and useful additions to a diabetic diet. Finger millet can keep sugar levels in check and provides instant energy. It has a lot of plant chemicals like phytates, tannins, and polyphenols that slow down the digestion process. This can reduce the spike in blood sugars and allows the body to process food at a good pace.
Ragi is a valuable addition to the diet chart of a person with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The fiber-rich properties ensure that the person feels full after consumption and can result in the stoppage of unnecessary hunger pangs. It can also accelerate weight loss and help with both diabetes and obesity.
Nowadays, various products like biscuits and cakes are available in the market and bakeries which are labelled as made of ragi. You can pick any which you like. You can make laddoos of ragi or even ragi malt.
These are some of the dishes which you will enjoy eating while managing your diabetes.
Ragi is the best millet to regulate diabetes. The proteins, minerals, calcium, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties it possesses, along with vitamins, not just make it good for people with diabetes but also useful for people suffering from vitamin deficiency, obesity, bone problems, and many more health conditions.
The consumption of ragi is more helpful in the case of type 2 diabetes since it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So, now don't ask, 'Is ragi good for diabetes?' Instead, start consuming it!
Yes, Ragi is good for diabetes as it is rich in fibre, minerals, and amino acids. Ragi is a great substitute for white rice and wheat because it helps in maintaining blood sugar and cholesterol levels stable.
There can be several ragi benefits for weight loss. The primary reason for this is that ragi contains an amino acid called tryptophan which is associated with the curbing of one's appetite. If you will not eat more, you will not end up gaining a lot of weight. Moreover, among the other benefits of eating ragi is that it is rich in fiber, which would help in effective digestion and would make you feel full for a long time. This will also work towards a lower appetite. Another reason why ragi can be a good addition to the diet, especially if the goal is to lose weight, would be that it boosts the metabolism.
To understand whether ragi is good for diabetes, it's important to know how much blood sugar levels spike upon consumption of ragi. Due to the fiber-rich factor, this grain would not affect blood sugars as much as other refined grains. It is also said that the intake of ragi, even every day, would help in stabilizing the blood sugar levels. The grain also works to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Among the other benefits of ragi is that it also keeps cholesterol levels in check.
The glycemic index of ragi ranges from 54 to 68. This puts it at a slightly higher level. However, the amount of fiber present in the grain makes it a good contender for slower absorption and digestion of food. This would create a slower uptake of sugar and glucose molecules in the body resulting in no spikes in the blood sugar level.
Yes, ragi flour is good for diabetes as it helps in maintaining blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels. The presence of fibre in ragi delays the absorption of glucose in the blood and the low glycemic index in ragi helps in reducing the chances of spiking blood sugar levels.
Yes, millet is good for diabetes as it is lower on the glycemic index which gradually increases the blood sugar instead of a sudden spike in the blood sugar levels. Millets are generally high in fibre and low in cholesterol and that's why they are a great option for people with diabetes.
The glycemic index of ragi is somewhere between 54 to 68 which is actually in the range of the medium glycemic index category. This means that ragi can be taken in controlled quantities for diabetes. However, upon cooking the glycemic index comes down to 55 which is low and so it is safe for people with diabetes.
This website's content is provided only for educational reasons and is not meant to be a replacement for professional medical advice. Due to individual differences, the reader should contact their physician to decide whether the material is applicable to their case.
Shifa Fatima, MSc. - Author
Dr. Apoorva T, MHM. - Medical Advisor
Ragus Healthcare Private Limited
Address: No. 17 & 17C BDA, Sector 3, HSR Layout, Bangalore - 560102
Email: [email protected]
All rights reserved © sugar.fit 2023