Ragi–King of Nutrition

Ragi, also called finger millet, is a cereal crop. India is a major cultivator of this crop, with the state of Karnataka being the largest producer of ragi in the country. Being a cheap crop, it is widely used by the poorer sections of the society.

The nutritional benefits of ragi

Nutritionally, when ragi is used as a whole grain, it is higher in protein and minerals in comparison to rice.  Red millet is primarily a source of energy in the diet with each serving of ragi (20g) providing 66kcal. It is also rich in fibre and therefore suitable for people trying to lose weight. Ragi, unlike wheat does not contain gluten (a protein found in wheat), and can be easily consumed by people with wheat intolerance.

Ragi is a wonder cereal grain as it has numerous health benefits:

Good source of calcium – Amongst cereals, ragi is particularly rich in calcium, a mineral essential for good bone health. It is a very good source of natural calcium for growing children and older adults, and helps improve bone strengthening.

Energy for weight watchers – Finger millet is a good source of energy for weight watchers, as it contains the amino acid tryptophan that reduces the appetite. Besides, being high in fibre, it provides a feeling of fullness when consumed, and keeps the urge to eat frequently under control.

Beats high sugar and cholesterol – Ragi is beneficial for diabetics as well as those with high cholesterol, as the high fibre content of Ragi makes it a food item with low glycaemic index. That is, it results in slow increase in blood sugar level.

Good mix of amino acids – Due to a good amino acid mix in ragi, it is beneficial for tissue repair, relieving migraine, improving the metabolic rate of the body, optimal muscle coordination, and helps reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol). The amino acids lecithin and methionine eliminate excessive fat from the liver, and in turn reduce the cholesterol content of the body.

Source of iron – Being a good source of iron, it is beneficial of individuals with low haemoglobin level.

Excellent baby food – As ragi is low in fat, and is gluten free, it is easily digested. It is therefore, given as first foods to babies in the form of Ragi Seri. Being a good source of calcium in the diet, it is good for bone development in babies.

Also good for new moms – Besides, it is also given to new mother to improve the haemoglobin levels. Lactating mothers are made to eat green ragi, as it improves milk production.

Ragi mudde is a common preparation of ragi eaten with sambar. Being high in fibre, ragi is incorporated in multi-grain biscuits and bread to enhance the fibre content of the product. Ragi can be used to make porridge, upma, cakes, biscuits, dosas and many other preparations.

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Banana’s for good health

Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants. They are native to tropical South and Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics. They are grown in at least 107 countries, primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent to make fiber, banana wine and as ornamental plants. Its fruits, rich in starch, grow in clusters hanging from the top of the plant. They come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red.

Because of their impressive potassium content, bananas are highly recommended by doctors for patients whose potassium is low. One large banana, about 9 inches in length, packs 602 mg of potassium and only carries 140 calories. That same large banana even has 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. No wonder the banana was considered an important food to boost the health of malnourished children! Those reducing sodium in their diets can't go wrong with a banana with its mere 2 mgs of sodium. For the carbohydrate counters there are 36 grams of carbs in a large banana.

Vitamins and minerals are abundant in the banana, offering 123 I.U. of vitamin A for the large size. A full range of B vitamins are present with .07 mg of Thiamine, .15 mg of Riboflavin, .82 mg Niacin, .88 mg vitamin B6, and 29 mcg of Folic Acid. There are even 13.8 mg of vitamin C. On the mineral scale Calcium counts in at 9.2 mg, Magnesium 44.1 mg, with trace amounts of iron and zinc.

Putting all of the nutritional figures together clearly shows the banana is among the healthiest of fruits. The plantain, when cooked, rates slightly higher on the nutritional scale in vitamins and minerals but similar to the banana in protein and fiber content.

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Does Eating Oatmeal Benefit Your Health?

Simply put, oatmeal is awesome!

As long as you know which type to buy.

That's because not all brands of oatmeal are created equal, and many of the ones you can buy in your store will be jam-packed with sugar. This isn't necessarily bad, however if you are diabetic or if your body does not respond well to insulin spikes, you should avoid any type of oatmeal that are advertised as containing "brown sugar", "raspberry sauce", "apple cinnamon", or anything else that sounds sweet.

The oatmeal which will benefit your health the most are the old-fashioned "rough" type - not the "instant" oatmeal which you just pour some hot water over and get yourself a delicious sweet dish in a few seconds. Just go for the plain oatmeal, and if you need to add some extra taste to it, you can always do so in your own kitchen - berries, nuts and dried fruit are all great additions that I personally enjoy. As long as we are on the subject of taste, you might want to cook your oatmeal in low-fat milk instead of water - the result will be a far creamier dish that will be more pleasant to your senses, I guarantee it.

As far as health benefits go, oatmeal has an extremely high fiber content - roughly 7 grams per 1/3 of a cup! In case you aren't sure - yes, that's a lot. The reason you want to have this much fiber in your diet is because it makes you feel full for longer, and also does wonders for your entire digestive tract; this in turn results in better absorption of vitamins and micronutrients from everything else you eat, leading to an avalanche of additional non-direct benefits.

You'll also like oatmeal for it's high complex carbohydrates content. When I say "complex", I mean that they take a longer time to be digested, which again makes you feel satiated for longer, and also reduces insulin spikes which are common for simple carbs. As I said before, this will be of particular interest to diabetics, and everyone who finds themselves sleepy or tired an hour or two after eating simple carbs (such as sugar for example).

If you are gluten intolerant or suffer from celiac disease, you'll be happy to know that oatmeal does not contain many of the proteins which cause reactions in gluten-sensitive people. However, you should make sure to check the label anyway, as certain brands of oatmeal may contain trace amounts of whey. Though if you have no gluten intolerance, then this is a moot point for you.

Oatmeal will also likely benefit your heart, due to the plant lignans they contain, which your intestinal flora will convert into mammalian lignans. Some of these are suspected to have positive effects on our cardiovascular system and may also protect you against certain types of cancer, although this is still up for debate.

You will also get a large dose of multivitamins and minerals from even the smallest serving of oatmeal. They are particularly rich in thiamin and iron, which will do wonders for your heart, as well as help your body convert carbohydrates into energy more readily.

Still wondering whether you should go for it?

-By Jehad Nazzal

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Top 4 Benefits Of Eating Chocolate

I was sitting on my couch the other night in front of the TV eating a bar of my favorite chocolate - a peanut butter Twix and I was really feeling guilty because of this.  I am not normally a couch potato and here I was stuffing my face with one of my favorite foods and then I remembered hearing that chocolate could actually be good for you - Made me feel better so I thought that I would look into this.

Color me surprised when I hit Google and did some research because dark chocolate especially is even better for you than I thought if eaten sensibly and in a small amount. So here are the top 5 reasons why we should be eating chocolate for health reasons - YUM!

Top 4 Benefits Of Eating Chocolate 

1 - Contains Antioxidants

The main ingredient of chocolate is cocoa which in itself contains healthy natural chemicals such as Flavonoids which is a natural antioxidant which battles the free radicals in our bodies by protecting various cells from oxidizing.  To give you a better idea, beans, apples and apricots also contain the natural flavonoids.

2 - Lowered Blood Pressure

Studies done around the world conclude that if you eat a good quality dark chocolate in small doses and on a regular basis with a combination of other healthy foods it can actually reduce your blood pressure rate which can only be good news for your heart and body.

3- Lowered cholesterol levels

Eating dark chocolate in a moderated amount can reduce our cholesterol levels by up to 10 percent - Amazing.  Again this is due to the presence of Flavonoids which are also found in red wine, another cholesterol reducing part of a healthy diet.

4- A Natural Anti Depressant

You know this one - That is why when we feel down we reach for a bar of chocolate - It's natural for us but what we don`'t know is that chocolate contains serotonin which is a happy feel good chemical that gives us a feeling of pleasure.

Now I know why chocolate makes me feel good when I am feeling down. It is not just the taste and guilty pleasure but all those good things going on in our bodies that make us crave more like a good cup of fresh caffeine. I also love my coffee.

So if you are feeling guilty or over indulgent by having the occasional piece of chocolate keep in mind that it reduces heart disease.

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