Click here to view. Ragi Rava Upma recipe. Ragi upma is a quick to make breakfast which gains you few nutrients as well. This healthy nachni upma is comparatively a healthier option than semolina upma. Learn how to make ragi suji upma for breakfast.

To make this ragi rava upma, you need to dry roast the ragi flour and semolina first. They are in the ratio of 2:1. The next step is to make a tempering of hot oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida and then sauté the onions in it. Add the carrots and cook them for about a minute. Then add the roasted ragi-suji mixture along with salt and cook for 2 minutes so all the ingredients mix well. Finally add water and stir it continuously in one direction. Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add coriander and keep it aside for 2 minutes. Healthy breakfast recipe is ready for serving.

When you want to have a healthy yet easy breakfast, ragi suji upma is the answer. This is a healthier option than a upma made solely of semolina. Rava is partially refined and thus devoid of some nutrients.

Ragi or red millet flour, on the other hand, is so full of fibre and iron, thus making this a super-nutritious dish. So, although the colour of this upma is not so appealing, its nutrient quotient is, making it a must-try. Iron is a much needed nutrient to build your hemoglobin reserve. A serving of this healthy nachni upma fulfils 10% off your daily requirement of this nutrient.

When mixing after adding water, use a whisk to avoid any unnecessary lump formation. Make sure you serve ragi upma immediately or else it will turn lumpy.

Is Ragi Rava Upma healthy?

Yes, this is healthy. But restrictions apply to some.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Ragi flour ( Nachni flour) : Ragi flour is high in protein and great source for vegetarians. In addition its gluten free, fiber rich food which in turn is good for diabetics and a healthy heart.  Ragi flour creates a much lower surge in sugar levels compared to wheat. Ragi is rich in Magnesium which improves insulin response by lowering insulin resistance. A must read for the 11 benefits of ragi to include in your daily diet.  

2. Onions (pyaz, kanda) :  Raw onions are a very valuable source of vitamin C – the immune building vitamin. Along with other phytonutrients from onions, it helps to build WBC (white blood cells) which serves as a line of defence against illness. Yes, it’s a source of many antioxidants, the most important one amongst them being Quercetin. The quercetin in Onions promotes production of HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers total cholesterol in the body. The sulphur in onions act as a blood thinner and prevents blood clotting too. This in turn would lower blood pressure and good for heart,  diabetics. Read the benefits of onions.  

3. Carrots (gajjar) : Carrots have the nutrient Beta Carotene which is a form of Vitamin A, helps prevent deterioration of the eye as one gets older and prevents night blindness. Carrot is great for the eyes.They relieve constipation, lower blood pressure, have fibre and lower cholesterol. Read the 11 super benefiits of carrots and why to include in your daily diet.

4. Coriander (kothmir, dhania) : Coriander is a fresh herb often used as a flavour enhancer in Indian cooking. It is mainly used as a garnish. This is the best way to use it - no cooking. This preserves its vitamin C content which helps to build our immunity and bring that sparkle to the skin. The antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and the quercetin present in coriander works towards strengthening our immune system. Coriander is a fairly good source of iron and folate – the 2 nutrient which help in the production and maintenance of red blood cells in our blood. Good for reducing cholesterol and good for diabetics. Read 9 benefits of coriander to understand details. 

5. Green Chillies : Antioxidant vitamin C in green chillies protects the body from effects of harmful free radicals and prevents stress. It is probably the high fiber which helps in controlling blood sugar levels. This it is a welcome addition to a diabetic diet. Suffering from anaemia? Add green chillies to your list of iron rich foods too. For complete details see benefits of green chilli. 

What's the problem?

1. Rava (semolina, sooji) :  What's good? Semolina is a fairly good source of Magnesium and phosphorus which is necessary to keep our nervous system healthy and working. But once again, it’s minus the fibre which is also one of the important nutrient to maintain healthy heart. So don’t opt for just the plain rava upma… instead toss in some sprouts or veggies and limit the amount of salt used and then add it occasionally to your meals. What's the issue? Fibre is one key nutrient for weight loss and semolina is devoid of it. Semolina is not suitable for diabetics. For details read is sooji healthy?

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Ragi Rava Upma?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. Fibre is one key nutrient for weight loss and semolina is devoid of it. Semolina is not suitable for diabetics. NOTE that this ragi rava upma is far healthier than rava upma. For those on weight loss, you can have small amounts as there are vegetables and ragi added to this upma to give more fibre. 

What is a healthier option to ragi rava upma?

oats upma is a super healthy Indian breakfast upma recipe which is made from oats, vegetables and spices. What we love about healthy Indian oats upma is that its very easy to cook and the ingredients are easily available in the Indian kitchen. Suitable for diabetics, weight loss and heart also.

Oats Upma ( Breakfast Recipes)

Can healthy individuals have Ragi Rava Upma?

Yes. But in restricted quantity.

1. Ragi Rava Upma is a healthier choice for breakfast than plain sooji upma which is not very high on nutrient scale.

2. Moreover the use of veggies like onions and carrots toss in some antioxidants to build immunity.

3. These veggies also are a way of adding fiber to your diet and keep you satiated for long hours.

4. This upma boosts your iron levels by way of ragi flour and lots of coriander.

5. Try and not to overboard with the portion size as ultimately ragi flour also has good amounts of carbs.

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet.

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group.  

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym. No activity reduces muscle tissue which will lead to muscke loss and all kinds of problems with that. 

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover and makes you look much younger. Also getting good sleep prevent muscle loss. 

Ragi Rava Upma is high in

1. Calcium : Calcium  is a mineral that makes bones stay strong. Required from kids to adults.

2. Phosphorous : Phosphorous works closely with calcium to build bones. 

3. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 

4. Fiber : Dietary fiber reduce the risk of heart disease, prevent the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables, moong, oats, matki, whole grains.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 216 calories that come from Ragi Rava Upma?

Walking (6 kmph) = 1 hr 5 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 22 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 29 mins          

Swimming (2 kmph) = 37 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.