Varagu Millet – The Lesser -Known Key to Your Health and Wellness

Varagu Millet, generally known as Kodo millet, is one of the most ancient kinds of millet. Varagu rice began in West Africa and is grown in numerous corridors of India, Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Varagu rice or Kodo millet is a failure-resistant crop and requires lower water and lower rich soil to grow. They’re largely nutritional and give colourful essential nutrients to our body. Kodo millet tastes like white rice and can be a healthier cover for white rice in numerous traditional rice fashions.

Kodo (Varagu) Nutritional Value

The following table demonstrates the Kodo (Varagu) Nutritional Value. Take a look to perceive it in short:

Nutritional Components of Kodo Millet
Nutrients	Quantity (100gm)
Protein	10.6 gm
Fat	4.2 gm
Fibre	10.2 gm
Ash	2.95 gm
Calorific value	346 kcal
Carbohydrate	59.2 gm
Minerals	4.4 gm
Calcium	27 mg
Phosphorus	188 mg
Iron	0.5 mg
Riboflavin	0.09 mg
Niacin	2.0 mg

Varagu Millet Other Popular Name

Varagu rice is called Kodo in Bengali, Varak in Malayalam, Kodra in Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi, Arikelu in Telugu, Kodo dhana in Hindi, Harka in Karnataka, Kodon in Urdu. Varagu rice is also known as Ditch millet, Indian crown lawn, cow lawn, and rice lawn in numerous corridors of the country.

Also Read : – Siridhanya Millets: Everyone Must Know Nutritional Marvels

Varagu Millet Benefits

There are a multitude of Varagu Rice Benefits. Some of them are as follows:

• Great Source Of Protein – Varagu rice is a great source of protein. 100 gm of Varagu rice contains 9.8 gm of protein. therefore, it’s a great source of protein for insectivores and helps in erecting muscles. And plays a vital part in muscular form and brisk recovery.
• High In Antioxidants – Varagu rice is high in antioxidants like polyphenols. These antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in our body. Kodo millet also contains phytate which helps reduce the threat of cancer.
• Strengthen The Nervous System – Varagu rice contains a good quantum of lecithin which is an essential element for the functioning of the nervous system. Adding Varagu rice to your diet helps strengthen the nervous system.
• Good Grain Option For Diabetics – Varagu rice has a low GI indicator. It absorbs sluggishly and prevents sugar harpoons. This property helps in managing blood sugar situations well and makes it an ideal grain for diabetic cases.
• Help In Healthy Weight Management – Varagu rice is high in fibre and low in calories. It keeps you fuller for longer and helps in lose weight. It also helps in reducing the threat of developing other life conditions like hypertension and heart complaints.
• A Great Option For Post-Menopausal Women – Varagu rice is a great grain option for post-menopausal women who show signs or threat factors for cardiovascular conditions or have high blood cholesterol position.
• Good Grain Option For Those Who Have Gluten Intolerance – Varagu rice is a gluten-free grain. therefore, it’s a good grain option for those who suffer from gluten disinclinations or have celiac complaints.

Also Read : – From Seed to Superfood: Uncovering the Remarkable Health Benefits of Rajgira

Varagu Millet Side Effects

Though varagu millets are largely salutary for our health. Still, it’s important to follow certain preventives while adding millet to your diet. What are they are mentioned below:

• Add Varagu rice gradationally to your diet – Your body takes some time to get acclimated to a new grain. So, start sluggishly and also increase the volume and frequency over time. This approach also helps in precluding digestive issues, which can occur in some people due to the high fibre content of Varagu rice.
• Eat in temperance – Again, it’s important to eat Varagu rice or Kodo millet in temperance, like other whole grains. Eating in excess may affect weight gain.
• Soak the Varagu rice before cooking – it’s important to soak Varagu rice before cuisine. Soaking helps to drain out phytic acid from millet grains and helps in the proper immersion of nutrients.
• Avoid using polished Varagu rice – while buying make sure to avoid copping polished Varagu rice or Kodo millet. The polished interpretation may look visually charming, but it lacks nutrition quotient.
• Safety palladium occasionally – Varagu rice may get infected with fungi like Aspergillus flavour. Consuming infected Varagu rice may beget serious health problems like nausea, depression and intoxication. This condition is called Kodo-poisoning. However, also visit your croaker as soon as possible to avoid complications, if you develop any of these symptoms after consuming Kodo-millet.

Wrapping Up

The time 2023 has been declared the “transactional time of millets” by the United Nations. With the ongoing festivity of the “transnational time of millets”, it’s a great time to know about the colourful millets that are available in India and include them in our diurnal diet.

After all the amazing benefits that millets offer, it’s only logical to make it a dependence on our diurnal diet for overall health and well-being.

How to Cook Varagu (Kodo) Millet?

Varagu Millets is a laddie hard to cook and would bear an exact quantum of water to achieve that coarse texture. Take a look at the ingredients below:

Constituents

• 1 mug Kodo millet
• 4 mugs of water
• Wash Kodo millet completely and soak it in water for 2 hours
• In a visage bring 4 mugs of water to boil, add drained millets to it
• Cook it on high honey for 5 twinkles, reduce the heat and let it poach for another 5 twinkles
• Turn off the heat and fluff it with a chopstick for that coarse texture

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