Ragi porridge for babies- recipes, nutrition and health benefits

It is crucial to provide adequate nutrition during the growth stage of your baby. A healthy food regime leads to proper growth and development along with boosting immunity. Ragi flour is a fantastic food option that is rich in iron, proteins, and calcium, along with micronutrients like Vitamin B1 and B2. It also contains dietary fibers that help in promoting gut health and Vitamin D for bone development. Thus, it is a complete package! 

Now that you are aware of the insurmountable benefits of ragi atta, this blog contains detailed recipes and preparation for ragi for babies. 

Health Benefits Of Ragi Porridge For Baby 

Ragi is a wonder grain that has many nutritional benefits and is one of the best baby food for your growing baby. Furthermore, using ragi cookies and organic ragi flour in the porridge makes it one of the best organic baby foods to include in the food chart. 

Here are a few health food benefits of feeding ragi porridge to your baby: 

• High In Nutrition: Ragi nutrition has high protein and carbohydrate content that makes them a must to add to your baby’s diet. It is an excellent source of protein, especially for vegetarians. It’s a source of calcium, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, C, and D. 

• Easily Digested: It is one of the best natural baby foods that is rich in dietary fibers. This aids in the digestion process and prevents constipation. The insoluble fibers help in the movement of food through the intestines and facilitate the excreting of waste from the body. 

• Best Source Of Protein: Ragi porridge is an organic baby food that has high protein content. Proteins are the building blocks that help in bone development for your growing baby. 

• Good Source Of Weight Gain: It also helps in battling malnourishment in kids by promoting weight gain. Especially, if your child has trouble gaining weight, ragi porridge should be the go-to choice. 

• Improves Immunity: Ragi porridge is an organic baby food that is made of ragi and it has immune-boosting nutrients. Babies have weak immune systems and are susceptible to catching colds more often. Thus, ragi’s antimicrobial properties help in building your child’s immunity and they fall sick less often. 

Ragi Porridge Recipe For Baby

• Ingredients That You Need  

1. Ragi grains 

• Prepare The Ragi Powder

1. Collect the ragi grains and wash them properly. Spread it on a clean cloth and let it dry.
2. When it is dry, roast it on medium flame till you can smell the aroma. 
3. Put the roasted ragi on a small plate and allow it to cool. 
4. Grind it into a fine powder. 
5. Store it in an air-tight container.

• Ingredients That You Need

1. 2 teaspoons ragi powder
2. ½ cup formula milk or breastmilk 
3. 1 cup of water
4. 1 teaspoon ghee
5. ½ teaspoon jaggery powder

• Step By Step Procedure Of Making Ragi Porridge

1. Take a pan and place it on the stove. Add the ghee to the pan and heat it. 
2. Once it is hot enough, add the ragi powder to the pan. Roast the powder for a minute till you get the aroma. 
3. Pour the water into the pan.
4. Mix the contents well and stir continuously to avoid any lumps from being formed. 
5. Now, add the milk to the pan. 
6. Stir continuously so the flour is mixed completely with milk. 
7. When there are no lumps add the jaggery powder. 
8. Stir till the mixture comes to the desired consistency. 
9. Pour the prepared porridge into the bowl. 
10. Serve once it cools down. 

Nutritional Information Of Ragi Porridge 

Here’s a breakdown of the nutritional content of ragi powder (100 gms). 

Energy	328 kcal
Carbohydrates	72 gm
Protein	7.30 gm
Fat	1.30 gm
Dietary fibre	11.50 gm
Iron	3.9 gm
Sodium	11 mg
Calcium	344 mg
Potassium	408 mg
Carotene	42 micrograms

Conclusion

Ragi porridge is a high-fiber nutritious food that should be a part of your child’s diet. It is a simple recipe that serves as a weight gainer for your child. Additionally, it is rich in vitamins and also helps in boosting digestion. It also contains immunity-boosting properties that will keep your child healthy and safe. Thus, ragi porridge is a great option for your kid's food chart. 

FAQs

1) Can we give ragi porridge daily to the baby?

Ans: You cannot feed ragi porridge to your baby every day. You need to offer it in small quantities after proper intervals. 

2) How much ragi should I give my 6 months old?

Ans: An ideal portion size of ragi for a 6-month-old baby is a porridge made of two tablespoons of ragi powder. 

3) Does ragi cause gas in babies?

Ans: Ragi is known for health benefits such as easing constipation and other gastric problems. Therefore, eating ragi porridge helps in the process of digestion and reduces bloating in babies. 

4) What are the side effects of ragi?

Ans: There are a few side effects of ragi that you must be aware of - 

• The digestion process takes longer for ragi porridge.
• Packaged ragi flour is devoid of nutrients and contains harmful fats that are harmful to the baby. 
• It can cause allergic reactions in kids if the flour is contaminated.
• Some babies have a problem with digesting ragi which would lead to stomach upsets.

5) Can we add ghee to ragi porridge?

Ans: Yes, you can add ghee to ragi porridge. Ghee is a source of good fats and it will help to make the porridge dense in texture.