Sabudana, also known as sago, is a popular food in India. Extracted from the edible portion of the root of tropical palm trees, this ancient staple is used to make a variety of delicious sweets and savoury dishes including kheer, khichdi, and tikki. Being a highly nutritious food with numerous health benefits, such as bone strengthening and improved digestion, it is an excellent addition to your daily diet. Sonakshi Joshi, Nutritionist, Rajdhani Foods, explains the benefits of eating sabudana for overall health.
Being a starch-based food that is packed with carbohydrates, sabudana provides an instant energy boost, a quality that makes it an excellent food when one feels lethargic due to low sugar levels. However, it is important to keep in mind that sabudana alone cannot provide vitamins or minerals, so it is always wiser to complement it with veggies or milk. Given the culinary versatility of these soft chewy balls, you can supplement them with loads of flavourful spices and dry fruits in your dishes. Soups, khichdi, smoothies, or kheer made with sabudana are ideal for replenishing your energy.
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Here are five benefits of consuming sabudana dishes for better health.
Replenishes Energy
Our body needs glucose converted from carbohydrates in order to carry out all vital functions, and long hours of fasting can cause a sharp drop in your blood sugar levels leading to dizziness or even fainting. As discussed earlier sabudana is a calorie-dense food owing to its high carbohydrate content, making it an excellent source of energy. The body converts carbohydrates into glucose, which is used as fuel. Apart from this, sago is light as it is low in fat and protein, making it easy to digest.
Fibre-Rich Content Facilitates Digestion & Detoxification
Sabudana is also rich in fibre, important for facilitating digestion and curbing problems such as constipation. Furthermore, it contains resistant starch, a prebiotic that promotes the growth of gut bacteria essential for the digestion of food. A healthy gut microbiome is maintained through regular consumption of this fibrous food.
Good for Bone Health
Osteoporosis, a common bone disease where your bones become vulnerable to fractures due to the weakening of the bones, is caused due to lack of calcium. Sabudana maintains the health of bones as it is rich in calcium as well as magnesium and critical minerals for bone building.
Calcium makes up over 90% of the bone, indispensable for bone formation, while magnesium plays a key role in the absorption of calcium in the body. Thus consuming sabudana in healthy amounts will prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis and other conditions related to bad bone health.
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Strengthens Immunity with the Power of Vitamin C
Vitamin C, an antioxidant that is crucial for maintaining the strength of the immune system, is present in sabudana. The antioxidant gives a natural boost to your immune system as it actively neutralises free radicals which can otherwise incur major oxidative damage to your body cells making you vulnerable to multiple diseases. Moreover, white blood cells, responsible for fighting viruses and infectious bacteria in the body, require vitamin C for their production. In times when improving your immunity has become a priority, sabudana is a must in our diet.
Helps in Weight Management for a Healthy Lifestyle
Sabudana is packed with carbohydrates, however, it is gluten-free. Additionally, it is low in fat and protein. Such a composition makes it an ideal food for weight management. Even those with gluten intolerance can consume this energy-packed carbohydrate-rich food without any hesitation. Moreover, being fibrous, sabudana keeps your stomach full for long hours. Sabudana is low in fat and protein, making it an ideal food for weight management. It is also rich in fibre, which helps in keeping the stomach full for longer periods, thereby reducing the chances of overeating.
Bottomline
Sabudana is a rich source of carbohydrates, calcium, and magnesium. Apart from providing energy, aiding digestion, and boosting immunity, it also curbs hunger pangs, making it perfect for munching. Moreover, it is a versatile food that can satiate people with diverse palettes. Nonetheless, it is also important to remember that excess of anything is harmful, no matter how good it is for your overall health. While consuming sabudana in excess will lead to weight gain and several other health issues, moderate consumption of the same can help in weight management and bone formation.
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