Cereals and millets · IFCT 2017
Ragi (finger millet): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw ragi flour gives 321 kcal, 7.2 g protein, 11.2 g dietary fibre and 364 mg calcium, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. That calcium figure is the highest of any cereal or millet in the tables, which is why ragi is the grain most Indian families reach for when they think of bones and growing children.
About ragi (finger millet)
Ragi, or finger millet, is a small reddish-brown grain grown mostly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and the hill states. It is ground whole, husk-side colour and all, so the flour keeps the outer layers that polished rice and refined flour lose. In Karnataka it becomes ragi mudde, a stiff ball eaten with saaru; in Tamil Nadu it is kezhvaragu koozh or adai; across the south it turns up in dosa, rotti and the malt drink given to toddlers.
Because the grain is so small, it is almost never polished, and that is the quiet reason its mineral numbers hold up so well. It is also naturally free of gluten, which makes it one of the few traditional Indian grains people with coeliac disease can build meals around, provided the flour has not been milled alongside wheat.
What ragi (finger millet) brings to a meal
- 01
Calcium leader among grains
At 364 mg per 100 g, ragi ranks first for calcium among the 14 cereals and millets in IFCT 2017, and 18th of 242 foods overall. 100 g covers about 36 per cent of the daily requirement for an adult.
- 02
A fibre-rich staple
Its 11.2 g of dietary fibre per 100 g ranks 36th of 256 foods. That is far more than milled white rice, and it is the main reason a ragi meal feels filling for longer.
- 03
Useful iron and magnesium
Ragi supplies 4.62 mg iron and 146 mg magnesium per 100 g, ranking 4th and 2nd for those minerals within its group. Iron from grains is absorbed less well than iron from meat, so pairing ragi with vitamin C helps.
- 04
Modest protein
At 7.2 g per 100 g, ragi has the least protein of the 14 cereals and millets. Eaten with dal, curd or sprouts, the meal as a whole fills that gap easily.
Ragi (finger millet) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 321 kcal | 15% | 19% |
| Protein | 7.2 g | 13% | 16% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 66.8 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 11.2 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.3 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.9 g | ||
| Water | 10.9 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.32 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.58 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.43 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 69 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 364 mg | 36% | 36% |
| Iron | 4.62 mg | 24% | 16% |
| Zinc | 2.53 mg | 15% | 19% |
| Magnesium | 146 mg | 33% | 39% |
| Phosphorus | 210 mg | ||
| Potassium | 443 mg | ||
| Sodium | 5 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.67 mg | ||
| Selenium | 15.3 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.37 mg | 21% | 22% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.17 mg | 7% | 7% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.34 mg | 7% | 10% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.05 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Folate (B9) | 35 µg | 12% | 16% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.09 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 3 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Ragi (finger millet): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/cereals-and-millets/ragi/
Where ragi (finger millet) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 cereals and millets and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In cereals and millets | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 11.2 g | 6th of 14 | 36th of 182 |
| Calcium | 364 mg | 1st of 14 | 18th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 146 mg | 2nd of 14 | 40th of 242 |
| Potassium | 443 mg | 2nd of 14 | 70th of 243 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 69 mg | 3rd of 14 | 92nd of 202 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.37 mg | 4th of 14 | 24th of 239 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.17 mg | 5th of 14 | 37th of 241 |
How ragi (finger millet) is eaten
- Ragi mudde: the flour stirred into boiling water until it forms a smooth, stiff ball, eaten with sambar or saaru.
- Ragi dosa and adai: mixed with a little rice or urad batter, so the dosa holds together and crisps.
- Ragi malt: the sprouted, dried and ground flour cooked with milk or water, a traditional first food for babies.
- Ragi roti and rotti: kneaded with hot water and onions, curry leaves or grated vegetables.
- In baking: up to a third of the flour in cookies or cakes can be swapped for ragi without the texture collapsing.
Before you plan around it
Ragi, like most whole grains, carries phytate, which binds part of its calcium and iron in the gut. Sprouting the grain before drying it, fermenting the batter for dosa, or eating ragi with a squeeze of lemon all improve how much of those minerals the body actually takes up. People managing blood sugar should still watch the portion: ragi is mostly carbohydrate, 66.8 g per 100 g, so a large ball of mudde is a large serving of carbohydrate, however wholesome the grain.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about ragi (finger millet)
Is ragi high in calcium?
Yes. IFCT 2017 lists 364 mg of calcium per 100 g of ragi, the highest of any cereal or millet in the tables and about 36 per cent of an adult's daily requirement. For comparison, it is several times what wheat atta or white rice provides.
How much protein is in ragi?
Ragi has 7.2 g of protein per 100 g, the lowest among the cereals and millets in IFCT 2017. That is enough to count in a meal, but most of a ragi meal's protein will come from the dal, curd, egg or sprouts served with it.
Is ragi good for people with diabetes?
Ragi brings 11.2 g of fibre per 100 g, which slows digestion compared with refined grains. It is still a carbohydrate food at 66.8 g per 100 g, so portion size matters as much as the grain. Anyone on diabetes medication should plan grain portions with their doctor or dietitian.
What is ragi called in other Indian languages?
IFCT 2017 records it as mandia in Odia, kelvaragu in Tamil, mandwa in Urdu, bavato in Gujarati and madhulika in Sanskrit, among others. In much of India, including Hindi, Bengali and Telugu, the word ragi itself is used.
Related foods and tables
Bajra (pearl millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jowar (sorghum)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Samai (little millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Varagu millet
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Wheat flour (atta and maida)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Quinoa vs Ragi
Side by side, per 100 g.
Ragi vs Jowar
Side by side, per 100 g.
Ragi vs Wheat atta
Side by side, per 100 g.
Ragi vs White rice
Side by side, per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
Magnesium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by magnesium per 100 g.
All cereals and millets
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.