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Wheat and Ragi Roti or Flatbread
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Roti or fire-toasted/puffed flatbread is the most common part of the meal all over India, but more prevalent in the Central and Northern parts of the country. It is made with whole wheat flour and comparatively nutritious as compared to another basic grain such as Rice.
Diabetes is very prevalent among Indians because carbohydrates are a major portion of Indian food which increases the glucose release in the system. This value is called as Glycemic Index (GI).
In simple words, the Glycemic Index is explained as the measurement of glucose release after the intake of carbohydrate-containing food. It is a carbohydrate ranking based on its impact on glucose release levels. The GI index is measured from 1 - 100 and is divided into three levels as follows:
- Low GI: 1 to 55
- Medium GI: 56 to 69
- High GI: 70 to 100
However, the GI index does not take into account other nutritional content of the food such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals. To counteract the quantity issue, researchers developed the glycemic load (GL) measurement, which accounts for the quantity of the food being eaten. The glycemic load looks at both the quality and the quantity of the carb. It is calculated by multiplying the GI by the number of carbohydrates (in grams) in your portion size, then dividing that number by 100. It is recommended to keep your daily GL under 100.
For example, an apple has a GI of 40 and contains 15 grams of carbs. (40 x 15)/100 = 6, so the glycemic load of an apple is 6. This is considered a low GL food.
The GL values can also be broken down into three ranges.
- Low GL: 1 to 10
- Medium GL: 11 to 19
- High GL: 20 or more
Depending on your health goals, following a GI-based diet might mean you'll be able to rely less on standard dieting measures such as calorie counting or regimented portion control. Simply being more mindful of your carb choices rather than severely limiting them can also be more sustainable in the long run, as compared to more restrictive diets.
Any guesses what is the GI value of Whole Wheat Roti is? It stands at 69; at an upper Medium level. That's pretty high 😔 !
Can we reduce the GI value so that the basic food item can still be enjoyed and will be nutritious?
By pairing the Whole Wheat flour with Ragi flour, you can reduce the GI value. Ragi Flour stands at <40 GI value (finger millet). It is considered a poor man's food. I wonder why?
Make the roti dough using Whole Wheat /Ragi flour in a 1:1 ratio that will reduce the GI value and GL too, ultimately. In such a ratio, the GI will be 69+40/2 = 54.5, taking it to a low GI level. In addition to lowering the GI value, Ragi flour has many other nutritious qualities.
Ragi is finger millet, which is high in protein and minerals in comparison to all other cereals and millets. It is also a source of protein, which is perfect for vegetarians. Ragi is a great source of iron making it beneficial for individuals with low hemoglobin levels.
Below are the instructions on how we made the whole wheat and ragi roti or flatbread:
The ingredients needed to make the dough for flatbread are 1/2 cup of Whole Wheat flour (atta), 1/2 cup of Ragi flour, 2 pinches salt, and 100 ml of lukewarm water. Combine the dry ingredients and slowly add the water to bring the ingredients together. Make sure to gather all the mixture from the sides and knead the dough until it's not sticky and make it into a ball. Rub a teaspoon of cooking oil on the surface of the dough and place it in a bowl with a lid to cover. Put it aside for 15 -30 minutes.
Quick Tips: Add water slowly as sometimes based on the flour, it may not require all the amount. If the dough seems flaky and dry, add a little more water. However, if the dough seems sticky, add more flour to absorb the water.
Make lime size balls and then roll out each ball into flat roti with a rolling pin. Make sure each roti is evenly rolled out.
Then toast each of the roti for a couple of minutes on each side on the Tawa (or flat pan). Next, transfer the toasted rotis onto the round stainless steel BBQ Grill Netted Mesh with Handle. Once the roti or flatbread puffs up, transfer into a flat container with a lid to keep the rotis warm. Rub or spray oil or butter to keep them soft.
The rotis or flatbread are now ready to be served and enjoyed with your favorite curry. We have a great selection of curries as well; check them out on our recipes page.
We hope you are enjoying reading about our tips during this Navratri. If you have a good tip to share, please post a comment. We love hearing from our readers.
*Reference Materials: https://www.verywellhealth.com/glycemic-index-chart-for-common-foods-1087476
