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Health benefits of amaranth seeds or rajgira

Have you tried this gluten-free super grain yet?

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Written By: Bhakti Paun Sharma | Published : January 13, 2017 2:39 PM IST

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Amaranth seeds or rajgira are excellent for for bone and hair health and cholesterol. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Rajgira or amaranth seeds are a super grain that is used in Indian food but rarely gets the credit for being a healthy grain. It is usually used during the fasting period but the only thing that comes to mind when you think of this grain is the rajgira chikki. There are quite a few sweet and savoury recipes it can be used for since it is a super healthy ingredient and must be in your regular diet. Dietician Sonia Gandhi, Head Dietetics & Nutrition, Fortis Hospital Mohali shares with us health benefits of amaranth seeds or rajgira:

  • Bone health: The Greek translation of amaranth means immortal. This is because it contains three times more calcium than most grains. Adding this to your diet will give you strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.
  • Strong hair: Regular consumption of amaranth seeds prevents premature greying of hair. The lysine present in rajgira gives you thick and strong hair. It is also rich in cysteine, which keeps your hair healthy and provides the necessary protein to your tresses. Here s all you need to know about commercial cysteine treatment for your hair.
  • High nutrition value: Besides being rich in calcium, rajgira is a very good source of iron, magnesium, potassium and folic acid. The grains are high in soluble fibre, lean protein and zinc. It has low fat content and calorific value. Being high in iron content, it prevents anaemia.
  • Control cholesterol: The oil and phytosterols in amaranth seeds help lowering cholesterol level. It also manages the sugar level in the body and controls blood pressure. You can also try these home remedies to control blood pressure.
  • Reduce inflammation: The peptides present in rajgira reduce inflammation and ease pain. It is also rich in antioxidants which eliminates free radicals from the body keeping it disease free.

How to use amaranth seeds or rajgira:

It is used in puddings, kheer and porridges. You can pop the seeds and enjoy it as a snack. Mix the flour with multigrain flour to add to your daily diet. It can be cooked like quinoa or toasted and added to salads or other dishes as a topping. You can also try rajgira dosa, rajgira kadhi or amaranth biscuits too.

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Bhakti Paun Sharma

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