Sabudana health benefits: How consuming Sago in fasting can be healthy

“Navratri has come and we need to observe fasting during it.” Aashu’s mother told him.

Aashu is not very fond of fasting as during it he cannot maintain his regular meals and that can affect his nutritional requirements.

While fasting does not allow the eating of grains and pulses, a person can consume Sabudana during this period.  

Aashu’s mother is observing Navratri fast since her childhood and she believes that fasting not only has religious significance but is also healthy to maintain gut health. Also, she prepares multiple dishes of Sabudana which is the only food allowed for Navratri Vrat.

Now, Aashu is curious to know, why only Sabudana is allowed and preferred as a Vrat staple during Navratri Fasting. He is again at Know UR Diet to understand Sabudana health benefits, let us see what he finds:

What is Sabudana?

Sabudana, in English called Sago or tapioca pearl is a starch extract from the roots or spongy centre of the tapioca plant or cassava plant. To make it commercially saleable, it is converted into the form of pearls due to this only in India it is called Sabudana.

The only raw material for Sadubana is the Tapioca plant. Kerala and Tamil Nadu comprise 80% of India’s tapioca cultivation. It is believed that no pesticides are used at the time of cultivation and harvesting of Tapioca Root.

Most of us are curious about how this staple food is produced, so let us discuss this in proper steps: –

1. Firstly, Cassava roots are harvested as a root plant under the soil.
2. Once mature, they are uprooted and washed then put in the grinding machine with water to crush roots.
3. A milky mixture is obtained that is passed through several filters to separate starch and fibres from the main compound.
4. The Remaining mixture is then put on the heating process for drying either through sun or artificial ovens.  
5. The dried mixture is crushed again to get a powder that is passed through a sieve to get a pearl-like shape for the finished product.

The final product is then used for preparing tasty and flavorful dishes throughout India. You can make mouth-watery recipes from these sago pearls. Not only this, but the story of how Sabudana became an integral part of the Indian kitchen is also mesmerising.

How Sabudana came to India

Cassava root is not native to India but it is introduced by Portuguese traders in India. They brought it with them from Brazil where it is a major staple crop and consumed in several forms. Cassava produce is also the third largest source of carbohydrates in the tropical region after rice and maize.

In India, there is a legend that Sabudana was first introduced by the king of Travancore in the south Indian state of Kerala when a deadly famine hit the state. It was bought in as a substitute for rice whose crop was destroyed due to drought.

Health Benefits of Sabudana

Now, let us see what are the major health benefits of Sabudana that make it suitable for adding to your fasting meal.

Energy Boost

When you have fasting during Navratri, you need to avoid eating any sort of grains and pulses throughout the 9 days of celebration. In some families, even fruits, nuts, vegetables and even dairy products are restricted.

So, when you have excluded so much from your plate then you need something that can replenish the deficiency of carbohydrates in your diet. Sabudana is a great source of carbohydrates and at such a level that one cup of Sabudana has 135g of carbohydrates & 544 calories. This means that a bowl-full is sufficient to meet your carb need for a whole day.

Aides Gut Health

Other than religious significance, fasting is also observed to give some rest to the digestive system from regular eating. So, during this phase, you need to avoid heavy and hard-to-digest foods in your meal.

Sabudana is light and easy to digest which makes it ideal to include in fasting foods. It is also a good source of dietary fibre, which means it can improve the functioning of your digestive system and reduce the occurrence of gut issues like bloating, constipation & indigestion. Doctors especially recommend Sabudana, if you are suffering from diarrhoea.

Lowers Blood Pressure

One of the least known sabudana health benefits is that it can be beneficial in lowering blood pressure. Sabudana carries a considerable quantity of potassium which is 16.7 milligrams in a cup.

Potassium as a mineral is helpful in flushing out the excessive sodium in your body that can contribute in the spike of blood pressure rate. Also, potassium is good for maintaining a regular heartbeat rate.     

Stronger Bones

If you are facing bone-related issues or arthritis, then you should include it in your diet. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium & iron present in it can be helpful in increasing bone density.

You can add sabudana to your child’s meal plan so that it can promote the bone growth of the child from an early age. It is a good source of calcium for children who have stopped breastfeeding and don’t drink milk.

Gluten-free

Sabudana is a food that is suitable for the consumption of those who are suffering from gluten intolerance. People who are diagnosed with gluten intolerance are restricted from consuming grains as they are loaded with gluten. You can add it to your meal as a good substitute for grains.

Now, let us see the Nutritional value of Sabudana that you should know before consuming it.

Read about: Benefits of Fasting

Nutritional value of Sabudana

Below is a table containing the list of nutrients available in a cup (152 g) of Sabudana.

Sabudana Recipes for Fasting

In India, most of us prefer Sabudana khichdi for Fasting especially during Navratri. So, here we are going to discuss certain Indian recipes that can be prepared by using Sabudana & can be consumed in the Navratri festival.

Sabudana Kheer

Most of us are aware of regular kheer that is prepared by mixing boiled rice with milk. But in the case of Sabudana kheer, rice is replaced with sago.

1. You need to soak ¼ cup of sabudana in 2 cups of water and boil it for 5 hours.
2. Then, boil 2 litres of milk in a separate utensil.
3. Once done, you just put the boiled sago in boiled milk & put it on low flame for the next half hour.
4. You can add cardamom or sugar to make it tasty and flavorful.
5. Your kheer is ready to be served.

Sabudana Tikki

If you want to add sago to your snacks then Sabudana tikki is a delicious and mouth-watery option for you. To make it healthier & more nutritious, you can prepare it in olive oil or coconut oil.

1. Begin with soaking 1 cup of sago in water for 5-6 hours.
2. Squeeze out water and then add 2 boiled & mashed potatoes, peanuts, green chillies, salt and coriander for taste.
3. Mix the compound well and then make tikkis out of it.
4. Shallow fry them in olive oil or coconut oil.
5. Your Sabudana Tikki is ready to serve.

Sabudana Papad

Papad is a common part of Indian cuisine and you can prepare papad by using sago pearls as well. This recipe of sago is widely popular in south India but you can add it to your fasting meal as well.

1. Take 1 cup of sago, rinse it properly & then soak it in 1.5 to 2 cups of water for 2-3 hours.
2. Check that the soaked sago has softened at the centre, if yes then drain the whole water.
3. Now, take 4 cups of water in a pan and put the soaked sago in it with cumin seeds, salt, and ginger-garlic paste for the taste and put the pan on the stove at low flame.
4. When the mixture is thickened and looks like porridge then it is ready. Put some lemon juice in it.
5. Now, take small portions of the mixtures through a teaspoon and spread them on the plate or butter paper in a cookie shape.
6. As the mixture cools, it will become thicken so put them to dry for 5 to 6 days. Cover the whole with a cotton cloth to protect it from dust.
7. After they are completely dried, Sabudana papad is ready to serve.

Sabudana Khichdi

There is rarely any Indian home who do not prefer Sabudana khichdi for fasting especially during Navratri. This recipe is light, tasty and easy to prepare which makes it preferable during fasting. Let us discuss how you can prepare it in these easy steps:

1. Start with soaking one cup of sago in 3 cups of water for 5-6 hours.
2. Drain the water and then mix the softened sago with crushed roasted peanuts and mix well.
3. Now, you can add one teaspoon of olive oil to a pan. Put the mixture in it with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, salt & ginger paste.
4. Stir well for 5-10 minutes and your Khichdi is ready to serve.

Sabudana Pakoda

We Indians prefer pakodas, especially during rainy season and they are mainly prepared from besan and pulses. But you can also enjoy pakodas of Sabudana which is healthy and tasty at the same time. The steps to prepare are:

1. Again, start with soaking a cup of sabudana in water for 4-5 hours or overnight.
2. In a separate pan boil potatoes peel them and chop them into small pieces.
3. Prepare a mixture by adding soaked sago, potatoes with green chillies, salt, cumin seeds, buckwheat flour and crushed roasted peanuts for taste.
4. Now, take edible oil in a pan for deep fry and put small balls of the mixture in the hot oil.
5. Once fried and turned golden, take them out on a paper napkin so that excess oil can be soaked away.
6. Your Sabudana pakodas are ready to serve. You can serve them with mint & coriander chutney to add flavour and taste.

Conclusion

Aashu is satisfied with the information he has got from Know Your Diet and he can add sabudana recipes to his fasting diet to make fasting nutritious and healthier.

Aashu has understood that the health benefits of Sabudana are comparatively higher than the impact it can have on his weight loss goals. He needs to manage the intake of sago so that he does not compromise on body weight.