Sabudana, a very popularly known ingredient in North Indian households is mostly consumed in breakfast or during Navratri fasting. The most popular dish prepared from sabudana is “Sabudana Khichdi”. Others include sago kheer, sabudana tikki, pancakes, papad, thalipeeth, dosa, vada & porridge.
So, does Sabudana contributes in weight loss?
Does it provide any nutrition or health benefits?
How is it even manufactured?
What is about the controversy of Sabudana being it non-vegetarian, unhygienic, and use of insects in its manufacturing?
To get answer to all these questions, read more.
Sabudana is extracted from the root of the cassava shrub i.e., raw tapioca vegetable.
How Sabudana is Manufactured?
- Sabudana is made from the starch of Cassava or Tapioca plant roots.
- Tapioca Roots are Cleaned, peeled, and crushed to extract the starch.
- The starch will be allowed to settle in big tanks for 4 hours to overnight.
- Any residual impurity formed will float on the mixture in the tank.
- The residues are later drained out, and the water is later evaporated.
- Once concentration settles down, they make small pearl balls bypassing them in different sieves.
- The globules are roasted on hot pans or steamed.
- They are then dried under sunlight for a few days on huge platforms before being polished & packed.
All about Sabudana Nutrition
Sago is high in calories because it is basically made of starch.
The starches are complex carbs
But Sabudana is gluten-free.
It is also Rich in Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium & vitamin K. But at the very same time, it is not a wholesome food. Therefore, it must be combined with fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. 100 grams of sabudana gives you:
| Calories | 332 Kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 83 gm |
| Protein | 1 gm |
| Fat | 1 gm |
| Fiber | 1 gm |
| Zinc | 11% of the RDI |
Sabudana Health Benefits
- Great source of energy.
- Low fat food.
- Improve Digestive Health.
- It’s great & light for the tummy:
- Best Summer coolant.
- Good for people with weak digestion & for sick people.
- Good for pregnant women.
- Good for Bones.
- May help regulate blood pressure.
- Good for heart health.
- Safe for people with diabetes.
- Sagi is excellent organic beauty ingredient.
- Supplies Essential Amino Acids: It offers methionine, valine and isoleucine.
- Boosts Nervous System Function.
- Helps in maintaining healthy cycle.
- Best Pre- or post-workout drink.
Other interesting Facts about Sabudana.
- Sabudana can be preserved for long periods of time due to its low moisture content
- According to research, for boosting the growth of lactic acid bacteria in homemade yogurt, sago starch oligosaccharides were utilized. This can likely be developed as a prebiotic health food in the future.
- Sabudana starch is used as baby food in West Bengal.
- Also used as food thickener.
Care & Precautions
- It should not be considered as a complete meal.
- We should ensure that we purchase sabudana from dependable suppliers.
- Over-consumption of anything can be harmful. If consumed in excess, it can lead to weight gain.
- Sabudana needs to be soaked in water and cooked carefully in boiling water before eating it to reduce cyanogenic toxicity.