Sabudana(Sago) Benefits and Nutrition: Supercharge Your Health with These Incredible Pearls

Sabudana – one of the most deceiving foods in the world. 

It seems like a nutrition-less food but is not. 

It seems like a grain, but is not. 

And it also seems to be coming straightly from a plant but doesn’t. 

These pearl-like grains are not very well known. But you must know these. Why? Because of the sheer level of sabudana nutrition. These tiny pearls actually do mighty things to our health. And we’ll reveal it all to you.

In this article, we’ll explore the many sabudana benefits, its nutrition, people who should avoid it, and how you can cook this delicacy.

Know your Sabudana – Nutrition, Origin, and Taste

Alright, Sabudana is not a grain. Then what is it?

Sabudana in English is known as Sago. It is actually made from the root of the cassava plant. It is almost purely starch. 

Let’s have a brief insight into how it is made. 

To start with, sabudana is made up of a prepared extract of cassava roots. The process of transforming this root’s inner core into delicate pearls is a labour of love. 

It begins by carefully extracting the root from the cassava plant. These roots are peeled and washed to remove impurities. With utmost precision, it is then finely grated, creating a milky liquid. 

This liquid is then gently strained, allowing the starch to settle. This settled starch is thus collected and shaped into small granules. These granules are the sago pearls we know and adore. Once dried, it reaches our plates.

Pretty intricate right? So let’s now revere this hardship and learn about sabudana nutrition.

Sabudana Nutritional Value per 100 grams^[1]

When we look at the sabudana nutrition, we see that it is energy-dense. A whopping 358 calories in mere 100 grams. And this energy comes from its carb content. As mentioned earlier, sabudana is a purely starch-based carb. This is the reason it was used as a source of survival in WWII. 

During World War 2, many refugees used sabudana to refuel themselves in Southeast Asia. ^[2]

How Does Sabudana Taste?

Alright, all good as far as we talk about nutrition. But what about its taste? After all, we all cherish food because we love the taste of it. 

Well, sabudana doesn’t have a taste of its own. When you soak it and put it in your mouth, a very mild, neutral, and nutty taste is felt. And this makes it a great food too because it can take the taste of anything it is blended with. When it comes to the texture, it has a nutty texture. 

Now, as we are done mincing the basics of sabudana, it is time to know its benefits.

Sabudana benefits – tiny food packed with mighty benefits

Throughout India, tradition has been to use sabudana during fasting. Many men and women make dishes out of it when nothing is allowed to eat. It is because sabudana is rich in carbs and provides the loss of energy during fasting. But energy is not the only benefit that comes from it.

Let’s look at the many sabudana benefits and understand why it must be included in the diet.

1. Sabudana helps in digestion

Indian tradition has always taught us to treat the stomach as a temple. When we provide our stomach with goodness, it adds goodness back into our lives. And don’t we all understand how tough life seems when indigestion kicks in? 

To deal with indigestion, we need a healthy amount of good gut bacteria that help us digest our food. However, to live, these bacteria need food. However, the food that we eat reaches them in the pre-digested form. But sabudana can help us deal with just this. How?

As we know, sabudana is purely a starch. Out of this starch, nearly 7.5% is resistant starch. We call it resistant starch because it reaches our guts undigested. As a result, our good gut bacteria get a good graceful treat and stay healthy. To be precise, sago acts as a natural prebiotic. ^[3]

2. Sabudana is Packed with the power of antioxidants

Chances are that you might have heard of this word – ‘antioxidants’. It is tossed well in commercials to sell foods like tea, chocolates, coffee, etc. Not an uncommon sight. But what are antioxidants after all? And why do we need them?

In our bodies, there creep and roam molecules called ‘free radicals’. Now, these molecules are unstable ones and are known to mess with the cells in our bodies, causing damage. 

And once cell damage happens, we suffer from health and skin issues. 

Antioxidants stop this brutal mayhem and sabudana is an excellent source of antioxidants. ^[4]

It contains tannins and flavonoids in healthy amounts. When these molecules enter our body, they provide protection from several things. Here are the benefits that come from antioxidants:

• Protects cells from unnecessary damage. Consequently, skin and organ health is improved.
• Helps deal with premature wrinkles and fine lines. 
• Keeps the brain healthy as we age. This protects our precious memories and learning from fading away in thin air.
• Calms mind and body.
• Improves vision and sleep quality. ^[5]
• Helps in weight loss. 

This is one of the best sabudana benefits that we get.

Sabudana has been a favourite fasting food in Indian culture. It is commonly consumed during Navaratri fasts.

3. Sabudana helps in weight loss

Now, you can squeeze your brows and ask – “but how can carbs help us lose weight? Well, in the case of Sago, it happens.

Weight loss is one of the rarely known benefits of sabudana . This beautiful chain starts when the resistant starch reaches the table of our good gut bacteria. These bacteria break down this starch and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). This SCFA invites numerous health benefits such as:

• Lowering blood sugar levels
• Reducing hunger
• Improving digestion
• Reducing insulin resistance

All these benefits, after forming their healthy communion, bring a state of weight loss. ^[6]

Apart from its culinary uses, sabudana is also utilized as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets.

4. Blesses heart with good health

We all understand how vital heart health is. However, not many of us take care of it the way we should. We eat fast food, consume harmful things, and practice a sedentary lifestyle. 

The most common risk factors that sneer at our heart are high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These together block our blood vessels and promote a terrible streak of health issues. 

Now, sabudana helps us deal with this. It protects the heart by lowering blood cholesterol and sugar levels. ^[7]

And this happens due to the rich presence of amylose in it. This starch promotes the release of sugar in the blood in a very controlled way. 

5. A great gluten-free delight

To some people, gluten can be very mean. It can easily transform a delightful meal into a recipe for discomfort. Bloating, fatigue, headaches, and whatnot people with gluten intolerance go through. It leads to a limited diet. 

Avoiding gluten-containing foods that can trigger negative symptoms in sensitive individuals can contribute to improved overall well-being and mood. And what greater joy than having a bowl of sabudana khichdi? Or maybe any other dish of choice. 

Sabudana is naturally gluten-free. Its this quality makes it suitable for individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. Here are a few other gluten-free foods for you to consider cooking (if you are a great chef indeed):

• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Millet
• Amaranth
• Brown Rice
• Teff
• Arrowroot

Some people use a paste made from soaked sabudana as a face mask to promote smooth and glowing skin. Its starch is believed to have soothing and moisturizing properties.

6. Sabudana provides a healthy boost of energy

Carbs are an easy source of energy. However, just like other macronutrients, there are good carbs and bad carbs. 

For example, burgers, jams, and jellies are just a few examples of bad carbs. 

They throw a heap of glucose at once in our bloodstream. This knocks our bodies’ potential to deal with glucose in a sane way. 

It doesn’t know what to do with so much sugar. As a result, our bodies release high amounts of insulin. But over a period of time, this leads to insulin resistance. Never a good thing!

Sabudana is a good type of carb. And because it is purely a carb (near to 90%), our body receives a good amount of energy. However, unlike bad carbs, this energy I released into our bodies at a healthy rate. 

Now, we are pretty sure that the next time you travel somewhere, you are going to think of it. But what if you don’t know its name in the local tongue? How will you ask?

Let’s learn its name in different Indian languages. 

Sabudana name in different Indian languages

How Should You Eat Sabudana?

Sabudana, taste-wise, is almost neutral. It is pure starch and has a mild nutty flavour. This means you can cook several dishes using it. 

For example, you might have seen people making sabudana khichdi in Navratri or Durga Puja. 

Similarly, you may cook this into several other delicacies that will make you love this. Here are a few examples of what you can cook using sabudana –

• Sabudana Khichri
• Sadudana Tikki
• Sago Seekh Kabab
• Sabudana Kheer
• Dosa
• Dahi sabudana

The cooking style differs according to the recipes. If one recipe requires you to pressure cook it, the other might not. However, there are a few things that you must do every time while cooking with it.

• Always rinse these pearls well until you see clear water. 
• It is best to soak them for at least 30 minutes. For best results, soak it overnight and cook the next morning.
• Always choose better quality sago to avoid any reaction or sickness. 

And here comes the last thing – because these pearls are pure carbs, people suffering from diabetes must eat them at a limit. Don’t eat daily and consult a doctor before including in your diet. 

Conclusion

Sabudana, the deceptive pearl-like grain, holds a treasure trove of benefits that can supercharge your health. It may seem like a simple and nutritionless food, but is not. Its true potential lies within. 

Sabudana promotes overall well-being, and nourishes our guts, thereby supporting healthy digestion and weight loss. 

So, next time you see those innocent-looking sabudana pearls, remember, they’re more than meets the eye! Don’t underestimate the power of these tiny warriors in your quest for health. Embrace the sabudana secret and let its benefits surprise you.

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