Blog91: Desi Protein Powder "Sattu"

It's ironic but there are some foods off our radar because they are easily available and inexpensive. For some reason, health is now an expensive proposition. Or perhaps we expect that we need to pay a lot to be healthy. A case in point is expensive protein powders that we order online when the solution really lies in our backyards.

Sattu, a flour made up of roasted Bengal gram (and sometimes a bit of barley), is available around the corner. It's considered "poor man's food" as it is popular among those who do manual labour. One of the biggest benefits of this wonderful food is that it makes you immensely robust. Eating sattu in breakfast gives you a boost of protein before you begin the day.

Nutritional Background

• 60 grams (4 tbsp) of this roasted flour will give you 19.7 grams of high-quality protein along with – Calcium and magnesium (a fantastic combination as magnesium helps calcium get better absorbed into the body). This makes it excellent for bone health and the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. 
• It has both soluble fibers that sweep out cholesterol, along with insoluble fibers that promotes healthy elimination. 
• As you know it gives you a shot of calcium, magnesium, and potassium that together help build strong bones. Which is super healthy for growing children and adults.
• When you add barley to sattu it gives you manganese that is essential for bone formation. Barley also contains some B-vitamins that are essential to make energy from food, along with minerals including selenium, copper, chromium, and phosphorus. However, barley contains gluten, so it must be avoided by those who allergic or intolerant to it. These minerals together scavenge free radicals produced by environmental toxins, improve brain function, boost bone health and keep the body cool, among many other benefits.
• Sattu is good for weight watchers as well as a muscle builder. It strengthens muscles and bones. When you add millet like barley and a few nuts it becomes a complete protein.
• Sattu is easily digestible, gives you a sense of fullness and satiety.  It's recommended during pregnancy to reduce mindless eating. It also purifies the blood and rich in iron.
• It is high in fiber and helps to prevent constipation.

How to Use 

1. Sattu is cooling in summer and warming in winter if you add jaggery, dry fruits and spices such as cinnamon. Barley is considered very cooling. Therefore it is prudent to switch to plain chana sattu during winter.
2. It can be used to make a cooling drink in summer that's highly nutritious or you can make a sattu shake with soy or almond milk, banana, and honey.
3. It can also be made savoury by blending with yogurt, black salt, coriander, and green chilies.
4. You can make sattu stuffed roti or parathas. Take a handful (25g) of sattu. Mix half a teaspoon of mustard oil, a finely chopped onion, some grated ginger, a pinch each of amchoor (dried mango powder), salt and red chilli powder. Add enough water so that the mixture holds together, like a dry dough, and shape into lime-sized balls. Now roll a thin wholewheat chapatti, place the sattu ball in the center, gather the edges together and seal in the sattu. Press the lump back gently into a thick disc and roll out again. Cook on a hot griddle and serve with yogurt.

5. You can make it into laddoos by roasting with ghee, unrefined sugar and all varieties of chopped nuts.

6. Last but not least you can drink it as your pre or post-workout drink.

To make sattu at home, take a handful of roasted Bengal gram (channa) and grind to a powder. It is super healthy as well as easily available and cheap or inexpensive. You should be able to purchase this online across India. So make the change today and spread the word. The aim is to move from processed to natural.

Read Also: Cholesterol Management

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