Let’s talk about south Indian food upma, calories in upma, calories in rava upma and health benefits of upma, etc. However, it doesn’t mean, it is only prepared in South India, but it is prepared all across India. Most people enjoy upma in the breakfast. Upma is not only tasty, but it is healthy too. Upma is made with the help of semolina or sooji.
What is Upma and How Many Calories in Upma?
Upma is a South Indian dish that originated from the Indian subcontinent, and it is most common in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarati, Karnataka, Odia, and Sri Lankan breakfast. Upma is cooked as a thick porridge from coarse rice flour or dry-roasted semolina.
Total calories in upma are approximately 250 per serving. And, you’ll get 3.7 grams of fat, 1.8 grams of protein, and carbs are of 45 grams.
The total calories in rava upma are around 250 per serving, which makes it a good meal for your breakfast.
Major Variations of Upma
The following are some variations of upma:
- Sooji upma
The most interesting version of sooji upma is made with refined or whole ground semolina. Sometimes, vegetables are added to upma that will be garnished with various types of beans, peanuts, and cashew. You can also add masala upma, garam masala, or sambar masala with red chilli powder. - Rice upma
Rice upma is popular in Tamil Nadu and the southern parts of Karnataka. You can also use grated coconut instead of onions, especially on holy days. - Corn upma
You can have corn upma in the breakfast, and it can be eaten with milk and nuts. - Whole wheat upma
Another common variation of upma is whole wheat or wheat Dalia that is popular in Tamil Nadu. It is eaten for breakfast or dinner. Sometimes, it is prepared with vegetables like peas, beans, and carrots. - Kesari bhath
In Karnataka, upma is served with the sweet dish ‘Kesari bhath’. - Upma pesarattu
In Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Yanam, Upma pesarattu is the most popular version. It will be the combination of upma and pesarattu. You can eat upma by rolling it in the pesarattu.
Health Benefits of Eating Upma
The following are some health benefits of eating upma:
- One bowl of upma will make you feel full because it is a slow-digesting food that helps to keep your craving aside.
- Rava is prepared from wheat that has minerals and vitamins that help in making your immune system healthy. Generally, it contains vitamins B and E that is good for the immune system.
- Minerals like zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus in rava can help in improving the nervous system, kidney function, and bone.
- Upma is a good source of iron that can prevent you from anemia and boost blood circulation.
- Even you can add nuts to your upma that contain extra calorie and nutritional benefits.
- Semolina in wheat rava helps in preventing over-consumption of food and makes you fuller for a longer period of time.
- Upma is free from harmful cholesterol, so it is good for your heart health. It maintains the heart pumping and blood flow from its nutritional elements.
- Upma is prepared from wheat rava, and it contains lots of potassium. Potassium is good for kidneys.
- To increase nutrition content, you can add veggies to upma as it would be a better option.
Is Upma Good for Weight Loss?
As you know, suji or rava doesn’t contain cholesterol but contains calories. Calories in rava upma per serving offer around 250 calories. However, if you want to reduce weight, then eating rava upma would be the best option to include in your breakfast. Because suji is a good source of nutrients and it makes a calorie-dense meal that makes you feel full throughout the day, and you eat less. When you have enough energy throughout the day, you’ll be less likely to eat unhealthy snacks. You can combine suji dishes with fiber-rich or protein-rich vegetables and fruits to get weight loss benefits.
In addition to this, ensure to get semolina flour that is made from whole wheat, which is rich in fiber. You can follow various ways to include semolina in dishes. Being a desi superfood, semolina works wonder for your diet. You can try the following dishes to add suji or semolina:
- Suji Utthapam
- Suji (Rava) Dosa
- Suji (Rava) Dhokla
- Suji (Rava) Appe
Start Your Day with Upma in Breakfast
You can start your first meal in a day with rava upma. If you are health conscious, then make sure to eat a sufficient amount of upma. You can add veggies to upma to make it more nutrition-rich. It has required vitamins and minerals that can boost your health. You can serve upma with coconut chutney to add more taste. For garnishing, you can add chana dal to your upma to make it tastier.
