The metabolism of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus in human adults on a poor vegetarian diet containing ragi (Eleusine coracana).

Ragi (Eleusine coracana) is a grain of considerable importance in the dietary of millions of people who inhabit the Deccan Plateau of India. It is generally raised as a dry (rain-fed) crop, though in certain areas it is also raised as an irrigated crop. The grains are usually red-brown in colour, though white-skinned varieties are also known. The grain is very small and has a diameter of only 1-1.5 mm. In view of this, and the difficulty in separating the seed-coat, the grain is usually cleaned and ground as a whole for use as flour. The flour is generally cooked to a paste with the minimum amount of water and the paste rolled into balls which are eaten with soups, chutneys and cooked vegetables. The cooked balls are somewhat sweet to the taste and, though tasting a little coarse because of the associated skin, they are considered to be quite wholesome. The working classes generally prefer ragi to softer grains like rice, because of both its cheapness and its sustaining qualities. Ragi is unique among cereal grains in being a very rich source of calcium, containing about 0'33% as compared to other common cereals whose Ca content ranges from